It’s hard not to have noticed, but many parts of the UK including England, Wales and Northern Ireland have all seen their wettest February’s ever. Unfortunately, this has resulted in widespread flooding, with many homes and gardens submerged after multiple deluges. Named storms seem to have become an increasingly common phenomenon in the UK, but the good news is there are plenty of steps and measures you can take to keep your lawn in top condition.
There are a few things to think about if you’re a lawn owner affected by the heavy rain. Below you will find a summary of our advice:
Existing lawns
Many lawns, although a little damp, will have been able to cope with the heavy rainfall well. Besides keeping traffic to a minimum, not a great deal of action will be required. If your lawn did suffer from patches of standing water, you might like to read our article about drainage of your lawn.
Surprisingly, lawns are able to survive for days or sometimes even weeks underwater. You might notice some discolouration as the lawn eventually dries out, but in the majority of cases, no significant damage is left. Simple overseeding might be a solution to repair any water damaged lawns.
You might consider steps to prevent flooding in the future. Be sure to think about compaction, and you can think about a regular aeration programme.
Newly sown lawns
If you’ve recently sown a new lawn, you may have been affected more by heavy rain. Rain or watering is essential for grass seed growth, but too much can have negative consequences. If un-germinated seeds are left submerged for a period of time, they can begin to rot, rendering them useless. Furthermore, seedlings that have already germinated, can be physically damaged by heavy rainfall.
It will largely depend on when you sowed your new grass seed as to how bad any damage might be. On the plus side, conditions now are great for sowing, so any patching up that needs to be done should have successful results.
Best grass seed for flood repair
If you do find yourself needing to carry out some lawn repairs, try our fast growing grass seed, Repair and Reseed. It’s quick to germinate, and will green up any areas that look unsightly.
Final thoughts
The last piece of advice may seem a simple one. Waterlogged lawns don’t respond well to heavy traffic. Simply keep off affected areas and let the lawn re-strengthen. Here’s hoping that we have a better March!
