Help your lawn survive the summer by taking a few simple precautions which will help it get through the long, hot spell without lasting damage.
Luckily grass is incredibly resilient so even if yours is looking more like straw by now, it'll bounce back the moment the rain starts again. A little extra top growth helps protect the roots and keep them cool, though, so set the mower at a higher level than normal to prevent it drying out as much.
If you decide to water, a really good soaking once a week is much better than a light sprinkle every day, so aim to really drench the roots every time. One tip is to put a jam-jar on the lawn while you're watering and stop only when there's 13mm of water in the bottom – just the right amount for a really thorough job. For trouble-free watering you'll find plenty of sprinklers and other hose attachments in our garden centre.
Finally take the chance to evict weeds and moss by hand or using spot-treatment weedkillers. Sprinkle compost on bare patches and re-seed to restore your perfect green sward – but don't forget to keep newly-seeded areas nice and damp until the grass has re-established.
