This Is One Of The Worst Things You Can Do To Gardens In A Heatwave

If you’ve got a garden, you’ve probably noticed that everything in it is flourishing right now – from flowers to weeds and yes, of course, grass. 

If you’re particular about your lawn, the sight of unwanted growth might seem unbearable. 

In fact, despite advice to keep our grass longer in the summer, lawn mower sales only seem to be going up in the UK.

Especially during a heatwave, though, you should be extra-careful when trimming your lawn.

Many of us over-mow in the summer, causing the grass to dry out and die. 

Here’s how often you should *really* mow your lawn in the heat – and what how to keep it neat in the heat

Avoid mowing at all during extreme heat

Chris Bonnett of GardeningExpress.co.uk told Gardening Etc. that it’s important to “avoid mowing the lawn during extreme heat, as the lawn will be trying to recover from the heat or a potential drought.” 

“The optimum time is in cooler temperatures, after a rainfall,” he adds.

This is because grass that grows in very hot conditions often struggles to form healthy roots, meaning that when you cut it, it’s less likely to grow back.

Leaving your existing grass long also provides a sort of canopy for your lawn, protecting it from the extreme, drying heat of the sun.

OK, but the heatwave is expected to last for weeks. Do I just let my lawn get messy? 

If your grass growth has stopped completely, yes. There is no way to mow a lawn in that condition that won’t damage it further, says the RHS.

If your grass is healthy, you can still mow in the heat – but do it less often than you usually would, only try it on cooler days, and adjust your blade to keep the grass long.

Once you’ve finished mowing, you should leave the clippings behind instead of raking them up and disposing of them. 

They’ll act as a sort of mulch and lock in moisture, says the RHS.

Well, at least if you were looking for an excuse to get out of your weekend chore, you’ve found one...