Nearly three weeks of heavy April showers in 2012 and lawns all over south Manchester are starting to look lush and green, if not a bit soggy!
If you are experiencing a lot of rain and your lawn is looking rather drowned at the moment the most important thing you can do is keep off it as much as possible and just leave it alone.
When soil is wet, any downward pressure from foot traffic or machinery squeezes the air pockets out of the soil much more easily, the soil packs together much more tightly, and then when it finally dries out you will have all sorts of compaction problems, your grass roots will struggle and your lawn will suffer as a result.
Should I mow in the rain?
Do not mow your lawn in the rain. Not only is it hazardous from slipping and possible electrocution, but it will also damage your grass by not cutting it cleanly, inviting future fungal problems and disease.
If you have any areas of your lawn where surface water gathers regularly, then it may benefit from an additional surface drainage treatments once it dries out. The usual process is to Hollow tine aerate the area concerned and then back-fill the tine-holes with a horticultural sharp-sand, to improve the soil structure by creating tiny air-pockets. Make sure you use a high-quality, lime-free, washed, sharp sand, as standard builders sand could do more harm than good.
If you have any questions about your lawn or treatments which are done in wet weather, please get in touch.
Kris Lord
See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/weather_flooding.shtml
