A lawn in top condition suffers much less from heat than a lawn plagued by moss or thatch, or lacking lime or nutrients. If you want a turf that can withstand the drought, it is best to start preparing now. Our garden expert Laurence Machiels has a five-step plan.
Longer droughts are no longer reserved for the summer, even in May the garden can groan under too little water and high temperatures. So prepare your lawn in March and April. Make sure it is well-grown and sufficiently nourished before the first drought.
Step 1: scarifying the turf
A lawn that comes out of the winter weakened will have an extra difficult time during drought. Get it back in shape! You do this in the first instance by scarifying or: removing moss and thatch. If there is moss in your lawn, fertilize it with an indirect action fertilizer against moss. After three weeks the moss has yellowed and you can scarify it.
Also scarify when your lawn is plagued by thatch: a spongy layer of dead organic material such as grass clippings and leaves. When you walk across your lawn, it bounces a little. A too thick (+ 1 cm) layer of thatch prevents the grass from forming suckers, which is essential for a strong, dense turf. The roots therefore do not get enough moisture and the fertilizers remain on top, so that your lawn lacks nutrition.
Scarify in March or April. Mow your lawn short, about 3 cm. Scarify and rake up the dead material. You can rent a scarifier per (half) day, for example in a DIY store.
Step 2: sow drought-resistant lawn seed
After scarifying, a lawn is thinned out and sparse. Sow it as soon as possible, so that the turf has grown completely over before the first drought. The trick? Sow with special drought-resistant lawn seed such as DCM Graszaad (Plus) Drought or Barenbrug Water Saver®. These strong, deep-rooted grasses are more resistant to drought than classic recovery lawn seed.
By overseeding with drought-resistant lawn seed every time after scarifying, your turf will increasingly withstand dry and hot springs and summers. Sprinkle a thin layer of compost or soil conditioner on top of the seeds. No rain predicted? Water until the blades are above. Drought-resistant lawn seeds need slightly warmer temperatures to germinate. Only sow them from April to mid-June.
A well-fed turf is better equipped against weeds, which often continue to grow in longer droughts and heat.
Step 3: feed your lawn with appropriate nutrition
Which and how much nutrition your lawn needs to withstand the drought depends very much on the soil. Lawns on sandy soil suffer much more quickly from heat, because sand grains have difficulty retaining water and nutrients. Lawns on slopes are also more sensitive to drought. A lawn on rich loamy clay and nutritious soil needs less extra nutrition to stay strong.
Don’t just spill anything. First do a quick soil test, for example in the garden center. That test tells you whether your lawn needs extra lime, and how much and which nutrients. A well-fed turf is better equipped against weeds, which often continue to grow in longer droughts and heat and take the place of weakened grass.
If necessary, give an initial fertilization in March, and possibly a second time in June, before the drought, with an adapted summer fertilizer with extra potassium. Potassium ensures a strong, dense turf. You can find the potassium content (K) on the packaging. For example, NPK 13-3-8 or 15-3-10 are summer fertilizers with a lot of potassium. Only apply fertilizers when rain is forecast, as grass needs water to absorb nutrients.
Compost is pulled into the soil by the worms and stimulates soil life. The more active the soil life, the stronger your lawn.
Step 4: a layer of compost works wonders
After liming and fertilising, sprinkle a thin layer (max. 0.5 cm) of compost over your lawn. This is drawn into the soil by the worms and stimulates soil life. The more active the soil life, the better equipped your lawn is against drought and heat.
Step 5: Mow Higher (and Smarter)
The longer the blades of grass, the better the grass roots are protected against harsh sun and the less they suffer from heat and evaporation. Long grass also provides more cooling in the garden. From now on mow your lawn at 4 to 5 cm. If a drought is predicted, switch to the highest setting: 6 to 7 cm. Do you mow with a robot or mulching mower? Good! Then your lawn has an extra buffer against the drought. The fine grass clippings then remain on the lawn, nourish it, protect it against evaporation and provide extra moisture to the soil.
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