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GreenThumb Lawn Treatments and Dry Weather

In hot summers with little or no rain, lawns can turn brown, stop growing and start looking like straw. There are several steps you can take to help your lawn in dry conditions and help it recover after a drought, as well as being able to make your lawn more drought resistant in future.

Well-maintained lawns tend to be more resilient and recover more rapidly, which is why it is important to continue with GreenThumb treatments. If the lawn is in poor condition the grass can become weakened and the roots may deteriorate, allowing weeds and moss to take over once the rain comes. In extreme cases your lawn may even be killed off.

Fertilising

hand showing greenthumb granular lawn fertiliser

When treating lawns during the summer months, we use controlled-release, no-scorch fertiliser, that do not need to be watered in, unlike other fertilisers on the market.  Our feed lies dormant until there is sufficient moisture to aid release, only releasing nutrients when it rains or it's watered.

Why should I have the GreenThumb treatment instead of just waiting for the rain and then having a treatment?

Having treatments in dry weather, means the fertiliser is in place for when the rain comes. This is very important in speeding up the recovery of your lawn. If you miss the treatment, and there is no fertiliser on the lawn to assist with the recovery, your lawn will take much longer to recover.

Watering

healthy greenthumb lawn avoiding drought by watering with sprinkler

In periods of dry weather, the lawn will thank you for a drink. Earlier in the morning or late evening is the best time to avoid evaporation, use stored rainwater if possible. Read our blog on ‘Top tips for conserving water’ for information on being water-wise.

If you can, think ahead. It is easier to get water to penetrate a moist soil than it is to try and get it into a soil that is baked hard.  

Water the lawn long enough for the lawn to have had a good soaking. It's difficult to say how long this is, as lawns differ in their exposure and makeup. But, if you pushed us to make a recommendation, it would probably be between 20 and 30 minutes. For the first application and then water every other day for approx. 15-20 mins.

Recovery

Champagne flutes, BBQ and a lovely striped GreenThumb lawn

The key to help with recovery is to prepare in advance, this can be achieved using all the treatments we offer along with a regular watering programme (if this is possible)

How long will it take for the lawn to recover once we have some rain?

There are many factors which affect the answer to this question but on average:

  • If there is no fertiliser present: Approx. 6 weeks.
  • If there is fertiliser present: Approx. 3-4 weeks.
  • If there is fertiliser present and the lawn has had the GreenThumb Oasis Treatment: Approx. 7-10 days.

Are there any common lawn problems which are more likely, after dry weather periods?

The main one would be Dry Patch, this is when the soil has become hydrophobic (the soil repels any water). This can be treated with Oasis, your local Lawn expert will be able to give you bespoke advice for your lawn

There is also a possibility your lawn may start suffering from Red Thread, which can also be clearly visible and relatively easy to identify.

Are weeds likely to be more prevalent on lawns following dry weather periods, if so, why is that?

Yes. Weeds often do appear more active after a period of dry weather. With the dry weather dormant weed seeds are blow in the breeze and likely land onto your lawn. When the rains arrive, they germinate. Often, we have seen lawns which were weed free before a dry weather period and then become ‘weedy’ once again. However, we are aware of
this and will ensure that post dry weather treatments will control them.