Burned lawn: this is how brown lawn turns green again

Heat, sun, lack of water - our lawn has to cope with a lot in summer. But with these tips, your brown lawn will turn into a green carpet again.

The past summers were hot and dry drought summers. Instead of a green dream lawn, there were burnt, brown grass and bare spots in many places. No wonder - the extreme heat paired with too little water is far beyond the ideal living conditions for lawn grasses. All you need to do is wait and hope for the best, right? Thought wrong! We'll show you four simple tricks to get your lawn back in top shape.

Why is the lawn "burned" in summer?

Even if it may appear that way because of the heat and drought: Of course, the lawn is not actually burned.
Rather, the yellowing and browning of the surface is a protective mechanism of the grasses, which is referred to as heat dormancy. Dormancy means a resting phase with reduced metabolic activity, similar to a "summer sleep" in which the grasses go. They then pull all reserve substances from the stalks back into the roots and wait for better times with less heat and a greater supply of water.

Anyone who sees their lawn turning yellow in summer does not have to fear for the existence of the lawn. But it may well be that more sensitive grasses like that German ryegrass (Lolium perenne) did not survive the dry phase and in the following spring through a Overseeding must be supplemented again.

Tip: Optimal growing conditions for lawn grasses are around 22-25 ° C with sufficient moisture and plenty of light. From 30 ° C, however, all life processes are reduced to a minimum.

Tip 1: water the lawn

It sounds mundane, but the most important step in saving a brown lawn (or preventing it from turning brown in the first place) is watering it properly. After all, lack of water is one of the main reasons that leads to brown lawns. A lawn sprinkler is best for watering: This not only distributes the water nicely evenly on the lawn, but also saves heavy hauling. When watering lawns, the following applies: It is better to water less frequently and more thoroughly. In summer, a lawn should only be watered once or twice a week with 15 liters per square meter each. How do you Water the lawn properly, you can find out in our special article.

Tip 2: Use autumn lawn fertilizer

What does lawn fertilization in autumn have to do with a green lawn in summer? The answer is simple: Autumn lawn fertilizers usually contain more potassium than spring and summer fertilizers. In addition to frost tolerance, potassium also improves the efficiency of water absorption and the stability of cell walls, so that less water can escape through them and be lost to the grasses. The potassium-accentuated autumn lawn fertilization is already the preparation for a green lawn next summer. Rely on certified organic autumn lawn fertilizers like ours for a green and environmentally friendly lawn Plantura organic autumn lawn fertilizer. In addition, with this choice you protect all pets and garden animals and support a healthy soil life. After fertilizing, you should then sprinkle the lawn so that the nutrients are soon released and reach the roots. The best time to fertilize the autumn lawn is by the way in late summer at the latest September so that the lawn grasses still have enough time to absorb the nutrients it contains to acquire.

The advantages of the Plantura organic autumn lawn fertilizer at a glance:

• An extra portion of potassium ensures improved winter hardiness and drought tolerance
• Long-term available nitrogen for fast and healthy growth in spring
• Organic recipe protects the environment as well as all pets and garden animals
• The purely plant-based fertilizer granules support healthy soil life
• Lawn can be entered by humans and animals again immediately after fertilization
• Easy to dose

tip: Indirectly, spring fertilization is also an important prophylaxis for a green lawn in summer. Because if the roots can grow vigorously in spring thanks to a good supply of nutrients, you can better supply the grasses with water in summer. You should therefore also rely on organic lawn fertilizers in spring, because these spur the roots on to better growth.

Tip 3: protect the lawn

Playing football, romping around or having a relaxed picnic: a lawn is good for a lot. However, if your lawn is dry and brown, it is said: rest is the best medicine. Because with every step, the already stressed sward is further damaged and thus loses health and regenerative power. So try to protect your lawn as much as possible. This also means: a lawn that is not growing or is even yellowish must not and should not be mowed.

Tip: In general, when mowing the lawn in warm and hot summers, the grass can be left standing longer than in spring and autumn. The longer the lawn, the less sun hits the ground and the less water evaporates - a slightly longer lawn is a real water-saving trick that is good for the grass.

Tip 4: re-sow the lawn

Sometimes all efforts are not enough and despite watering, fertilization and care, the lawn does not find its way back to its old shape. It can also happen that the lawn only partially recovers - particularly "burned" areas remain as ugly spots in the otherwise green sward. If major damage is visible in autumn or spring, only one thing will help: re-sow the lawn. If you want to deduce a proactive deed from the hot summers, you can use a dry lawn for this purpose. Dry grass mixes like ours Plantura dry grass contain grass species that are better adapted to drought such as fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and meadow panicle (Poa pratensis). Our premium seeds only use RSM-certified varieties, which ensures a high germination rate with healthy grasses.

A particularly good time for sowing is after scarifying in spring, as the soil is then open, the seeds can take up well and competitors such as moss and weeds have been eliminated. If you are very impatient, you can reseed in autumn by the end of October at the latest, thus preventing weeds in the lawn. Why exactly one Scarify the lawn You can find out how to do this in our special article.