Mowing Your Lawn Safely in Scorching, Arid Conditions, as Suggested by Experts
In the current hot and dry weather, maintaining a healthy and resilient lawn is more important than ever. Here are some expert tips to help you navigate mowing your grass during these challenging conditions.
Morris Hankinson, the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd., advises raising the mower blade height when mowing grass in hot, dry weather. By cutting the grass longer, typically around 3 inches or higher, you help shade the soil, reduce moisture evaporation, and protect grass roots from heat stress. It's also essential to avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade length at once to prevent stressing the lawn.
Peter Chaloner, Managing Director of Cobra, another lawn care expert, concurs. He suggests using a mulching mower like the Cobra MM51B, which recycles grass clippings every time it is used. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn can provide nutrients, but avoid thick layers that might smother the grass.
To further ensure lawn health during hot, dry weather, mow during cooler parts of the day, preferably early morning or late afternoon, to minimize heat stress on the grass. Water deeply and early in the morning (between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.) before mowing to give roots moisture and reduce shock. Avoid mowing wet grass and avoid mowing too short, which exposes soil to sun, increasing evaporation and damage risk.
If experiencing a prolonged dry spell, consider infrequent, deep watering to encourage deep root growth. Weedkillers, fertilisers, and any other lawn treatments should be avoided during the hot weather.
When resuming mowing, set the blades to their highest level to keep the grass from being cut too short. Remember that grass finds hot, dry weather stressful, so aim to mow grass in hot, dry weather to minimize stress by only mowing when it's cooler.
By following these expert tips, you can help maintain your lawn's health and resilience during hot, dry conditions. Grass clippings can be mulched for natural fertilization, left on the lawn to encourage faster growth and release nutrients back into the grass, or composted for future use.
[1] Morris Hankinson, personal communication, 2022. [2] Peter Chaloner, personal communication, 2022. [3] Hopes Grove Nurseries, "Lawn Care Tips for Hot, Dry Weather," [website], 2022. [4] Cobra Mowers, "Caring for Your Lawn in Hot, Dry Weather," [website], 2022.
