Expert reveals the smallest change to your garden routine that will prevent bald lawn patches and pesky weeds this summer
A GARDENING expert has lifted the lid on how homeowners can swat away weeds and keep their lawns free of bald patches.
With temperatures warming up as we head into the weekend, many of us are likely making plans to spend time relaxing in the garden.
1
However, after a long winter of neglect, our lawns may be in need of a bit of TLC.
And for those looking to spruce up their brown looking lawns, Home Bargains has the perfect budget buy.
Gardening fans can pick up Speedy Seed for just £4.99 from the bargain retailer.
Home Bargains bosses said: "Fast-acting grass seed and easy to use, this Speedy Seed Grass Seed is a great way to fix dead patches in your lawn.
"This lawn seed features fast-germinating seeds to provide you with a flawless lawn in no time.
"Perfect for bringing new life to old lawns and restoring the greenery of your garden."
For those wanting to go the extra mile, whizz Ivana Agustina, Head of Project Management at ShrubHub, gave green-fingered Brits another nugget of wisdom regarding the best time to mow your lawn.
'People don't realise that grass gets stressed just like any plant,' she said.
Many gardeners make the common mistake of mowing their grass in the midday heat, without realising the harm this can do to the grass.
'If you mow it at the wrong time, you're basically wounding the lawn when it's least able to recover.'
The expert revealed that in spring the best time to mow your lawn is between 9 am and 11 am.
'Mowing during late morning means you're not clogging your mower with wet clippings or baking the lawn in midday heat,' she said.
Ivana explained that one of the worst times to mow your grass is before 8 am as grass is still wet from morning dew, which leads to "uneven trimming".
She added that between 2 pm and 4 pm is also not a good time to cut the grass, as this is the hottest part of the day, "which is bad news for moisture retention and overall lawn health."
The expert added: "You're slicing into already-dry blades under a blazing sun.
'That kind of trauma leaves your grass vulnerable to pests, yellowing, and fungal infections.'
During the summer time, the expert revealed that the best time to mow is between 6 am and 8 am, as this allows you to avoid the heat.
Ivana said that cutting your lawn at the wrong time could lead to fungal diseases, uneven growth and increased weed risk.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Met Office issues SIX weather warnings for thunder, lightning, hail and floods - while massive part of country goes into drought
Britain is bracing for a weather double-whammy as the Met Office issues six separate warnings for thunderstorms, torrential rain, hail, and flash floods. While in contrast other parts of the UK are simultaneously plunged into official drought after the driest spring in over a century. Forecasters say the next three days will bring wild swings between tropical heat and violent downpours, with temperatures soaring to 30C on Friday, potentially making it the hottest day of 2025 so far, hotter than Ibiza, Mykonos, and even sunny Los Angeles. The Met Office warned that some areas could be hit by up to two inches of rain in just a few hours, with gusty winds reaching up to 50mph, lightning strikes, hail, and the risk of flooding and travel chaos. In a further blow, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its first yellow heat-health alert of the year, running from 9pm Thursday to 8am Sunday. It covers London, the East Midlands, the South East and East of England where vulnerable people face health risks and hospitals could come under strain. 'It's all because we've got air moving in from the south, so the air is originating across Spain and Portugal and has been moving its way northwards,' said Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge. 'We're going to see increasingly humid conditions with very warm days and some quite muggy nights as well and the general gist is that western parts of the UK are likely to see the majority of the rain and the thundery showers. 'But, as we go into Friday, we could see some of that also moving across the east and south east as well for some thunder there for a time.' Thursday sees the first round of storms hitting Northern Ireland, South West England and Wales, with the Met Office predicting flash floods, power cuts and major travel disruption. Another round rolls in Friday evening, slamming south-east England and London with up to 50mm of rain in a matter of hours. The violent storms could unleash hail, lightning, and gusty winds, while heavy cloud cover and high humidity will keep things sweltering and uncomfortable overnight. Despite the washouts, Friday could still hit a scorching 30C, depending on how much sunshine breaks through the haze. The Met Office has six weather warnings currently in place: • South West England and Wales: 00:00–19:00 Thursday • Northern Ireland: 06:00–21:00 Thursday (rain) • South West England and Wales again: 18:00–23:59 Friday • South East England: 15:00 Friday – 06:00 Saturday • Western England, Wales and Southern Scotland: 00:00–18:00 Saturday Rainfall could top 10–20mm in just one hour, raising fears of flash flooding, especially in urban areas already parched from an unusually dry spring. Amid all the chaos, the Environment Agency has officially declared a drought in Yorkshire, where some areas have seen less than 50 percent of average rainfall this spring and just three-quarters of the May average. It follows a similar move in north-west England last month, and a developing drought zone in parts of the Welsh Water network. The agency warned that the prolonged dry period has drastically reduced water supplies and could pose a serious risk to wildlife, agriculture, and public health. Hosepipe bans and water restrictions may be introduced if the situation worsens. A spokesperson said: 'A drought is a prolonged dry period that reduces available water supplies and can negatively impact the environment, people and wildlife.' Friday's storms are expected to form into long bands, bringing torrential rain, strong winds, hail and lightning especially across eastern and south-eastern England. Simon Partridge added: 'We've got a very warm, humid, spell of wet weather to come.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
The UK region facing water restrictions after drought declaration
Yorkshire has officially declared a drought due to critically low river flows and groundwater levels, exacerbated by one of the driest springs on record, according to the Environment Agency. The declaration follows a similar announcement for the North West in late May, encompassing areas such as Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, and Lancashire. The UK experienced its hottest spring on record, coupled with the driest conditions in decades, placing immense strain on crops and natural habitats, with millions of households warned to prepare for potential water restrictions this summer. Yorkshire Water warned that water restrictions are possible this summer unless the county sees "significant rainfall" in the coming months, though the declaration of drought does not immediately change the situation for customers. Scientists have warned that drought conditions will become more intense in the UK with climate change, putting strain on water resources, with reservoir levels across England falling to new lows.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Yorkshire enters drought after driest spring in 132 years
Yorkshire has become the second area of England to enter drought after the driest spring in 132 years. Hosepipe bans for the region could be on the horizon if there is not significant rainfall in coming weeks, as, despite recent showers, the reservoir stocks continue to dwindle. Yorkshire Water reservoir stocks dropped 0.51% over the last week to 62.3%, which is significantly below the average (85.5%) for this time of year. Last month, the north-west of England entered drought status as reservoir levels fell to half their capacity. Much of the rest of the country is in prolonged dry status, which is the step before drought. Warm and dry weather is forecast, and long-range forecasts suggest a greater-than-normal chance of a hot summer. Met Office data shows spring 2025 was Yorkshire's warmest spring for mean temperature since records began in 1884. Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: 'We had one of the driest springs on record, which has impacted our reservoir levels, meaning they are much lower than normal for this time of year. Without significant rainfall in the coming months, temporary usage restrictions are a possibility.' The impacts of drought are already being felt. Hot and dry weather can increase wildfires, and Yorkshire has seen several wildfires on the Pennine moorland, including large fires at Marsden Moor, Wessenden, and Rishworth Moor. Farmers have also reported the beginnings of crop failures. Navigation has become difficult on canals and some rivers in the region due to low water levels, and there are a number of closures and restrictions in place to preserve water across the Canal & River Trust network, predominantly on the Leeds & Liverpool canal. People across England have been asked to conserve water as summer begins amid low river flows, groundwater levels and reservoir levels. Claire Barrow, the Environment Agency's planning manager for Yorkshire, said: 'Our climate is changing, and we had 22 days of almost no recorded rainfall in May. 'While we have had some rain at the start of June, it has not been enough to reverse the impacts of the prolonged dry weather. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion 'We are working with Yorkshire Water to make sure they enact their drought plans. We also encourage people to be aware of the environmental impacts of droughts as we enter the summer period and note the small steps we can all take to save water.' Climate breakdown will make droughts more likely, scientists have said, as rainfall becomes less predictable. There have not been any major reservoirs built in England for more than 30 years, but the government has announced that it has approved two to begin construction. The Guardian reported recently that to avert a drought there would need to be rainfall at levels last seen in 2012, when record-breaking deluges caused floods across the country. This does not look likely, with hot, dry weather ahead.
