Gardening and Landscaping
August 24th 2020
The UK weather currently seems to be causing continuous problems for many, whether it be a heatwave with days of no rain, or a mass downpour and storms which wreaks havoc on your garden. With downpours expected and moving into autumn it is important to understand how best to repair your lawn after a flood in order to avoid any further damage.
If the lawn has been under floodwater for fewer than 4 days, it will recover quickly. If this is the case, all you need to do is make sure to remove any debris and rake the lawn surface in order to break down any silt crust which has been left by the floodwater. You should aerate the lawn in order to help it dry out before adding a light top dressing and raking it into the surface of the lawn.
You can then apply a fertiliser and add seeds in the springtime.
However, if the lawn has been under floodwater for above 4 days it will likely need a lot more care and attention and likely a full-scale renovation.
As with above the first step in this instance is to remove all debris from the lawn and as much of the silt layer as possible, however there will be much more the longer the grass is under water.
Any grass should be removed through scarification or by using a turf cutter. You should then apply a layer of topsoil and cultivate the lawn surface – mixing the topsoil with the lawn.
Rake in various directions to level out the lawn surface.
If your goal is to have your lawn restored to its former glory in time for winter, you should lay turf as winter does not offer the right conditions for over seeding.
If you wish to use the seeding method, you’ll have to wait for spring to do so.
Lawn flooding can feel like a big setback in your garden, however with a little care and often a lot of patience, you can have your lawn looking as good as new for the next summer.
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Take the time to go through any seed packets you already have and get them organised into different containers for the different times of year you’ll be sowing. You’ll need to start sowing indoors if there is still a chance of frost or use a greenhouse or cold frame with added insulation for outdoor sowing. Seeds such as cosmos or salvia can be started in a propagator or on a well-lit windowsill. You could even try sowing sweet peas into biodegradable toilet roll tubes; they grow long roots that like to be undisturbed so transplanting them straight out into a container when they are ready is ideal. If you are planning to sow outdoors, you can start to prepare your beds by adding a layer of fleece to warm the soil.
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