September is the best time to revive parched lawns - with these easy steps

The summer heatwaves have turned many garden lawns into dried out patches of brown grass, leaving people worrying that they may never return to their former glory

With the weather now cooling off and rain showers back, you may notice your lawn starting to turn greener again, but it may still be patchy, and in areas where the grass has died off completely, you may have spots of bald earth.

The good news is that September is the perfect time to address these issues - and by taking these easy steps, your lawn will be on its way to growing back stronger and healthier than ever.

Will rain alone revive my lawn?

The rain is a welcome sight for gardeners, but after a summer of drought, the earth can become hard and compacted. This means that water may pool on the surface rather than soaking in, making your lawn “hydrophobic”.

‘Water can be your friend and your enemy, while welcome rain can help the lawn bounce back, heavy persistent showers can actually do more harm than good,’ says Jonathan Davis, lawn expert at Lawnsmith.

To address this, you will need to aerate your lawn – using a hollow tine aerator or a garden fork, puncture the surface at regular intervals - especially where the earth has become compacted – allowing water to soak back in.

What nutrients does a lawn need?

For a tired and depleted lawn, a lawn feed will give it the nutrient boost it needs. But make sure you choose the right fertiliser for this time of year. Spring lawn fertilisers are nitrogen-rich to promote luscious top grass, but your aim now is to strengthen roots that will support top growth later on.

Choose an autumn fertiliser high in phosphorous and potassium for this job and make sure there is enough dampness for it to soak in. ‘It is vital that the soil is moist to allow your feed to be taken up by the grass,’ says Jonathan.

What if my grass is dead?

‘Just because your lawn is brown and crispy doesn't always indicate that you have to rip it up and start again,’ says Jonathan. To tell if grass is dead or just dormant, he recommends the Tug Test. ‘Tug on a handful of grass and if it comes away from the lawn without much resistance, then the grass is dead and will require reseeding.’

Do this by clearing away dead grass and other debris with a rake, aerating, then spreading your desired grass seed mix by hand or with a seed spreader – but avoid doing this when heavy or persistent rain is forecast. And remember to water if a period of no rain follows.

The good news is that September is the perfect time – not too hot and not too dry – for new grass to root and following these steps will revive even the yellowest of lawns. ‘Now is the time to get out there and get sowing,’ says Jonathan.