The 2-minute task to do now & stop your lawn/garden flooding as heavy rain is forecast for a week

SUMMER is well and truly over, with heavy rainfall forecast for next week.

And according to one gardening expert, there’s a task you should be carrying out right now to prepare your lawn.

A gardening expert has shared the simple step to protect your lawn from heavy rain (stock image)[/caption]

Stuart Stapes, who works as the Head of Technical at Kent & Stowe, spoke exclusively to Fabulous about the quick step you need to take to protect your garden from flooding.

He explained that flooding happens when the soil underneath grass becomes compacted and can’t absorb rainfall quickly enough.

Heavy clay soils are especially prone to this as their particles are tightly packed together, leaving little space for water to drain through.

Other contributing factors may include heavy summer use, poor drainage, uneven ground, or a thick layer of thatch.

All of these can lead to water being trapped on the surface, flooding your lawn.

Thankfully, the green-fingered pro broke down the best prevention to this.

Quick trick

He explained that the best way to improve your soil’s ability to “breathe” and let water drain away is to scarify and, mostly importantly, aerate it.

“Scarifying your lawn with a rake will remove the dead thatch to help rainwater drain through,” the expert said.

Meanwhile, aerating helps to relieve compaction by removing small plugs of soil, improving drainage.

This also allows nutrients, oxygen, and water to reach the roots of your grass effectively, encouraging stronger root growth before winter.

A healthy lawn can typically absorb several inches of rainfall over a few days, but its exact capacity depends on the soil type.

Sandy soils drain quickly, while clay-heavy lawns may saturate after just 20–30mm of intense rainfall, which will lead to the water sitting on the surface.

And while short-term flooding won’t typically harm your grass, if water lingers for a few days it can cause damage.

The oxygen levels in the soil will drop and the roots will begin to suffocate.

This can lead to yellowing and thinning of the grass, and even root rot.

In the long term, repeated flooding can weaken the grass and allow moss and weeds to take over.

Handy buy

So to prevent this, use tools such as the Kent & Stowe Lawn Aerator, £39.99, to protect your lawn.

“It is much more effective than using a garden fork, as plugs of soil are removed, which means compaction is effectively relieved, so any rainwater can drain away quickly and easily,” the pro explained.

This handy tool makes the back-breaking task easier than ever and it even comes with a 15-year guarantee.

Aerating your lawn can help to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall[/caption]

The conical shaped ends allow for easy penetration into the soil, so all you need to do is press down on the footplate until they are fully inserted into the soil.

Experts recommend carrying out this step every 15cm across your whole lawn.

Simply brush away the small plugs of grass left behind.

It is best to aerate your lawn twice per year, once in spring and once in autumn, as this will help to relieve the pressure of wet winters and the heavy use and dry conditions of summer.

Clay soils and high-traffic areas may benefit from more regular aerating.

More on gardening

Plus, five more flowers to plant now for a colourful bloom later in winter.

And the 13 red flags that could be ruining your garden during the winter.

Right now is also the best time to take hydrangea cuttings.

Plus, the five speedy plants to sow now to fill the gaps in your garden until winter.

And the top vegetables you should be sowing to harvest later this year.

The Kent & Stowe Lawn Aerator is available for £39.99[/caption]