Revive the lawn

In hot, dry weather, lawns soon turn straw-coloured. Resist the temptation to water, because grass is robust and generally recovers after rain. Save water for plants that need it more.

1 Dry summer

Stop mowing if grass isn’t growing, in hot dry weather. If it looks shaggy, raise the height on your mower to at least 4cm (1½in) because mowing too short puts grass under stress.

2 Wet summer

As grass romps away, mow at least once a week, setting the mower to 13-25mm (½-1in). It might be tempting to cut it shorter so you don’t need to mow as often, but this can scalp uneven lawns, creating bare patches.

3 Top tip

Use a special edging tool or a sharp spade to neaten up the edges to give them a pristine finish.