Gardening experts warn against improper lawn mowing after drought

Following periods of intense heat and drought, gardeners are advised to avoid common mistakes when attempting to revive yellowed or thinning lawns during the September recovery period.

Experts from the Société Nationale d’Horticulture de France (SNHF) warn that mowing grass too short immediately after rainfall can prevent regrowth. After drought stress, grass blades act as solar panels to restart photosynthesis; cutting them too low exhausts the plant's energy and prevents root reconstitution. The SNHF recommends the ‘one-third rule’ for the first recovery mow, suggesting that if grass has grown to 9 centimeters, the blade should remain at 6 to 8 centimeters.

Rather than rushing to tidy gardens, it is recommended to wait for initial regrowth to assess actual damage. Some areas that appear dead may recover naturally with moisture. For small damaged patches, aeration and reseeding may be more effective than replacing the entire lawn.