Dead grass or can I save it?

[NoGardener]

I know nothing about grass & struggle with things like lawn cutting as I have a bad back (I don't own a mower) it's only small but I got somebody in to cut it all down yesterday, it seemed nice & green when it was overgrown, but now it's cut it just seems dead. This photo was taken yesterday & I'm sure it's browner than this today!

Is there anything I can do to revive it?
I have very limited money but thought that it was worth an ask.

I wasn't expecting lush Green but maybe a little Greener (& softer!) than this.

It will come back once it rains. Or you could set up a sprinkler on it

Has it been very dry where you are? I’d leave it and see if it greens up again after some rain. It’s been hot and dry here for weeks, and my grass is also looking yellow.

Water and lawn feed.

The rain will revive it. Grass always does X

That’s how long grass looks when you cut it.
It will be fine! If you water it, it’ll grow back quicker. But then it'll need mowing again…

Leave it. If its due to lack of rain, grass is pretty tough and will recover when it rains.

Oh thank you all. I was googling & it said that it's dead but I just didn't want to believe that... It has been fairly hot (Suffolk) & dry. Cooler now but still dry.

The kids are always trying to water the grass & I tell them not to as I didn't want it any more jungle-like but I'll let them then!

It should be fine. In the heatwave a few summers ago our entire lawn went completely brown. Not a speck of green. It recovered in a matter of weeks once it started raining.

It’s not dead, just a bit despondent. I would use an aerator on it, scatter extra lawn seed and then water it frequently, it will be fine.

Ah I feel a bit silly for asking now

I was feeling gutted that I'd paid out to have it all sorted & now it looks awful.

Water it every day for a few days. It will green up again in the sun

The people that cut it offered to come back for a third of the price, now all of the other weeding round the edges etc is done, in 2 weeks time & cut it back again. Should I get that done? I don't want to over-cut it.

Yes do get it cut again. You need to not let it get too long as it will start clump and get very rough. I would say two at the latest given that we are due rain

Google silage aftermath images and you'll feel better! Yes you can be hard on it and knock it back again. Grass grows from the bottom not the top which is why it survives being cut back hard.

That's brilliant powershowerforanhour, & thank you again everybody!

Maybe I should get a sheep & they can keep it cut for me

I’m in Suffolk. It is not uncommon to go a month without rain here. Grass goes like that but bounces back quickly enough.

If you let it get really long in between mowings then every time you cut it it will look like this. It will green up in the rain as a PP said but you need to cut it once a week really. Less in dry weather. You could aerate it by piercing holes with a garden fork then put down a fertiliser/seed mix if you could be bothered!

I can't afford to get it done once a week. I'm keeping an eye out for a second hand mower, as that will be a start.

I just spoke to the gardener who came & he said we can push it to a month so it will be getting done again, just not too soon as I can't afford it.

I'll let the kids water it in the meantime!

Best off just buying a cheap electric mower like a flymow - probably get a second hand one for less than the cost it was to get done once.

I know, dootball. I had a Flymo years ago & just couldn't get on with it & it really aggravated my back.

Yes I’d go on marketplace and get a cheap one. Are your kids old enough to push it around? You could give them a couple of quid!!!

Ideally it would have been cut back in stages, taking of no more than half the length at a time.

Please don't waste water on your lawn - lawns in Australia manage when it's hot and dry, they green up again when it rains. Watering a lawn encourages the roots to remain near the surface rather than grow deeper and stronger. Also, don't cut it too short, a scalped lawn invariably ends up looking brown and dry. A high setting on a lawnmower is better.

Reetpetitenot It's not me who cut it. I'm grateful that it was done & I'm hopeful (now!) that it will Green-up a little in time.

Just use bath water if you are on a meter.