Dry cracked lawn

Every Summer our grass is just a dry crackly brown mess. After a couple of rains it goes green again. We are not encouraged to water grass because of droughts here though we actually have tank water if we are desperate. Grass pops up everywhere, it is very very hardy.

If you're not on a water meter, get a sprinkler and some lawn feed.

You're not wasting water - it goes back into the rivers etc.

Having worked for a water company, if you truly knew the amount of KNOWN leaks that have been leaking for YEARS (genuinely) you'd be horrified.

Add to that the fact the CEO is on £29k a DAY.

Plenty of profits to fix leaks and build more reservoirs to keep up with a growing population (last one was built in the 90s).

It sounds like it might be capped further down

If you have a clay soil it will shrink as it dries out, you can water it to keep it moist or tolerate the shrinkage, unless you replace the topsoil which is very expensive relaying the lawn doesnt work

Mine is similar. I’ve often wondered about replacing the grass with clover, but worry the latter will creep into the flower beds. This year I have a lot more weeds in the lawn, so the clover idea is becoming more appealing.

Moved into a new build with no made up garden. First year laid grass, made borders. Kept flooding in one area. Next year had to have garden ripped up and drainage installed kept.. Worth every penny, no
problem since. Those who haven't bothered trying to sort out still have problems every year. One had to have concrete pillars installed to support a small shed. Approach to shed still very wet when it rains. Your groubd may settle if you keep aerating but it will take years. May be worth having landscaper opinion on best approach.

If the moss flourishes, why not let it? Then you'll have a lovely soft moss lawn!

Yep i tried digging over where I want to plant beans, no hope its like concrete. It needs rain.

I have a similar problem. The garden is so dry generally especially after the warm wind for the last few days. The grass looks like it does mid August. Dry and crispy. We have 2 large horsechestnuts which overhang the grass as well so that stops any rain getting through to it.

I am wishing for a few nights of rain, but I need to plan what to do. The flower beds are rock hard with dry earth as well.

You have clay soil like me by the sounds of it. After both prolonged wet weather and dry spells it is very hard to work. As previous posters have said, grass does grow back quickly. A few of my neighbours have built up low walls around their borders and overfilled the clay soil with top soil which seems to work well for border plants.

I think if you go down the relaying route you’ll eventually end up with the same problem.
How big an area is it, would creating more flower beds reduce the overall appearance of the grass and be less of a bother?

Mo Bacter worked really well on my previous lawn.

I was a bit heavy handed with Mo Bacter treatment which is meant to digest and remove moss. It is very brown in areas but I have every confidence in its recovery.

J52 I did go over it with a fork when it was still wet I tried compost too but it was just blown all over the place as it’s also very windy here a lot of the time I had some eco friendly moss killer it’s North facing and mossy on one side. I don’t have much luck do I 😂

It might need aerating, by using a fork to make holes, top dress with compost and then feeding.
You can hire spiked rollers to make the holes.

Thanks all I don't want to wish for rain but it would help I'm sure. The ground is sandy on top but clay also in places and I'm sure builders rubble as its only 5yrs old. Hopefully it will improve with ☔️🌧🌨

Is it clay soil? Ours is and it's just as you describe in dry weather but the grass grows again very quickly after rain. There's certainly no need to replace the lawn!

It’s a bank holiday on Monday isn’t it……so rain on the way then!

Beginning of May if forecast wet. Not long to wait.

Grass is very resilient. Wait for some rain and it will recover. Mine is similar to yours but I know it will be OK. Here in Oxfordshire rain is forecast for this coming weekend. 🤞