20/08/2026
🌱⚠️ GRASSROOTS PITCH RECOVERY: ADVICE & AWARENESS FOLLOWING THE WELSH DROUGHT ⚠️🌱
Records have been broken! 🚨 But not the typical records we like to see. After one of the driest periods we've experienced in recent years, many football and rugby pitches across Wales are showing signs of significant stress, with large areas of brown, dormant grass and extremely dry soil conditions.
GOOD NEWS 👉 Dormant grass isn't necessarily dead. 🌱💀 With cooler temperatures and more consistent rainfall forecast over the coming weeks, many pitches have an opportunity to recover naturally if managed correctly.
With that in mind, we've put together some practical guidance to help clubs and grounds teams manage their playing surfaces through the recovery period:
➡️ Helping water get back into the soil
➡️ Allowing time for recovery
➡️ Fertiliser application
➡️ Mowing practices
➡️ Thinking about the long game
✅ HELP WATER GET BACK INTO THE SOIL
Following prolonged dry weather, many soils can become hydrophobic, meaning they repel water rather than absorb it. Consider applying a wetting agent ahead of forecast rainfall to improve water infiltration and help maximise the benefit of any rain that arrives. The Grounds Management Association recommends wetting agents as part of drought recovery programmes where hydrophobic conditions exist.
✅ BE PATIENT AND ALLOW RECOVERY
The temptation can be to immediately return to normal maintenance, but recovery takes time. As moisture returns, allow the grass plant to rebuild its energy reserves and produce new leaf growth before putting it under additional stress.
✅ CONSIDER A FERTILISER APPLICATION
Once rainfall has returned and the grass is actively growing again, a balanced fertiliser application can help stimulate recovery and improve turf density. Avoid applying fertiliser to drought-stressed turf before moisture returns, as this can cause further stress or scorch.
✅ ADJUST YOUR MOWING PRACTICES
Don't rush to cut the pitch back to its usual height.
✔️ Allow the sward to regain some strength first.
✔️ Maintain a slightly higher height of cut during recovery.
✔️ Follow the golden rule of removing no more than one-third of the leaf blade in any single cut.
✔️ If the grass remains dormant and isn't actively growing, leave it alone until growth resumes.
✅ THINK LONG TERM
For clubs operating with limited budgets, the most cost-effective approach is often patience and good timing. A small investment in wetting agents, sensible nutrient inputs and careful mowing can make a significant difference to recovery heading into the autumn playing season.
Every pitch will recover at a different rate depending on soil type, usage levels and available maintenance resources. The key is to avoid rushing the process and give the grass the best possible conditions to recover.
🎯 The aim isn't simply to get pitches looking green again. It's about getting them back to a healthy, playable condition that can withstand the demands of the season ahead. 🌱⚽🏉
If you're concerned about the condition of your pitch following the recent dry weather, our team can help assess the surface and advise on the most appropriate route to recovery. Follow the link to get in touch: https://www.southwalessportsgrounds.co.uk/contact/
