If there’s a part of the year where all that time you’ve spent pruning, sowing, mowing, and watering your lawn seems most worthwhile, it’s probably summer.
Between the endless barbecues, the gorgeous grass-side sunsets, and even just those casual outdoor drinks, your lawn probably gives you the most love back in the sunnier – and more social – season.
But as gardeners may well know, backyard gatherings can sometimes cause damage to your grass.
And it turns out that whether there are people sat on them or not, placing your outdoor furniture in some parts of your garden can be surprisingly harmful.
Basically, your grass doesn’t respond well to your favourite lawn chair (no matter how perfect it looks in that gorgeous green nook).
So, we thought we’d share why your garden furniture could be stressing your lawn out, how to spot signs of distress, and suggest where to put your furniture instead (yes, even if you don’t have a patio).
No offence, but your grass hates basically everything about your beloved rattan sofa
When it comes to grass health, placing heavy furniture on top of it is pretty much a damage triple-whammy.
Setting your patio furniture directly on grass can damage the grass itself “due to pressure, insufficient water, and lack of sunlight,” shared House Digest.
They add that: “Certain types of wooden furniture are also a haven for tiny insect invaders that will treat your outdoor loveseat as a place of refuge and worse.” Oh, good.
If your lawn is soft or damp, sitting on your outdoor seat can create sinkholes and marks, too.
The hate is reciprocal, it seems. The grass gets its payback by making your outdoor furniture damp, encouraging mould, splitting and rust.
Basically, the relationship between your lawn and your furniture is straight-up toxic.
How can I tell if my lawn, or my furniture, is struggling?
The signs should be pretty clear, actually. In the case of sinkholes, you’ll be able to spot a visible dip in your garden. And rust and mould are pretty easy to spot.
Very waterlogged wood will also split and crack, whereas dry, under-nourished patches of grass will appear brown or pale, deflated and flat.
But even if you don’t spot anything dodgy immediately, chances are problems might develop further down the line. So, we recommend moving your outdoor furniture ASAP.
OK, but... where?
Ideally, your outdoor furniture should be placed on a patio or decking – even more ideally, you should place a rug between the surfaces to prevent moisture transfer.
But the main thing to consider is that you provide adequate drainage and keep your furniture on a solid, stable surface.
If you don’t have the space, funds or inclination to build a full-on deck, House Digest recommends you “can also use flagstones or concrete stepping stones”.
Gravel and artificial grass are also good options. And it’s important to spray all outdoor furniture with bug-repelling solutions, too.
So long as it stays off the grass...