Banish brown patches on lawns using 1 cheap kitchen ingredient

The UK has been basking in gloriously hot weather over the last week and while it's been a great opportunity to soak up some rays, the hot temperatures haven't been favourable for gardens.

Warm conditions can cause grass to become stressed, resulting in the blades turning brown or stop growing altogether, particularly when there has been little to no rainfall. It means grass can quickly go from luscious and green to brown and patchy, and with hosepipe bans being imposed in three areas of the UK, lawns won't be getting as much nutrients as they need in the summer. Yorkshire Water brought in restrictions on using hosepipes for watering the garden on July 11, with South East Water to follow suit Friday, July 18, followed by Thames Water from Tuesday, July 22.

The Environment Agency has warned that up to five more regions could be in a drought by September so it's likely more bans will be coming. It means gardeners won't be able to water gardens as regularly, unless you have access to a water butt or it rains, so other methods will have to be relied on to keep your lawn in good condition.

So if you're battling with brown patches on your lawn don't fret as gardening experts say there is one cheap kitchen ingredient that can help - tea bags.

Experts suggest sprinkling used tea leaves on your lawn to help promote strong and healthy growth. Tea leaves act as an effective natural fertiliser as they contain essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are all vital for healthy plant growth - including grass.

Sprinkling used tea bags or tea leaves on your lawn helps promote strong and healthy growth as the tea contains essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are all vital for healthy plant growth, so it acts as a natural fertiliser.

Not only that, they can also help to improve the structure of your soil and water retention, creating better growing conditions for your grass which will help to improve its overall appearance and restore it to luscious green.

Gardening experts at Greyhound explain: "Tea leaves are packed with nutrients like nitrogen, tannins and other organic compounds, all of which are fantastic for encouraging healthy plant growth.

"When you bury used tea bags or scatter the tea leaves over your lawn, they slowly break down and release those nutrients straight into the soil.

"Not only does this act as a natural fertiliser, but the added organic matter also improves soil structure and helps retain moisture. The result? Stronger roots, healthier grass, and that rich green colour we all want."

If you have patches of brown on your lawn that need repairing, experts suggest covering the patch with used tea leaves and planting the grass seed within this. The nutrients from the tea will seep into the soil so when your grass grows back it will be healthier and greener.

Tea bags can also inhibit the growth of weeds, particularly if steeped in black tea, so if you have any pesky weeds in your lawn, this can be a great natural solution to banishing them.

You can buy a pack of 40 tea bags from Asda for just 45p, whereas garden lawn fertilisers can cost around £10, so it'll save you a decent amount of money if you try this option instead.