As we enter the month of May, the amount of grass pollen in the air has increased, triggering many people’s allergies.

With the Met Office forecasting high pollen levels, particularly in the South of the UK, it is important to know how to control the levels in your own home.

Toolstation‘s Greenhouse and Gardening Expert Lucie Bradley to provide essential advice on minimizing grass pollen in gardens, which can be helpful for hay fever sufferers.

Water the Lawn

Gentle watering of the lawn can help dampen pollen particles, preventing them from dispersing into the air.

The best time to water is during the early morning when temperatures are cooler, reducing evaporation.

She added: “It’s best practice to soak your lawn once a week for 5-10 minutes depending on the lawn size.

“During Spring and Autumn, you can count on rainfall to do this for you but during the dryer Summer months, it’s crucial to maintain a regular watering cycle.”

“With that in mind, it’s a good idea to prepare for hosepipe bans. A water butt is a simple yet effective way to store collected rainwater for use in the garden.”

Remove Grass Clippings

While grass clippings can return nutrients to the lawn, excess clippings can exacerbate grass pollen.

Lucie advises collecting clippings in a grass collection box and disposing of them in a green garden waste bin or compost heap.

“It’s best practise to collect grass clippings in the lawnmower’s grass collection box before disposing of these either in a green garden waste bin or onto a compost heap.

“Once the peak pollen season has ended, then clippings can be scattered back onto the lawn.”