Lawns are known to turn brittle and yellow in summer, but it turns out there is a simple way to keep the grass green using a natural item most people already have in their bathroom.08:40, 05 Jul 2026There's nothing worse than settling into the garden to soak up the sunshine, only to notice your lawn is turning yellow and straw-like. It's perfectly normal for grass to appear a little lacklustre after a prolonged spell of hot weather, which is why keeping on top of watering is absolutely essential to give your lawn a fighting chance of recovery.‌However, watering alone doesn't always cut it when it comes to reviving a struggling lawn. Eleni Veroutsos from Backyard Boss has revealed a natural remedy to help your grass look lusher and greener, and all you need is a product found in the bath aisle of your local supermarket.‌She explained: "If you're looking for a way to spruce up your lawn this summer and keep it green and healthy, look no further than using Epsom salt. With the simple addition of Epsom salt to your lawn care routine, you get optimal results without worrying about harsh synthetic chemicals or doing extensive work."‌Why use Epsom salt on your lawn?It may seem odd to sprinkle salt in your garden, but Epsom salt is nothing like your standard table salt. It's actually a naturally occurring mineral packed with nutrients that can genuinely benefit your lawn.Widely sold as a bath soak for its muscle-soothing properties, Epsom salt is also rich in magnesium, which encourages plants to produce greater levels of chlorophyll, resulting in a richer, deeper green colour.‌Applying Epsom salt to your lawn during summer won't just boost its appearance — it will also support photosynthesis, allowing the grass to absorb more sunlight.Lawns will be able to harness all that additional energy not only to withstand the heat but also to bounce back rapidly, meaning they'll produce more grass blades and develop a more robust root system.‌Increased chlorophyll activity will enable lawns to hold onto more moisture during hot days, keeping the grass lush and healthy, so you won't need to fret about any brown patches for the remainder of the season.How to use Epsom salt?To start, combine one tablespoon of Epsom salt per litre of water. Ensure it's fully dissolved in a sprayer, spreader, or watering can before applying it.The optimal time to water a lawn with Epsom salt is in the morning or early evening. Summer afternoons can be excessively hot, as the sun is at its strongest, which limits how much water penetrates down to the grass roots.‌Watering lawns in the afternoon isn't just ineffective but you also risk scorching the grass as the droplets can heat up rapidly, which can severely stress a lawn.Epsom salt should be used as a supplement to help revitalise a lawn, but it can't substitute fertiliser, and an excess of one nutrient can damage the lawn soil if you overdo it.Article continues belowApply Epsom salt only once every six weeks, though a lawn typically needs it just once per season, and the grass should become thicker and considerably greener without resorting to any harsh chemicals.