Eight Steps for One Great-Looking Lawn Restoration
- Get to the Root of the Matter. Start by dethatching your yard. ...
- Be On the Straight and Level. All those bumps and divots in your yard can make you mad — or even twist an ankle. ...
- Build Good Chemistry. Want your yard to love you back? ...
- Feed It. ...
- Keep Your Invisible Friends Happy. ...
- Air it Out. ...
- Spread Some Grass Seed. ...
- Show Some Love. ...
How to fix the 5 most common lawn problems?
The do's and don'ts of lawn fertilizer
- Don’t use fast-release chemical fertilizers. ...
- Don’t use bone meal, blood meal, and fish-meal fertilizers if you have pets. ...
- Don’t use starter fertilizer with weed control when trying to grow new grass. ...
- Don’t ignore the instructions on the label, including the type of drop spreader it stipulates. ...
How to fix a completely dead lawn?
Remove the old lawn using herbicides.
- Select a herbicide that will degrade quickly. ...
- Add just a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap or another surfactant to help the herbicide stick to vegetation.
- Apply the herbicide on a sunny day (60 degrees or above) so that the herbicide will dry quickly. ...
- Reapply the herbicide if the turf has not completely died. ...
Why, when and how to dethatch your lawn?
It becomes too thick (1 inch or thicker), leading to the following problems:
- It forms a barrier that deprives the root system of air, water, and nutrients.
- It promotes insect infestations.
- Lawn diseases are more likely to take hold.
- Patches of lawn with thick layers of thatch become spongy. When mowing your lawn, the mower wheels sink down in these areas, resulting in a lower cut. ...
How to fix an overfertilized lawn?
How to fix an over-fertilized lawn
- Assess the damage. If you suspect over-fertilization, you should assess the damage before taking any action. ...
- Water the lawn. If the fertilizer burn has only affected the surface of the lawn (and the roots look healthy), watering should be enough to get your grass ...
- Water the lawn some more. ...
- Monitor your lawns progress. ...
How do you fix a terrible lawn?
For a terrible lawn, we would want to perform aeration and overseeding as soon as it makes sense. We'd follow that up with a soil test to see what other needs the lawn might have, followed by a full lawn care program including fertilization, and grub prevention. Then, we'd want to aerate and overseed yet again.
How do you fix a neglected lawn?
Let's get started.Step 1: Get to the Root of the Matter. Start by dethatching your yard. ... Step 2: Be On the Straight and Level. ... Step 3: Build Good Chemistry. ... Step 4: Feed It. ... Step 5: Keep Your Invisible Friends Happy. ... Step 6: Air it Out. ... Step 7: Spread Some Grass Seed. ... Step 8: Show Some Love.
How do you fill a large depression in your yard?
There are manageable ways to deal with a dip or sunken spot. The general fix is to fill the area—good fill choices include soil, compost or rocks—and leave it slightly humped, to accommodate natural settling. Or, you can compact it by machine or with a hand tamper.
How do you renovate an old lawn?
Lawn renovation process:Mow the lawn low.Aerate the lawn.Scarify the lawn.Clear debris.Scarify again.Spread the seed.Top dress the lawn.Work in dressing and level the lawn.More items...
How do I restart my lawn?
0:491:54Tips from Toby: Hitting restart on your lawn - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOnce you put down your seed. Water it in as soon as possible. And also apply a locally-made. ProductMoreOnce you put down your seed. Water it in as soon as possible. And also apply a locally-made. Product called Earth rate this will help condition as oil and help your new seed to root much easier.
How do I start a new lawn from old grass?
How to Replant a LawnClear the area. Kill weeds and any remaining poor-looking grass with a non-selective herbicide about 2 weeks before you want to seed your lawn. ... Prep for success. ... Select your grass seed. ... Spread your grass seed. ... Feed for growth. ... Water daily.
What is the best time to water a lawn?
The timer controls the sprinkler, so you'll be sure the lawn gets the proper amount of water. Pro tip: The best time to water is early morning, when the sun starts to rise.
How to get rid of dog urine in yard?
Plant new grass seed in the bare spots and keep it watered. Note: Gypsum and water are the antidotes for dog spots in your yard. Gypsum neutralizes the dog urine, and the water soaks the area for new grass seed.
How many square feet does a 40 lb bag of fertilizer cover?
Pro tip: A 40-lb. bag covers 4,000 square feet. Note: You could give your lawn a third application of fertilizer, but chicken manure works even better because it contains more nitrogen, which gives the grass a healthy, green look (there's hardly any odor).
Get rid of the dead turf
Dead grass will not magically come back to life, so you need to remove any dead patches of grass. Just because it’s discolored doesn’t mean it’s dead, however: dead grass can be lifted out of the yard very easily since the roots are no longer deep in the soil.
Sod dead patches
After getting rid of your dead turf, you need to replace it with new grass. Our lawn care professionals recommend using sod. Sod is the more expensive option, but if you can afford it, we highly recommend it over simply adding grass seed. It’s more forgiving to watering and is much better at resisting weeds.
Replace any hard or compacted soil
Hard soil happens when the soil compacts in on itself and becomes tightly packed.
Why is there brown stuff on my lawn?
There are ugly brown spots on my lawn. Okay, to be honest, this one’s a little more complicated, because there are several things that could be causing the spots. Possible culprits range from grubs or fungus to foot traffic, weed dieback, and dog urine.
What causes a dog to have brown spots in the yard?
Check out section 4 below to find out what to do. Spots caused by dog urine tend to have brown centers with green outer rings.
How do I repair a lawn?
Spread a thin layer of topsoil or straw over the lawn repair area that you've just patched with seed. This protects the seed and, later, the sprouts from wind or getting washed away. More importantly, by covering the soil, it reduces moisture loss. A constant supply of moisture is the key to good germination for a repaired lawn.
What do I need to repair a lawn?
What You Need for Lawn Repair. To fix larger areas of your lawn, you'll need a few tools. If you're just working on a small patch, you can get away with just gras s seed, topsoil, and a trowel. Lawn mower.
How do I patch a dead lawn?
Prepare the soil the same way you would for patching with seed. Keep the area an inch or so below grade so the new grass will be level with the lawn. Then cut a piece from the strip of sod to fit the repair site. Press it firmly onto the soil, placing its edges snugly against the surrounding lawn. Walk on it to settle it into place. Water deeply and often until roots grow into the soil beneath the sod.
How often should I fertilize my lawn?
Keeping a lawn in tip-top shape often means applying an organic fertilizer twice a year, aerating periodically to discourage thatch buildup and soil compaction, watering regularly, and properly mowing it. But even if you do everything right, you can still end up with bare, thin, or weedy patches here and there.
Why is my lawn bare?
One of the most important parts of lawn repair is figuring out what has caused the problem. Sometimes an accident, such as a fertilizer spill, creates a bare spot in the lawn. Or there could be a plant disease, destructive insects, or competition for light and moisture from overgrown neighboring plants.
How to grow grass seed in a garden?
Otherwise, use a mixture of grasses appropriate for your region. Cover seeds with a light sprinkling of topsoil or a thin layer of compost. Then, lightly water the area to help the seeds germinate.
How do I scarify my lawn?
Power rakes spin metal tines at high speed to scarify and loosen the soil as well as break up the aerator plugs. They also lift thatch from your lawn. Go over the whole lawn from two directions. Rake up and remove dead debris if it completely covers the ground and might prevent seed from contacting the soil. Step 5.
How do I get rid of weeds in my lawn?
Kill the Weeds. Use a hose-end sprayer to spray the lawn with a broadleaf weed killer at least three weeks before you plant the new grass seed. Wear eye protection, gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants and waterproof shoes.
What is the best way to kill weeds in a lawn?
A hose-end sprayer with concentrated weed killer is the fastest and easiest application method (photo with Step 1). But if your lawn is hopelessly bare or completely covered with weeds, it’s best to go “scorched earth” and kill all the vegetation with a nonselective herbicide and start over.
Why is phosphorus not allowed in lawn fertilizer?
Distribute the Fertilizer. Fertilizers used to contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. But due to water pollution concerns, many states no longer allow phosphorus in ordinary lawn fertilizers. However, phosphorus is helpful for root development, so it’s important for starting new seed.
What is reseeding a lawn?
Introduction. Reseeding is a job you can do in a weekend if you have an average-sized lawn. You’ll have to wrestle home a couple of engine-powered rental machines. And once your work is done, be prepared to keep the soil damp with daily watering for the first month or so. It’s the key to a successful reseeding job.
How often should I water my lawn?
It covers a large area with even, light streams of water to prevent washing away seed. You’ll only need to water for about 20 minutes at a time depending on your soil type. Unless it rains, you’ll likely need to water at least twice daily. On hot or windy days, you may need to water even more frequently.
How can I save grass?
If you see plenty of healthy grass among the weeds or large areas of good grass throughout the lawn, you can save the existing grass and fill in the rest by planting new seed. That calls for applying a broadleaf herbicide, which kills the weeds without harming the grass.
What happens if you don't fix your lawn?
If you don’t fix what was wrong, you may find yourself staring at another dead lawn in the near future. There are a few common causes of dead patches or dead lawns, and it may take some detective work to find which one is responsible for your dead lawn.
Why is my lawn dormant?
Poor lawn health can be the result of over or under-watering. If you mostly rely on rain to water your lawn, your lawn could go dormant during a drought. If that’s the case, don’t be alarmed.
What is the best grass for a warm season?
One of the most shade-tolerant varieties of warm-season grass is Zeon Zoysiagrass, sold exclusively by The Turfgrass Group. For lawns with trees and partial shade, Zeon Zoysiagrass will grow better than other sun-loving varieties. Some varieties are also more suited for salty conditions than others.
What happens when your grass turns brown?
When your grass turns brown and dry, either on parts of your lawn or across the whole area, you may be itching to lay down new sod or start another plan to revive your lawn. But if you want your new lawn to last, you first have to determine the cause of death for the old lawn.
How long can a dead lawn go without water?
Most turfgrass can go for four weeks without water, and some hardy Turfgrass Group varieties can go even longer.
Why is my grass dead?
One common cause of dead grass or dead grass spots is disease or infestation. Turfgrass can succumb to fungal infections as well as parasites like grubs. To check for infestation, try pulling out some grass. Grass that is severely infested or damaged by fungus will pull out easily due to root damage.
Why does my grass pull out?
Grass that is severely infested or damaged by fungus will pull out easily due to root damage. To determine the type of infestation and the best method for controlling it, bring a grass plant sample, including the rood and soil, to a garden store or Extension Office for analysis.
Why is my lawn dead?
Scorching heat, compact soil, and heavy weeds can often lead to dead patches of grass on your lawn that don’t look appealing at all. If you want to get your yard to its former glory, there is still time. The chances are that the root system is still intact, and you can help the grass grow.
What to do with dead grass in yard?
So if you have just come home from a vacation and there are patches of dead grass all over your garden, the best thing you could do is to water the lawn with a hose or sprinklers. Using the former is an excellent idea because it can reach every corner of the garden, especially if you happen to have a good hose reel cart on wheels.
How to make grass grow again?
The only way to make the grass grow again and fill up the bare spots is to overseed that area of your yard. You can make bare spots less visible while the lawn is repairing itself by maintaining tall grass around them.
Why is my lawn turning yellow and brown?
If the grass appears to be yellow and brown, the chances are it is just dormant. Extreme temperatures force grass to protect itself. So you might think that your lawn is dying, but in reality, you can restore it. Here is how to fix dead patches ...
How to get rid of dead patches of grass?
The quickest solutions to this problem are overseeding and fertilizing. Overseeding can help you recover the dead patches of grass, as well as fill up the area with lush and healthy grass. Fertilizing will give you even better results when you combine it with overseeding.
Why is my grass patchy?
However, patchy grass could appear on lawns that see heavy traffic as the soil gets compact. If neither of these applies to your yard, look out for pests or fungal infections .
How to get rid of a patchy patch?
Then loosen up the soil either by using a cultivator or a sturdier rake. Cover the area with compost and mix it up with the ground. Then grab the seeds and sprinkle generously over the bare patch.
