Is your lawn mottled with brown patches of grass, or is all the grass brown? Though brown grass can look dead, it might just be dormant. You can rejuvenate your lawn with the right care. Consider these five essential tips to revive your dying lawn.
Take a Closer Look
Oftentimes, homeowners mistake dormant grass for dead grass. To properly revive your lawn, check if the grass is dormant or dead. A hibernating lawn will look dead on the surface, but underneath tells a different story.
Grab a handful of the grass. If it pulls out easily without resistance and has brittle roots, it’s likely dead. If the roots resist pulling, the grass is dormant.
Dethatch
Thatch—a layer of dead, partially decomposed grass between the grass roots and blades—occurs naturally in lawns. However, too much of it interferes with nutrient uptake and prevents the grass from growing.
Depending on how large the area is, you can dethatch with a rake. For larger areas, consider using a power rake. Removing most of the dead thatch until about half an inch remains will encourage new grass to grow.
Aerate the Soil
The next essential tip to revive your dying lawn is to aerate the soil. Soil compaction can choke off the oxygen that grass needs to thrive.
For a small area, aerator shoes or handheld aeration spikes might get the job done. For larger sections, a larger rolling core or spike aerator works well. Keep in mind that living grass also requires aeration, so other areas of your lawn might benefit from this lawn care process.
Replace the Dead Grass
When replacing dead grass, you can choose between two options: seed or sod. If the area gets high traffic, consider sod. The pre-grown grass will provide instant ground cover.
If you decide to plant seeds, add nutrients to the soil first. Drop the seeds in a crisscross pattern to cover the ground evenly, with half the seed in one direction and the other half in a different direction. Then, top the seeds off with a thin layer of soil.
Roll the Area
Rolling the area ensures the seeds or roots make firm contact with the soil so that new root growth stays moist. This prevents roots from withering and damaging or killing the grass.
You or a lawn care specialist can use a lawn roller to roll over the area in a grid pattern. The soil should be moist but not drenched. Avoid using too heavy a roller or over-rolling to prevent soil compaction.
The process of reviving a dead lawn yields beautiful and satisfying results. If you want to ensure your lawn gets the care it deserves, contact Agnello Landscaping. We can bring your lawn back to life, and our grass cutting services will ensure your lawn gets the routine care it deserves, so contact us today.
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