Now that warm weather is here and the grass growth is in full swing, it’s time to start enjoying the great outdoors again. However, that can be difficult when you have dead patches of grass popping up — or even worse — a brown lawn. But not to worry! You don’t have to pull it up and start over just yet.
There are a few ways you can try to revive dead grass before you give up and re-seed your yard. Growing a green, healthy lawn can be tricky, but with a bit of work and know-how, you can often pull it off. For the most part, you’ve got the same basic necessities to worry about as you do with any other gardening project: grass needs the right amount of water, shade, warmth, and sunlight to survive and thrive. However, many more things add to the fickleness of the lawn care process.
For example, did you know that different grass varieties grow better in specific climate zones than others? Many people don’t realize there are multiple species of grass to choose from when seeding their lawns, and your grass may be mismatched to your region. Perhaps you have too much sun for your shady grass variety – or you have a sun-loving lawn that’s getting too much shade.
Certain types of grass can be picky regarding pH balance, so even a soil pH test may not tell you much on its own. Too much foot traffic over a concentrated area can stress the blades and cause them to brown. It’s no wonder people struggle to figure out how to revive their dead grass. Luckily, Victory Lawn is here to help.
How to Revive Dead Grass
The first step to figuring out how to revive the dead grass in your lawn is to figure out what’s causing it. Every situation is different, so there’s a chance that your problem will have entirely different causes from someone that appears to have the same dead grass that you do.
One cause could be animals relieving their bladders in the same spot too often. Watch where your pets take their breaks and try moving them to a different area every so often. Another possibility is a lack of proper nutrients. However, be careful that you don’t fertilize the soil too much in an attempt to fix this because over-fertilization is yet another possible cause of dead grass.
Dead or Just Dormant?
Maybe your brown patches are due to dead grass, or perhaps the grass in these spots is still dormant. Different species “wake up” at different times of the year, and it could be as simple as one variety staying dormant due to temperature or other conditions. The most important of our healthy grass tips is to know what species of grass you’re dealing with. They can have different needs, and what may be ideal for one may make another varietal go brown.
Water and Aeration
Tilling the soil isn’t necessary unless you plan to reseed, but using an aerator is an excellent way to help improve the vitality of brown spots in your lawn. Most species of grass are likely to die in hot, dry weather, so be sure to water it sufficiently if there’s been a drought or a bit less rain than usual. Again, though, everything in moderation — overwatering can kill your grass, too.
Natural Nitrogen
Another underrated tip for growing a healthy lawn is to leave the grass clippings where they fall after mowing the lawn. While some people think dead grass is an eyesore, it quickly falls down between the blades (especially after a rain) and seems to disappear overnight.
Green blades of grass contain nitrogen, an essential nutrient plants need to thrive. So leaving a thin layer of cut grass on your lawn feeds the roots of your grass and can help brown patches recover on their own. The only caveat is to ensure your grass clippings never become thick enough to smother your grass. Luckily, for your clippings to block sun and rain from your lawn, you’d most likely need a brush hog and a very overgrown lawn!
Weed Appropriately
When dealing with weeds, use non-invasive weed-killing solutions or remove them by hand. Weeds may be another possible cause for brown spots, as they hoard water and nutrients and starve the plants around them.
If your brown spots are too persistent and nothing you’re doing seems to help, it’s time to call in the professionals. At Victory Lawn, we have teams of experienced lawn care experts who have what it takes to get the job done right. We’re more than happy to get your lawn from brown to green, so contact us today for a free estimate.