Why Are There Bare Spots In My Grass
There are several possibilities, Churchill says, and chief among them are dogs, turf disease and human error.
If a dog is relieving itself on your lawn, that can create so-called dog spots, or dead patches of grass that turn into bare spots. And turf diseases such as patch diseases kill grass in circular shapes. Over-fertilizing in one spot, spilling gas while filling the mower and using a grill hot enough to toast the grass underneath are all typical ways you might accidentally cause bare spots yourself.
Generally, spots dont just show up without any reason, explains Churchill. A bare spot is a dead spot, and its a remnant of something else thats gone wrong; its almost like bare spots are scars.
How To Revive Dead Grass Fast
You cant revive dead grass on the lawn. The main reason behind it is that the grass is dead because the root of the grass is dead which provides essential nutrients to the leaves and other parts of the plant and it cannot come back to life again and cant be revived with any kind of process or trick or in any other way.
So in the conclusion to the article,;
Grass Seed Germinates Readily In The Spring So This Is The Ideal Time To Fix Any Bare Patches That Have Appeared And Make Sure Your Lawn Is A Solid Block Of Perfect Green
New lawns can be started from seed in spring, and bare-patches over-sown with seed to help them fill out. Patches can be caused by a number of reasons. Dog urine can burn grass and cause it to die back. If you leave a thick layer of lawn clippings on the surface of the lawn they can smother the grass below and create a bare patch. Sometimes a hole is left behind after youve removed a particularly hefty weed. Moles can wreak havoc. Whatever the cause, bare patches of grass are easy to fix with some grass seed.
If youre filling in patches, be sure to choose lawn seed that will match your existing grass. For example, if your lawn is made of fine-bladed fescues, choose a fine or luxury lawn seed mix, but if its a hard-wearing lawn with thick-bladed ryegrass, a box of general purpose lawn seed will suffice.
In general, with lawn seed the adage that you get what you pay for holds true. Good quality lawn seed will have high germination rates and shouldnt contain rogue grass species, giving you a better lawn in the long run.
Fork over the soil at the base of the bare patch, and scatter additional top soil over it if necessary, to create a crumbly seed bed for the lawn seed. Scatter the seed over the patch at the rate given on the packet and rake it in to cover the seed and prevent birds eating it. Many brands grass seed comes with a coloured protective coating thats supposed to make the seeds less visible to hungry birds.
More tips on getting your lawn summer-ready here.
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Fixing Small Sections Of Lawn
For an easier application, you could buy an all-in-one product like Scotts EZ Seed Patch & Repair for a quick fix to any bald spot. Youll simply have to rake the ground to loosen the soil, then apply the EZ Seed, and water it daily.
New seed is going to need more frequent watering, but be careful, since there is a balancing act to it. You want your soil to stay moist, but dont water so much you drown the new seeds.
Patch and Repair products come with mulch in the bag, which will retain water and help keep your seeds moist longer to improve germination rates.
The Main Causes Of Bare Spots In Your Yard
Those patchy, bare spots in your lawn are often caused by fungi, pests, compacted soil, an excess of shade or even mowing and watering habits . While reseeding helps, its worth figuring out whats causing those patches in the first place.
So, got a turf that needs to be treated? If youve eliminated fungi, bugs, grubs, pests and other causes like thatch, you may just need some seeds.
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How To Plant Grass Seed In Bare Spots
Perhaps you are already familiar with how to seed your lawn. However, reseeding dead spots in a lawn calls for added attention to detail. We have outlined the steps on how to plant grass seed in bare spots for your next lawn repair.;;;
- Remove Debris
Before you start seeding the brown patch,; remove any leaves or debris from the area to avoid damage. This removes any obstacles in distributing the seeds evenly among the dead grass. If the brown patch in your lawn was caused by urine or chemical spills, thoroughly rinse the area several times before reseeding to dilute any harmful chemicals.
- Break up the Soil
Refresh the soil of the brown patch by taking a rake or a garden cultivator to till the ground in your summer yard. This will help ensure that the soil is loose and ready to take in the new seed.
- Add Compost
Using compost is a great way to add nutrients back into the soil. Add a 2 to 3-inch layer of compost or loamy soil and use the rake again to mix it with the existing soil.
- Even out the Surface
Use the top of the rake to make a flat and even surface to start sprinkling the grass seed.
Evenly distribute a thin layer of grass seed over your brown patch.
- Protect the Seeds
If you choose to sprinkle the seed on top without pre-mixing it in the soil, place a thin layer of straw over the area to prevent birds from eating the seeds. Once the grass starts to bud, remove the straw.
- Keep the Area Lightly Watered
- Lightly Fertilize
- Wait to Mow
- Monitor the Area
Include A Mulch Material
Research comparing patch and repair products with fine fescue grass seed showed that products with compost can speed up establishment.
Mulches like compost or potting soil help retain moisture, prevent soil erosion, and insulate against air temperature fluctuations.
Mulches with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio, like wood chips or shredded paper, may require additional fertilizer inputs during establishment.
Learn more about mulch and compost.
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How To Check Whether The Grass Is Dead Or Dormant
There is always some confusion in the lawn owners head when he sees brown grass on the lawn. Is the grass dead or is it dormant? How will you determine it?;
The main thing to determine first if the grass is dormant or dead is to see what season your lawn is in and what is the pattern in which brown grass is occurring. Lets see in detail how you can determine if the grass is dead or dormant.
- Check grass type
- Look for the pattern of patches
- See if your region is currently facing a drought;
- Pull the grass and observe if still unsure
Lawn Diseases Are A Common Cause Of Bald Patches In Your Lawn
It might sound scary but lawn or fungal diseases in most cases just require proper maintenance to eliminate and are often just a cause of a temporary change to the environment in your garden. They come in many forms but are generally caused by fungus taking the vital nutrients from your grass and spreading, hence the name fungal disease.
Since all lawns have fungal spores which are ready to germinate should the right conditions be met, a good lawn maintenance regime will be a good idea to keep these fungal spores at bay. Possible causes for fungus diseases include;
- Damp conditions or too much watering
- Not cutting the grass regularly and letting it get too long
- Cutting the grass too short, 2.5 inches is a good height
- High humidity
- Too much fertiliser could give the fungus spores the energy needed to thrive
If your worried that you may have a type of lawn disease then some common signs to look out for include;
- White, yellow or brown patches of grass as opposed to bald patches entirely
- A wet, slimy looking lawn
- Orange, red, grey or black spots on your grass blades
- White webbing over your lawn is a popular sign of fungus disease
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Adding Moisture & Fertiliser
Now comes the fun part add fertiliser and moisture. First, use a watering hose to wet the entire surface of the new planting bed. Make sure the water goes at least 8 deep into the ground beneath the grassy areas around the edge of the patch. Use enough water so that it runs off the surface of the moistened earth. Let sit for 15 minutes then repeat this process every few days for 4 weeks after planting. Afterward, apply a light sprinkling of fertilise once per month for several months afterward.
Depending on how long ago the bare spot was created and whether other vegetation grew back before you started applying fertiliser, the amount of time required may vary slightly. Some people prefer to wait 6 months between applications while others might only require one application. Whatever works best for you! Once finished, enjoy watching your beautiful garden grow!
Here at BMS Products, our goal is to help you create the perfect outdoor environment for you and your home. Whether youre looking for ways to keep mosquitoes away from you and your family, reduce unwanted pests like ants and termites, or simply beautify your home and yard, we offer solutions to fit your needs.;
Will Watering Dead Grass Bring It Back How To Fix It
Have you ever been out of the town for a while and you return and spot brown grass or brown patches in your lawn? What does that mean? Did your grass die? What should you do further? Its very confusing right! Hop onto the article ahead for a perfect guide.;
The most common query is,;
Will watering the dead grass make them alive?;
No, watering the dead grass in the lawn wont bring it back as it is already dead and dead grass doesnt grow back whatever you try or do. The reason behind it is the roots as they are also dead, which takes up the nutrients and water from the soil and provides it to the leaves and other parts of the plant to grow.
Now you know that watering the dead grass doesnt work. Are you curious about the reasons How and Why your grass died? Scroll further to understand it completely.;
If you are seeing your lawn brown instead of green, then there are 2 possibilities. Either the grass is dead due to some problem or it is dormant because of the season. But what are the differences between dead and dormant grass? Lets see:
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Ants Grubs Or Other Pests Are Another Cause Of Bald Patches In Your Lawn
I recently completed a turfing job for a local pub where they told me that they actually had new turf recently layed a couple of months back but they already had dead patches everywhere, so instead of getting the other company back to replace the turf we were called in to help.
As soon as we started digging up the old grass there were grubs absolutely everywhere! In case youre wondering, grubs are the immature stage of several species of beetles and live underground. One of their food sources? The roots to your grass! You may notice the grass to your lawn thinning out, or small dead patches appear, which will gradually grow in size. A grub here and there isnt much to worry about but a large infestation will certainly kill your lawn.
On this particular job Ive no idea if the previous company just layed the new turf directly on top of the grub infested earth or if they came afterwards but we removed as many as we could see before filling the area with some lawn safe grub killer and finally layed the new turf on top. The pub has never had a problem since!
One way to find out if you have a grub infestation is by pulling grass from the affected areas and if the grass pulls away easily then this will be due to having no more roots! Depending on how many bald patches you have in your grass will determine whether its best to replace your whole lawn or whether it will be worth treating your lawn with the grub killer before repairing the dead patches in your grass.
Water New Seed Or Sod
Keep the area moist, not soaking wet. In some cases, you may need to water two or three times a day. And be patient! Depending on the type of grass, it can take a few days to a few weeks for it to germinate. Let the grass grow about four or five inches before its first mowing, so the seedlings dont get yanked out. And dont mow while the sprawl is wet to avoid creating tire ruts. Follow the same irrigation rules for sod, but dont mow it until you can gently pull on the pieces and feel that it has rooted.
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Preparing Bare Spots For Repair
Mow damaged spots and surrounding areas at normal spring mowing levels, and then remove dead or damaged grass to expose clean soil. If leveling is needed, add or remove topsoil, rake spots briskly, and then smooth the surface. Loose, smooth soil invites new seedlings to take hold.
Delay adding pre-emergent herbicides or weed-and-feed products to repair areas. Unless applied at least five to six weeks before seeding, these products hamper seed germination and rooting.
How To Fix Bare Spot In Lawn Best Practices
To borrow a tired cliché, prevention is better than cure.
What Im saying is this: Rather than waiting too late when the problem is widespread and you have no option but repairing bare patches in lawn- you should observe the best lawn care practices.
Here is a checklist of must-dos and not-to-dos when it comes to lawn care if you want to maintain your grass in tiptop shape:
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Remove All The Grass In The Problem Spot
Dig up and remove the grass in the problem area. I find it easiest to wet the soil briefly first to make the soil easier to work with. Outline the problem area with a flat spade shovel. Enlarge the area slightly to make work easier and to ensure entire problem area is removed.
Using the same flat spade shovel remove the top layer of remaining turf and soil. Work from the middle out until the shovel hits the deep edge you created when making the border.
Will Watering Dead Grass Bring It Back
No, watering dead grass will not bring it back as it is dead and cant grow back. To grow grass you need to reseed that part of the lawn. The first check why the grass is dying, what are the causes, and then prevent it by taking necessary actions then reseed that part of the lawn to grow the grass back.
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Plant At The Right Time Of Year
The goal is to get the roots established before environmental conditions become too harsh for the baby grass to survive. The best time to repair bare patches is when the grass is actively growing, says Waltz. That depends on where you live. Warm season grasses grow during the warm times of year, which is about May to mid-September. Cool season grasses grow during the cooler times of year until the soil freezes, which is roughly December to February. If youre not sure what you have, talk to your local university coop extension service. Both seed and sod are good options for patching.
What If You Plan To Add A Lot Of Topsoil To Your Bare Patch
If youre adding a fair amount of topsoil, you will be better off seeding in the late Summer or early Fall. The reason for this is that topsoil carries a lot of weed seeds that will sprout prolifically in the Spring and Summer. Keep the area wet for 3-4 weeks to get the grass to sprout and water it a couple times per week until it is fully established.
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Plant The Right Kind Of Seed Or Sod
Grass is a plant like any other. So, if you dont plant the right kind of grass in the right place, youre doomed to failure, Waltz cautions. Determine what kind of grass you have , then purchase that kind of seed or sod. You want to plant the same species so that your lawn has a more uniform and consistent appearance in terms of texture and color.
You also need to consider site conditions. An older lawn with mature trees may be shaded more than it was in its early days, so read labels to make sure the seed you purchase is suited to your lawn’s surroundings, whether it be sun or shade. You can buy seed at garden centers, but landscape supply companies often have a better selection. If you have a big bag, store unused seed in a cool, dark place, and it will last for years.
One caveat: be cautious about trying products that allow you to spray on grass seed using your garden hose . These products may be okay for quick fixes, but most of the seed is inexpensive grass that germinates in a hurry and isnt meant to be permanent. Its really just a temporary solution.
