How To Fix Ugly Lawn

Grass Growing In An Overly Shaded Area

If there are thick trees growing around your yard, you are bound to have a muddy lawn as the sun doesnt reach the ground to dry the soil.

The wet soil quickly becomes mud when you or your dog goes there.

To fix this issue, trim your trees to open up the area. If the shade is coming from your neighbors trees, let the neighbor know about it.

Repairing Holes / Pits In Your Lawn

If the holes / pits are only slight then repairing the grass should be a simple process and can be easily repaired with a little top dressing to level out the surface and reseed, but anything more than 1/2 deep you will need to follow the below steps:

Transforming Your Ugly Lawn

Restoring an ugly lawn is a big task that can require regular work and attention. While having a beautiful lawn may be really quite important to you, it may be something you simply dont have the time or expertise to manage. This is where landscape experts come in!

For example, when tackling fertilization, it is important to be educated in the type of fertilizer you use and to use quality commercial-grade products. A bag of fertilizer from Lowes is going to produce a vastly different result than a commercial-grade product applied by professionals. The team of fertilization experts at TruNorth is required to take regular courses and pass a certification test through the state to apply any type of product to your yard. This level of training allows them to notice and diagnose lawn problems that may go beyond proper mowing techniques and water times.

We believe you should be able to make one call to have all of these services done to turn your lawn around. Thats why we offer full-service maintenance contracts. Curious about what other lawn care services we offer at TruNorth? Check out this blog. If you recently moved into your home and are facing an entire disaster landscape, be sure to check out this resource for help.

Ready to restore your ugly lawn in Grand Traverse or Leelanau County, MI? If so, meet with our team of experts, choose a solution to improve your property, and get ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy your beautiful outdoor space.

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Ugly Yard Where Do I Start

I spent 2 years fixing up the inside of my house and Im finally ready to tackle the outside. Here are my problems:- giant rectangle of dead grass where the dumpster was- mossy things growing in one corner- more crabgrass than real grass- sharp things sprinkled everywhere one whole strip on the border of the yard is just really rich, dark soil with nothing growingI dont have much money, so where do I start? My biggest concern is the dead spot from the dumpster. Someone suggested tilling a few dead areas and planting grass seed to see if Im successful, and then doing a larger area as I figure out what Im doing. Do I buy a small manual tiller? Rent one? Im clueless!Thanks in advance!

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Problem: Grub Sightings Solution: First Assess Then Address

These milky-white beetle larvae feed on grass roots, which can lead to dead spots in the lawn. Grubs also attract moles and raccoons. But a few here or there might not be a problem, says Kyle Wickings, a turfgrass entomologist at Cornell University. Ten larvae per square foot is a common threshold for treatment, however, this can vary by species. A very healthy lawn can tolerate higher densities.

If there are signs of damage, say dead or wilting turf, ask your cooperative extension for the best treatment, which will depend on the species of grub. Preventive insecticides are applied in spring, and curative measures are done in the fall. In some regions, chemicals are illegal or must be applied by a certified pro. Organic alternatives, such as Heterorhabditis nematodes, are often effective.

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How To Fix Your Ugly Yard

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Transforming The Needs Serious Attention Lawn

With a lawn that requires serious attention, a round of lawn servicesis going to make a big difference. Aeration and overseeding would definitely be recommended to take care of those bare spots this lawn has.

Since fall is the best time to perform aeration and overseeding , if you are looking to renovate your lawn at another time of year, you may need to be patient and live with some bare spots for the time being. Several rounds of fertilization treatments will also help improve the color and vigor of your lawn. And we can use a targeted approach to any weed concerns that you may have.

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Stop Crabgrass Before It Starts

• Apply crabgrass preventer to any areas where crabgrass previously grew, which is typically along the street, driveway and sidewalk.
• Pro tip: A hand spreader is perfect for small areas, like along the pavement where crabgrass tends to grow.
• Note: Crabgrass will grow when the soil warms up to 55 degrees F. If you apply the preventer too early, it will be ineffective. And once the seeds germinate, its too late. In northern states, late April is the best time. Mid-March is recommended for southern states.

• In mid-May, give your lawn its second application of lawn fertilizer.

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The Last Of The Lawn Renovation Steps: Maintenance

Now that youve gone through the steps of fixing your bad lawn, chances are, you want to keep it that way. This is where maintenance comes into play. Since youve already invested in improving your lawn, you dont want to set yourself back to where you started.

Investing in ongoing lawn care will keep your lawn in good shape so that you can continue to enjoy it. As time goes on, your healthy lawn will also begin to naturally choke out weeds and defend against environmental stressors, diseases, and pests.

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Insects Rodents And Birds

Insects , rodents, and birds work together to do damage to a healthy lawn. Certain beetle larvae, usually referred to as grubs, can infest the soil beneath the grass and attack roots. This can kill the grass and leave brown splotches on an otherwise green lawn. Animals such as moles, voles, chipmunks and skunks can riddle your yard with their tunnels and digging, often as in a skunks case looking to feast on grubs. Certain bird species can nibble on the grass leaves themselves, as well as make your attempts at seeding new grass more difficult.

Unfortunately, theres not a lot you can do to prevent these attacks. While there are a number of available insect-control products and rodent-control products at your local True Value hardware store, it can be hard to stop all infestations. Usually, you just have to take your lumps and work on repairing your grass after the fact.

Correct Mowing Of The Lawn

Often times a lawn might look ugly as wrong mowing methods are being used. You need to make sure that you are mowing properly. You also need to make sure that you do not cut the grass too short.

Tall grass is recommended as it helps to prevent weeds. You can go for a weed removal service if you are dealing with this problem.

They will get rid of all weeds present in your lawn that is disrupting the way you want to mow the lawn. These service providers offer different lawn services as well. So, you can take the help of these added features to transform your lawn.

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Ugly Yards Have Potential

No matter what your current yard situation is, all yards have potential. A healthy lawn, clean edges, and the removal of any clutter can go a long ways toward making your lawn look perfect. The curb appeal will be enjoyable to you and anyone else who passes by.

If you feel like you dont have time to do a total lawn makeover, consider hiring a local lawn care company. Professionals will make quick work of your lawn care. If you arent considering hiring it done, pick one or two items from the list above. Bit by bit, your lawn will start to look amazing.

Have questions about your lawn?

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Problem: Lack Of Sunlight Solution: Look For Lawn Alternatives

Even so-called shade-tolerant varieties of turfgrass wont do well in dark corners of the yard. And pruning trees too aggressively to create sunlight can end up harming the tree. Youre better off cutting your losses and replacing the sun-starved patch of grass with a shade-tolerant ground cover, such as bishops hat or sweet woodruff. Or you might convert that part of the lawn with gravel or a perennial bed.

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First Things First Gather Information And Prepare A Plan

Rushing headlong into a project never gets the desired results. Whether you are preparing an incredible meal, booking the holiday of a lifetime or starting a business, its important to have a plan and be prepared.

For any lawn renovation, I always recommend starting off with photos and videos of your lawn. Theyre really useful if you need to get expert advice. And, youll be able to record your progress as you go along. Mother Nature works subtly sometimes, and that can make you feel as though your work has been in vain. Looking back at pictures will help you prove to yourself that youve made a difference.

Im sure you already know what you dont like about your lawn. So now you need to know how to fix it. List the problems that you think you have, and then scoot over to the Premier Lawns YouTube channel to discover how to tackle them. We have videos on just about every aspect of lawn renovation, from how to remove moss to how to level up a lumpy lawn, kill weed grasses or cope with dog urine scorch. Ill post some links at the bottom of the page to help you.

Its also worth joining the . We have over 2,300 members who are all at different stages of their lawn care journey. There are learners like yourself who have lots of questions, and there are lawn care experts who are always willing to share their experiences without judging or belittling anyone. Its a nice place to be.

Youre Not Cut Out For This

The surest way to end up with an ugly lawn is to not maintain it, Phipps says. If, on the other hand, you follow basic recommended practices, your lawn is probably going to be just fine. Take a hard look at your yard, and then yourself. Are you sure youre up for this?

The cure: Go with a rock garden. Or a succulent garden. Or some other low-maintenance patch of ground. There are plenty of aesthetically pleasing options that dont involve growing and caring for grass. Theres no law that says youre required to have a lawn.

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A Beginners Guide To Renovating An Ugly Lawn

Unhappy with your lawn but dont know how to fix it? Here is our beginners guide to renovating an ugly lawn.

The number one thing to remember when renovating an ugly lawn, is that you wont be able to fix it in a day. So be patient with yourself, take it one step at a time and dont get overwhelmed. In this article, Im going to give you some bite sized chunks of advice. Follow them carefully and in the right order, and in 6 months from now, youll be feeling a lot better about your lawn.

• Dont panic
• Make a photo record of your lawn before you start work
• Do your research and get expert advice
• Be methodical and dont rush
• Expect your lawn to look worse before it looks better
• Work with the weather not with the calendar
• Start at the bottom and work upwards, improving the soil structure first, then getting rid of moss and thatch and finally working on the sward.

The same lawn before renovation and one month after treatments from Premier Lawns

Tips To Fixing A Lawn

As you go about assessing the state of your grass, you may not know what you need to do to fix a lawn. How much time will the process take? What if you make the wrong choices? What if doing certain things lengthens the time it takes for you to make your lawn better? What if you make it worse?

The whole process can feel quite overwhelming, especially when all you want to do is repair your lawn with as few headaches and stress as possible. We get it. Having a relaxing yard and a lawn to enjoy shouldnt have to be such a time-consuming, troublesome experience. No matter the level of repair your lawn needs, most of these steps can do wonders for repairing any Northern Virginia lawn.

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I Think There Are Grubs In My Lawn

If youve spotted more than a few fat, C-shaped grubs in your soil when digging, youll need to take action. Heres the lifecycle: Beetles emerge in early summer, feed on plants, then lay eggs in the soil. The eggs hatch in late summer as grubs, and then go to town eating plant and grass roots. The best way to stop this cycle is to treat the lawn before the grubs hatch. This means applying Scotts® GrubEx® in spring or early summer. Simply set and fill your spreader and apply it to a dry lawn, following the directions on the label, then water to activate the product. To learn more about controlling grubs in your lawn, check out How to Control Lawn Grubs.

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Invest In A String Trimmer

Even if your grass is kept short and neatly mowed, if the edges along pathways, fences, and walls, or around trees and light posts arent trimmed as well, your entire yard can look messy. Invest in a string trimmer to make quick work of the edges after you mow, keeping the yard neat and tidy.

Another tool to consider adding to your arsenal is a stand-up weeder. These long-handled tools make it simple to remove invasive weeds like dandelions and thistle from the lawn by the roots, preventing them from spreading.