Published on September 19th, 2019
Your lawn might be dying, and you may not even know it. But before we discuss the signs of a dying lawn, let us first find out the factors that lead to it. Drought is one of the major reasons why grass dies. Grass needs a certain amount of water to survive and stay healthy.
Additionally, improper mowing can cause damage to the grass and eventually the grass would die. Another reason is fungus – different diseases can damage the grass and result in the formation of brown spots.
Also, thatch, a buildup of decomposed grass, can choke out the healthy grass. Other factors include pests, too much fertilizer, insects, and salt damage.
We reached out to this St. Louis lawn mowing service to learn more about this top. Dying Grass comes out easily when you pull them. This test is called “Tug Test.” The very easy way to execute this is to grab a handful and pull the grass. If the grass comes out very easily with no resistance, then it is dead.
However, a dormant grass can be difficult to remove and that is a natural protection of the grass in order to withstand changes in the weather.
Look for patterns in your lawn. Is your entire lawn brown? Or do you only see brown grass in few small areas? If your entire lawn is brown, you should not worry.
The grass is not dead. Instead, it is in a state of dormancy. They may appear to be dead, but actually they’re not. Dormancy, as mentioned above, is a natural process for the grass to endure weather changes.
It doesn’t grow with water. Grass is easy to grow. Basically, all it requires is water and sunshine. The truth is, watering your lawn is one very simple way to determine if your lawn is in a state of dormancy or whether it has died.
If, after watering, you don’t see some good results, then your lawn might be dead.
Tips On Saving A Dying Lawn
To save your grass from dying, follow these effective and proven tips:
- Determine the extent of the damage of your lawn.
- Water, seed, and cut your grass properly. Water your lawn once a week and aim for an inch of water. It will help it
- spring back to life.
- Do not scalp your lawn in order to remove the blades of grass that have turned brown.
- In order to prevent patches on your lawn or your grass from becoming dormant, clear out any debris, or dead matter on the lawn. Loosen the soil and scatter seeds on the loose soil. Fertilize it, mulch and water the grass.
- Remove thatch build up. Use a rake to remove the thatch to give room for new grass shoots.
- Avoid mowing during drought. If you decided to mow, set the height of the mower at about 3 ½ inches.
- Weed it. Weeds compete for water in your lawn which means there is not enough water to keep your grass alive. The solution is to get rid of the weeds. Hand-pull the weeds to make sure you get by the root so that they do not steal water from the grass.
If after following these tips, you still are not able to save your dying lawn, don’t hesitate to contact landscaping and gardening professionals to get their expert opinion.
