Repairing a lawn
Grass is resilient and can repair itself after natural stresses and human activity. But, too much stress can build up and take a toll on a lawn’s health and appearance.
Get your lawn back in top form with a few easy fixes:
The Problem: Bare or worn patches, or thin appearance
The Fix: Interseeding
Here’s How:
- Talk to the local garden store or university agriculture extension office to pick the right seed
- Rake bare areas of the lawn
- Aerate by pulling plugs of soil from the ground
- Apply a starter fertilize
- Spread seed and cover with 1/4 inch of soil
- Water lightly and regularly, keeping seeded areas moist until new grass grows in
- Apply a standard fertilizer 4-6 weeks after germination
Optimal Timing: Fall (spring is second best)
- Cool-season grasses by mid-September
- Warm-season grasses in late spring
Frequency: As needed
How can I help my lawn bounce back after winter?
If you’re in the Cool and Transition zones, fall is the perfect season to aerate, interseed and fertilize to ensure your lawn is quick to recover come spring. If you’re in the Warm zone, interseed in the late spring, as warm-season grasses enter active growth.
The Problem: Compacted areas preventing water, air and nutrients from reaching root
The Fix: Aeration
Here’s How:
- Rent an aerator, which has hollow tines that pull plugs of soil from the lawn, or hire a professional
- Water the lawn the day before for moist — not muddy — soil
- Mark sprinkler heads to avoid damage from the aerator
- Remove plugs no more than about 3 inches apart
- Make two passes with the aerator to ensure complete coverage
- Leave plugs on lawn to decompose
Optimal Timing: Varies
- Cool-season grasses: late summer or early fall
- Warm-season grasses: late spring or summer
Frequency:
- Once every 1-2 years with heavy use and compaction
- Once every 3-5 years under normal use
The Problem: Thatch build-up preventing moisture and air from reaching the roots
The Fix: Dethatching
Here’s How:
- Check if thatch (the packed organic matter between the grass and soil surface) is a problem by pulling a plug of turf several inches deep
- If thatch is more than 1/2-inch thick when compressed, it’s time to act
- Hire a professional or rent a vertical mower or power rake (Power rake attachments for rotary lawnmowers are less effective than vertical mowers or power rakes and can damage grass)
- Compost organic material removed by dethatching
- Practice proper fertilization, aeration and mowing to control thatch
Optimal Timing: Varies
- Cool-season grasses: late summer or early fall
- Warm-season grasses: late spring
Frequency: Only as needed and when the ground is dry, as dethatching can stress grass
Step Away from the Fertilizer
Avoid turning to fertilizer for a quick green fix. Feeding your lawn twice per year (spring and fall) should do the trick. If not, test the soil to confirm it needs an application.