Have you been looking out at your lawn lately, thinking that it’s looking a little dried up? Or maybe even… dead? If you have some sad-looking grass, never fear! There are ways to revitalise your lawn (and most of them don’t involve pulling the whole thing up and starting over!).
Want to get your lawn back to looking happy and healthy? Find out more about how to revive dead grass below!
Give it a water or wait for rain
Sometimes, grass can look pretty dry and dead because it’s lacking hydration. If you have dry grass, give it a quick water (if water restrictions permit), or wait for rain to come. Sometimes, this can revitalise grass and bring it back to its natural green colouring. If you’re currently experiencing a drought where you live, be patient with your grass. Chances are a lot of other peoples’ lawns are in the same position, and it’s a matter of waiting until water restrictions lift or rain comes to alleviate the problem.
Remove weeds and dead grass
Grass can get smothered if there are too many weeds present. This can kill the grass, and lead to a garden of weeds instead. To begin the process of reviving your grass, remove as many weeds as possible, along with dead patches of grass. Doing so will give the new seeds a better chance of getting established, with less competition and coverage.
Aerate or rough up the soil
Before planting your new grass seeds, rough up the soil a little bit or put on some aeration shoes and walk across your yard. This will help to give the seeds a good start, and to loosen the soil. Having soil that’s able to “breathe” means less compacted soil, which is great news for your grass!
Re-seed
Find the seed of the grass you currently have growing in your yard. If you can’t find an exact match (or are unsure of the variety of grass you have growing), try to pick a grass that is the closest match. Sprinkle the new grass seed onto the patches that need revitalising, and water them in well. Pick your time for doing this. The best times tend to be spring or autumn (when the weather is milder, rather than being too cold or too hot). If you’d like to learn more about this step, we have a whole article dedicated to tips for growing lawn from seed.
Keeping grass healthy
Once you have re-seeded your lawn, it’s time to keep it healthy and looking its best! While we may pay a lot of attention to our plants and flowers, caring for grass can sometimes get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. It can be easy to forget that a lawn needs a little love and care too. One of the best ways to avoid needing to do large scale reviving of dead grass is to keep on top of its maintenance, and give it a little bit of attention to keep it looking well. Some of the ways you can work to keep grass healthy include:
Fertilising your lawn
This step can either be done before the lawn is re-seeded or just after. Find a suitable fertiliser for the type of lawn you have, and apply to your grass. Make sure not to add too much, as putting too much fertiliser on a lawn can cause damage to the grass. It’s also important to pick the time of year when you fertilise your lawn. Much like planting grass seed, it’s best to avoid fertilising grass during the cold of winter or peak heats of summer. Pick a mild time of year to add fertiliser to your lawn, for best results.
Keeping it mown
While it is good to keep grass cut, it is also important to ensure that it is not cut too short. When grass is cut too short, it may tend to be less resilient against the heat or the frost. If you have super short grass, you may find that it gets burnt and damaged easier. Having a little extra length is a good way to give your lawn a bit of added protection against the elements. If you’re unsure of how to find this balance, don’t be afraid of calling in the professionals! The lawn experts at Jim’s Mowing know how to find this sweet spot for your yard. Give them a call today and book in a quote or mow!
Removing weeds frequently
Rather than avoiding the task for months and then feeling overwhelmed when you notice the number of weeds that have sprung up in your lawn (we’ve all been there!), try picking out weeds as you see them pop up. This is often easier said than done, and busy lives can make weed-pulling a low priority, however, dedicating a little time each week to remove a few new weeds can feel much less daunting than needing to do a mass weeding session every few months. Try pencilling in 30 minutes a week to tackle the problem, or, pull them out as you pass them while out doing other tasks.
We hope this blog has helped you to learn more about how to revive dead grass! If your lawn is dry and dead due to drought, be kind on yourself (and your grass). Provided a drought isn’t occurring, a bit of care, weeding, and reseeding should be able to bring the colour back to your lawn.
