Lawn Dead Spots: How to Treat Lawn Problem Areas

Although stray dogs are often blamed for spots in an otherwise perfect lawn, urine is not the only cause of dead areas. Over compacted soil, overfeeding, even tree roots can cause a patchy lawn that is less than attractive. Luckily, with the correct diagnosis, most problems are easily solved.

Trees are a common source of dead spots. Even if the grass is not deprived of light, the root system of the tree could be stealing necessary nutrients from the soil. Water is also often taken by the tree at the expense of the turf.

The best solution for this problem is to remove the affected grass. Add a border to prevent the grass from spreading into the area where it was removed. Then fill the area around the tree with your choice of mulch. Not only will this prevent an unsightly yard, but will help the growth of the tree.

Sometimes grass on a slopped yard will have difficulty growing. This is often because the problem grass receives little water before it runs off. Sometimes this problem can be fixed by regular aeration of the affected turf. The aeration encourages the penetration of water into the soil. Reseed the lawn and water thoroughly.

If regular aeration does not overcome the problem, the best option is to replace the groundcover in that area. Rock is a good option, but do not ignore other groundcover plants that thrive in dry areas even if the overall climate is not.

If the yard is not level, your mower could be causing the damage. High spots can be cut too short, not allowing nutrients to be created by the plant. The lack of cover from the grass can also cause it to dry out prematurely. Luckily, this problem has an easy solution; raise the blade before mowing in affected areas.

A mower can also cause all around brown areas by having a dull blade. The blade rips the edges of the grass it cuts, leaving jagged edges and a higher water loss. Regular maintenance of your mower can easily resolve the problem.

Over watering or overfeeding with nitrogen rich fertilizer can also cause the death of your lawn. In order to prevent this, make sure you are following your lawn recommendations. For water, most lawns thrive in one inch of water per week. If you've had a particularly wet week, consider turning off your sprinkler system. For fertilizer, follow the recommendations and don't be tempted to add more in pursuit of better results.

Dead spots in a lawn can ruin the overall look of your yard. Spend a weekend evaluating and addressing any problems to maintain the beauty of your backyard; most of these suggestions take less than an afternoon to implement.