How to Fix an Ugly Lawn

The snow has melted, the ground has dried up, and the sun is shining. You open your curtains to gaze upon your lush green lawn…and, instead, you notice brown, not green. You see patches and withered blades everywhere—not exactly spring-like and full of life.
Let’s face it: you have an ugly lawn.

Fortunately, this can be turned around with a little planning, care, and then, of course, the upkeep. Proper maintenance, including fertilizers, aeration, watering, and cutting, will ensure you have a luxurious sea of green every year, and depending on the size of your lawn, it won’t take up much time.

6 Common Lawn Care Mistakes

While the majority of us tend to think that just throwing seeds on the ground will be enough, in reality, there is a little more to it than that. Consider, for example, the following six common lawn care errors:

1. Test the soil: Grass grows in an ideal PH range of 6 to 6.5. You can buy a home kit to test your soil.

2. The wrong seed: Yes, there are different types of grass. By understanding your lawn type, you will know which seeds to use. Some grass types prefer shade, while others thrive in excessive sun.

3. No variety: By using a combination of seeds, you will set yourself up for a better, greener, and healthier lawn.

4. Over-watering: If you water too much, the seeds and new shoots will drown. An inch of water a week is ideal.

5. Over-fertilizing: It is possible to overfeed and fertilize your lawn. Always read the directions on the bag before applying.

6. Dull lawn mower blades: Dull blades on anything make the job harder. When it comes to your lawn, this can do more damage than good. Therefore, sharpen your lawn mower blades before use."

The 4 Most Common Lawn Issues and How to Fix Them

After spending time and money laying down new seeds and fertilizer, watering carefully, you wait patiently, expecting to see a vibrant new lawn. Unfortunately, you become frustrated, as it’s just not happening.

Knowing if the problem is something that is naturally occurring or something that you unwillingly caused, will help you to find the best solution.

For example, does your lawn get enough sunlight? Or, is there evidence of disease that needs to be eradicated first? Natural causes are usually easy enough to correct. Lawn care errors, though, can be a little harder to solve, but not impossible.

1. Lack of sunlight
At various points in the day, take a look outside and make sure that your grass is getting enough light.

If you see that there are places that are looking patchy, dull, or just not growing, then lack of sunlight will be the problem. The good news is that this can be easily dealt with.

You can either change the landscape of the garden, such as pruning trees by line trimmers to let the sunlight through, or expand tree mulch lines and add some shade-loving plants. 

Vegetation like Solomon’s seal, lungwort, begonia, or epimedium all thrive in the shade and add colour. Or, you can choose sweet potato vine or hosta. These will add more greenery to cover the dulled lawn patches.

If these are not your favoured options, you may have to explore other alternatives to a lawn. For instance, astroturf is a great replacement, as is gravel with planters.

2. Fungus disease
If you don’t own a dog, then that brown patch in your lawn could be a sign of a fungal issue that will need to be treated before it spreads and takes out the whole lawn.

Conditions such as ascochyta and dollar spots are cosmetic and easy to treat, whereas necrotic ring spot is deadly and will take out the whole lawn before you know it’s there."

Grass rust and brown spots are common fungal issues and can be dealt with a topical fungal treatment. Always make sure you read the directions on the bag before application to get the maximum results.

Aeration of your lawn can also make a huge difference. If the soil is compacted, then this can lead to diseases forming and spreading. Aeration removes spots of soil and breaks up compacted areas so that the disease is treated, water can move around easily, and your lawn recovers faster.

3. Patchy grass
Not all grass is the same. Different grasses grow better in some conditions than others. Therefore, you want to make sure that you are using the right combination for your lawn, location, and soil type (remember to test the PH level if you haven’t already.)

For northern lawns, you want to invest in a combination of Kentucky bluegrass with small amounts of perennial ryegrass mixed in. This robust combination will stand the test of time and weather.

On the other hand, southern lawns will benefit greatly with a mix of Bermuda, centipede, zoysia grass, and tall fescue. If you have a more shaded lawn, then a generous mix with over half of it being fine fescue will be the winner here.

If you are unsure, always consult an expert to find out what grass type does best in your area. Not all grass types grow together without issues, so make sure you use the right mix to avoid those patches.

4. Buying cheap lawn care products
Certainly, with today’s economy, it’s easy to look for bargains, discounted items, or just cheap products.

While this is great for the wallet in the short term, it’s not so good for your lawn. Cutting corners can result in unhealthy grass, or the seeds not growing where you need them to. This also extends to the equipment you use.

Dull blades will tear the grass, not cut it. This will lead to problems later in the season, and even in the years to come. If you are in the market for a new lawn mower or other gardening tools, trust your STIHL dealer to help you get what you need at the right price.

Buying good-quality products now means that you won’t be paying more later. Good fertilizers, equipment, and seeds will give you that luscious lawn that your neighbours will be envious of.

A Good Lawn Makes Great Curb Appeal

Lawn maintenance seems hard at the onset, but once you establish a healthy lawn, it’s easy to maintain.

With high-quality products and equipment, your curb appeal and even your home and family health will improve. A good lawn will help to decrease heating and cooling bills, and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus generating more breathable oxygen.

Ultimately, by investing more now, you will save time and money later while enjoying the benefits today.