“Nothing is more pleasant to the eye than green grass kept finely shorn” – Francis Bacon
How amazing that would be to see your home garden thriving with flowers, beautiful water fountains and lawn! It is the place where your kids play, and family memories are made. However, if the grass in your garden is not flourishing, the effect may not be as spectacular as you want it to be. No matter how hard you try to bring back life in your grass, the beauty of grass is not accomplished unless and until certain concrete measures are taken in this regard. But before you take any step further, you must be aware of the kind of problems that can bother the grass in your garden. Let us have a glance at common grass problems that as a homeowner, you may have to face.
Common Lawn Problems
01. Thin Grass
Sometimes the grass may become very thin and patchy. Often the underlying cause for the patchy grass could be overshadowing. If trees and bushes are preventing the sunlight from reaching the grass, it may result in thinning. Grass loves and wants sunshine. Ample sunlight and abundant water, both is required for it to thrive and flourish.
Poor soil conditions could also be one of the crucial and prominent reasons why your grass is getting stringy. It could be possible that the content of your soil is more on the clayey side which is inhibiting and restricting the growth of your grass. If that is the problem, the simple solution is, you can add gypsum to the grass regularly until the quality of the soil improves.
Another cause of thinning of grass is the lack of aeration and it needs to be done at least once a year. If the soil has compacted, you need to use an aerator and solve this grass problem. Mind you! There is also a possibility that you have planted the wrong type of grass which does not suit to the climate of your region. In that case, it is necessary to do a little homework and replant the variety of grass that suits the climate of your region to see a visible change in the quality of grass.
02. Dead Spots on Grass
Dead spots are another grass problem when it comes to the grass quality. There are many reasons why dead spots may arise. One of the major reasons is the presence of pests which eats up the whole grass. These also include rabbits who have a tendency to nibble down the whole of grass and then moving on.
Another culprit for dead spots is the presence of dogs. Dogs urinate wherever they can. Dog’s urine kills the grass and the spots where they urinate are left behind as circular dead spots. Apart from these, grub worms finish off the roots of your grass. It is very tough to identify and find them beneath the soil and grass. You can, however, look for grub poison from any home improvement shop and eliminate them.
Another factor that can be responsible for dead spots could be a broken or inadequate sprinkler system. If any part of your sprinkler is faulty then there is a chance that a part of your garden may not get sufficient moisture. This would ultimately lead to such portions getting dried and dead. So, the simple solution can be – Just replace or repair your sprinkler to handle this problem at once.
03. Weeds on Grass
Moving on, we have now reached the most common ailment that is going to bother your garden the most. That ailment is ‘weed’. Weeds are the ones which grow at their own will. Weeds tend to grow when no proper care of the lawn or the garden is being taken. Plants like dandelions and clover can infest over an entire lawn, grow very tall and make entire look poor. With the growth of such plants in your lawn, the quality of your grass is surely going to affect and the quality is going to show a visible decline. Having a good string trimmer can also greatly help out on ridding weeds. You can find the top string trimmers available in the market today reviewed at Find String Trimmers.
Luckily for you, it is easy to get specially designed weed killers that would target the weeds only and not bother your grass at all. In case, if it does not work, then it maybe an unknown weed that you are infested with. In that case, you must take a sample of the weed and share it with the local home improvement store to find out if they have a solution to tackle the same. To control the weeds in your garden, we have already written detailed article, please refer, How to Get Rid of the Weeds from your Garden?
04. Grass Fungus
The fungus is a widespread problem too and to add to the worse, there are various types of fungus which may target your grass. The types of fungus affecting your grass are mentioned below:
a) Fairy Ring Fungus
It grows in rings and leaves dead grass. These usually happens when the roots of the grass are decomposed, thereby letting this fungus to settle down.
b) Rust Fungus
As the name suggests, it usually converts patches of your grass to rust colour or yellow and green. This fungus spreads easily and very fast thus weakening the quality of your grass.
c) Slime Fungus
It arises when your grass has been overly wet for a long period of time. In case, if grass clippings are left on the lawn instead of raking them, this kind of fungus is likely to appear.
The problem with fungus is that if you wish to eliminate them, you have no strict way to do so. However, if you find and recover any dead and decomposed matter present in your garden, try to immediately eliminate it off from your garden. If you do so, such kind of grass problem may never arise again. This is the only substantial solution to take care of fungus in the long run.
05. Discolouration of Grass
There may be various reasons why the grass starts getting discoloured. The first reason is that the grass is not suitable for certain weather. For instance, cold climate. In such climatic conditions, the grass gets a bit cold and it will turn yellow in colour. This will gradually cause the colour of the grass to start fading.
Another reason for discolouration is poor fertilization of grass. Due to lack of nutrition, the grass starts losing its colour continuously. Thus, it is essential to maintain the required level of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the soil for the better growth of your grass
As mentioned earlier, rust fungus can also cause discolouration. However, you can treat this problem. But for that, first you need to find out the actual cause of this grass problem. Once the exact reason has been decoded, you can research and find out the best method that will work for you to get your problem resolved.
To prevent above-mentioned lawn problems, we have written in-depth article on, Ultimate Tips to Lawn Care for New Homeowners! Read carefully and please do ensure to share your thoughts with us in comment after implementing the mentioned tips.
Conclusion
As a homeowner, you want everything to look prime and perfect. Your garden is a place which gives the first impression of you. It is the best place for relaxation and fun. Thus, a well-maintained lawn is a must. By reading the above points, you will get an idea of what kind of lawn problems can boggle your garden. It is always better to do a regular study, find out the root cause and then implement any solution. If nothing works, you can anyways replant fresh grass. Let’s hope it stays fresh! Immediate response to any arising problem can also help you in get rid of it in the initial stages itself, leading to a flourishing and green garden.
We have written some other articles related to garden; please go through the following link:
10+ Backyard Garden Ideas For Your Home Garden!
How to Make Your Own Terrace Garden – Step-By-Step Guide!
Choosing the Right Flowers for your Garden | Flowering Plants
7 Common Gardening Mistakes a Homeowner Must Avoid!
Author Bio
Garima Bais – I am a blogger writing on topics like parenting, love, life, beauty and travel. Belonging to a country with a deep heritage India I am an eternal optimist and believe that whatever life gives to you should be taken with gratitude. Do let me know your take on my articles in the form of comments.