Will A Patchy Lawn Fill Itself In?

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Do you have brown patches in your lawn that are anything but green with envy at their lush surroundings? It’s very common to have thinning areas of grass, but they can be restored with a little work and a helping hand from nature.

Some types of grass will spread to fill bare spots, but in northern climates, the species we tend to lay our lawns with are bunch-type grasses that don’t propagate outwards.

Causes of patchy grass

Dead, bald spots in a lawn are a signal that something is wrong. Identifying what that is will help you take steps to prevent further areas of dying grass.

The most common causes of patchy grass are:

  • Animal urine
  • Pests in the soil
  • Fungal diseases
  • Spilled chemicals or petrol
  • Fertiliser burns
  • Over-applying weed killer and moss killer
  • Drought damage and inconsistent watering
  • Tree roots
  • Soil has become too hard or compacted

How to repair thinning lawns or patchy grass

There are some simple steps you can take to minimise lawn damage from common causes. Irrigating patches where your dog may urinate, using pest and weed controls, cutting back shady trees and paying more attention to watering will all help.

Once you’ve done what you can to eradicate the causes of brown, dead patches in your lawn, you can follow a fairly routine process to begin restoring it.

  • Rake out any dead, matted areas of grass and other debris.
  • Loosen the soil up with the rake while you’re at it or dig and loosen the top couple of inches.
  • Scatter grass seed over the loosened up area. Gently tamp down the seed so that it comes into contact with the soil.
  • Scatter an even amount of fertiliser over the whole lawn.
  • Water well.

One good technique to apply to maintain an even and healthy lawn is to adjust the blade length on the mower so that all the blades of grass, including those in the patches, are allowed to grow a little longer in order to bathe in more sunlight, allow more moisture into the soil, and promote healthier growth.

Then, cut the lawn regularly while avoiding taking too much off the length of the blades each time which can put unnecessary stress on each plant.

Once your lawn is back to its greenest best, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Laying, growing and maintaining a lush lawn is actually incredibly satisfying and rewarding.

If you’re looking for a high-quality lawnmower to keep your outside space looking great, take a look at our range of products at Redblade Mowers today.