Five Pro Tips for Tackling Common Lawn Problems

August 21, 2020 Published by Leave your thoughts

You want your lawn to look its best, but sometimes it just refuses to cooperate. Fortunately, there are tried and true methods that professional landscapers use on lawns in Chazy, NY that you can likely do yourself. Here are five common lawn problems and the pro tips for solving them:

  • Thatch and brown patches: Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of dead and dying material. It can include grass or weeds, and leads to brown patches. If thatch develops, it indicates pH imbalance. Thatch is more common on well-cared-for lawns, and often arises when you use chemicals that offer short-term benefits but eventually destroy the grass’s natural ability to decay. Solve the problem by renting a power rake to slice through the thatch. You may also try diluting molasses in hot water and spraying it on the thatch layer. That will stimulate natural elements to consume the thatch.
  • Urine spots: If you have a dog, brown urine spots may be accepted as inevitable. However, you can reduce these spots with a little maintenance. Start by trying to keep pets off that area of the lawn. Water spots soon after pets urinate. If the damage is extensive, dig up that spot and till lightly before reseeding. Treat that area with a starter fertilizer to encourage regrowth.
  • Dandelions: You may regard dandelions as weeds, but they are beneficial to bee populations. We recommend growing them in a separate patch so they remain available for bees. To remove them from your lawn, use a trowel to lever out their deep roots. There is a tool available called the “dandelion digger” that is specifically designed to remove them. Remove dandelions before they seed, because once their puffs blow out, your dandelion growth increases.
  • Crabgrass: This weed grows when you use too much nitrogen fertilizers. You can reduce its appearance by aerating your lawn. Crabgrass loves compacted lawns and clay soil. If you need a non-toxic way to control it, corn gluten meal applied to your lawn will keep it nearly weed free. Studies show this substance will produce 60 percent weed elimination in the first year, 80 percent in the second and 90 to 100 percent in the third. This makes corn gluten meal one of the favorite non-chemical solutions for beautiful lawns.
  • Bare or thin spots: Lawns thin out when they suffer drought. If your lawn is thin, overseed it once you confirm that you are using the right seed for your yard and the soil is at the right pH balance. Aerify the lawn before you seed, and keep grass mowed to one or one-and-a-half inches. For bald spots, reseed the spots to fill in the bare areas. You will have to dig up the spot and layer in loose topsoil. Use a starter fertilizer once planted.

Rand Hill Lawns, Inc. are professional landscapers in Chazy, NY. We offer residential lawn maintenance services, along with excavation, rolled sod installation and seasonal cleanup. Contact us today to discuss what you need for your yard.

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