 | Justin Cawyer is the CEO of American Lawn & Landscape Inc., and has been in the landscape industry for 22 years. Starting out as a mowing service, their business has expanded to include everything from landscaping to fertilizing and weed control. For a complete list of services, you can see their ad in Names and Numbers, visit yardsbyamerican.com, or call 620-249-5700. |
Lawn, Garden & Landscaping
2012-04-20 11:03:19
Patchy lawn
A: Any number of factors, or all of them could be causing this problem. While we often take a plush, green lawn and how it got (and stays) that way for granted, horticulture is actually a complex science. When one thing is out of balance, it causes a chain of events, all of which can affect your lawn.
The first and most important step in solving the problem is identifying the cause or causes.
Thin and patchy grass could be a sign of these things:
1. Ground is too compacted
2. Over fertilized
3. Under fertilized
4. Uneven application of weed killer
5. Disease/pests
6. Improper watering
7. Excessive foot traffic
8. Improper mowing
A pest problem is least likely in patchy lawn problems. In most cases, there are a number of contributing factors. It could also be that the ground is uneven so some areas would receive more water, fertilizer and weed killer, while other areas little. This would cause some areas to thrive or burn.
Most people will try fertilizing and over seeding the patchy areas. That’s not necessarily the answer. In most cases, the grass will sprout but will die off before it is mature. This is because the initial cause was never solved.
In some lawn situations, the best resort is to get professional advice. Since the problem is persistent the causes are probably many and with the amount of time, money and sweat you’ve already put in, it will cost much less in the long run to have it done right. Professional weeding and fertilizing applications throughout the summer will help get your base, and we may have to re-planted correctly in the fall. Don’t get discouraged, with the right help you can get your lawn on track and beautiful in no time.
