The lawns at many homes and businesses in Baton Rouge can be somewhat delicate. Pests, disease, too much water, extra heat, or traffic on your lawn can leave you with unattractive brown spots on your turf grass. Before you plan to resod your entire lawn, it is often possible to fix small areas of patchiness with a few careful steps.
How to Fix Thinning Grass in Baton Rouge
Reseeding is the first line of defense for many homeowners against lawn damage. Reseeding has you apply additional seed over your existing grass where it can help supplement your lawn to create a fuller turf and fill in any areas where grass may have to become thin.
This can be done in spring or fall as long as there will be several more weeks of warm weather to create the right environment for warm season grasses, giving your new seed a good chance to become established in the following months. To reseed your lawn, follow these steps:
- Identify Your Turf Grass – For a uniform appearance in your lawn, you will want to use the same type of grass that is already growing. If you are not sure which grass you have, start by determining the species.
- Mow Your Lawn – Mow your grass to a height of 2 inches. This ensures new grass will get plenty of sun and water and will also keep things looking neat since you will not be able to mow after reseeding.
- Aerate the Lawn – Compacted dirt makes it difficult for new roots to spread. Aerate your entire lawn to relieve compaction before planting.
- Plant Seed – Spread new grass seed as evenly as possible over patches or sparse areas.
- Water – As grass is becoming established, it will need regular watering. You can set your sprinkler system accordingly or remember to water regularly manually if rain is not enough. Your top layer of soil should be consistently moist while the grass is growing.
- Fertilize New Grass – Approximately 6 weeks after planting seeds, you should fertilize to provide additional nutrients. Spread an even layer of fertilizer in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions over your lawn.
- Avoid Mowing – New grass is delicate and running a mower over it can put too much stress on the turf. It should be safe to mow once the blades are approximately 4 inches tall, after which you can mow on your regular schedule.
This method of repairing grass damage works well when the majority of your grass and soil is healthy, but if you are having more challenging problems with dying grass or uninhabitable soil, more in depth methods may be necessary.
Leeson Landscape provides full service landscaping all year long. Our team is experienced at cultivating lawns in Baton Rouge and can handle dying with services that include receding and lawn patching to make sure that your lawn looks its best. Contact us to learn more about our lawn care and landscape maintenance services.