The people who bought a ready home often got a dead lawn. Some of them just give up on their dream of having a lawn because reviving the dead lawn seems quite difficult in some cases. It is indeed not very easy at all, especially if you don’t know the right way to revive a dead lawn.
The previous homeowners left home, and before anyone bought it, the lawn leaves alone. So, no one takes care of the poor lawn, and no people water it regularly. As a result, most of the lawns just die. Also, When people go for a long vacation, they leave the lawn alone, and it can also die out of the water. Another reason is winter that leaves out lawn dead.
Also, there are many other reasons we have a dead lawn. But as you have the yard, you can revive it quickly. For that, you need a proper guide and enough time to work on it. Well, if you have determined to revive the dead lawn, we can help you with appropriate guidance. Follow the easy steps I have described below, and I am sure you will be able to get back a beautiful and lush green lawn on your own.
Prepare the Dead Lawn for a New Start
Before you start working on the dead lawn, you have to prepare it first. For plantations, it’s very important to prepare your lawn perfectly. You must be expecting bunches of healthy grass in the future, so the lawn must get adequate care. Without preparing the land properly, you cannot possibly expect new grasses anyway.
First of all, you have killed all the weeds and insects that are taking over the lawn. For that, you have to sprinkle nonselective herbicides on the lawn. You can choose glyphosate over the terrace. Select the area which is covered by weeds and then apply it.
Remember that this herbicide is good for the lawn but harmful to children and pets. And so, when applying anything like this, you must keep your pets and kids out of the lawn for at least a few days. However, this herbicide will kill all the weeds and the old grass. And when they turn born, you have to remove them using a rake.
Next to that, you have a fungicide that will help you get rid of the insect and fungi from the dead lawn. Initially, all those herbicides and fungicides were rainproof. Still, you should choose a sunny day to use this product. No rain is expected, and a non-windy day is preferred to use any herbicide.
Step by Step Instruction to Revive a Dead Lawn
As the preparation part is now over, you have to start working hard to revive the dead lawn. You only need to follow a few steps before sowing seeds for the new grass or laying turf. Besides, you don’t need so many things other than some fungicides, herbicides, rake, mower, and water hose. That’s all. Well, let’s see how to revive a dead lawn.
Step 1: Reduce Surplus Thatch
Thatch is a common impediment to a healthy lawn. The spongy layer of grass is already mixed with the soil. But it will be a problem when the lawn has an excessively thick layer of thatch. It can be a part of the ground of the lawn, but the extra thick layer cannot produce a beautiful green lawn. So, the first step should be getting rid of the extra layer.
A subtle part of the thatch around green turf isn’t troublesome. The extra thatch initially creates a brown circle around the grassy areas. But if it crosses half inches, it creates an obstacle to passing air, water, and other nutrients. So the roots get susceptible, and their growth development is also diminished.
Sometimes more thatches allow insects and buds to grow, which is not pleasant at all. This will make the turf unhealthy. For that, you can use vertical mowers or power rakes that you will find in most appliance rental stores.
Step 2: Prepare the Soil
Secondly, you have to prepare the soil so that it can produce new grasses and renovate a dying lawn. In this case, tilling helps to grow new grass. Besides, aeration is mandatory to keep lawn grasses alive. Sometimes air can not get into the deep end of the surface. If you till your lawn five to six inches, it will provide proper aeration to your soil.
Also, you have to make sure that all the needless vegetation is incorporated and the turf is free from useless foliage. You can use organic compost to incorporate the vegetation if you want a fertile lawn. By using organic materials, your soil gets reduced to the bulkiness of the clay soil and, at the same time, increases water-holding capability in sandy soil.
Step 3: Treat Your Lawn with Adequate Nutrition
The lawn must be abundant for a while. So, it may not have enough nutrition to produce the new grass. That’s why you have made it fertile by choosing appropriate fertilizer for your lawn. Before planting, it is essential to test whether the land is prepared with proper nourishment.
It is also very essential for the roots to be healthy to get phosphorus in the soil. A soil test is required to know the proportion of phosphorus in the soil. Also, it will help you to learn exactly what nutrients your lawn soil is making. And sufficient nutrients are very important to revive a dead lawn.
When you get the result of the soil testing, you can spread an adequate amount of phosphorus evenly on your site if the soil is in need of phosphorus. Besides, you have to apply appropriate fertilizer to make the soil fertile. If you are not willing to do a soil test, you can get a grass starter from any of your local garden stores. This will get you a good result for your new planned grasses.
Step 4: Scatter the Appropriate Amount of Seed and Sod
Your lawn is now ready to have the seed or turf. But it would help if you waited one or two weeks before planting new seeds. Meanwhile, you should water the lawn regularly and let the soil rest. I am not sure about what you are planning to start with. So, I am describing both right here.
Sowing Seed on the Lawn
Your lawn soil is now fertile, and you can now sow seed. You should choose the types of grass seeds wisely. If you have a patchy lawn section and are not using sod, you have to prefer half of your recommended amount of seed to be spread. It’s necessarily needed to drizzle your lawn with half grass seeds.
Spread the grass seeds all over the selected area and prepare for planting. It should be a concern that the seeds and the soil get into good contact; after this, some soil should be spread on top of the seeds of the grass. After seeding properly, you have to water the land for a few days and let the seeds germinate. And this is the most important part of reviving the dead lawn.
Laying Turf on the Lawn
Using turf is easy to get a solution to the patchy lawn surface. You can choose a long turf carpet instead of planting grass. Sting up the turf is very easy. You can check out the complete guide to lay turf on our site.
However, you must buy turf and lay it properly on the soil. After laying turf, you have to wait for a week so that it can be set with the soil perfectly. And you have to water the landed with new turf regularly.
Step 5: Roll the Soil If You Sow Seeds
After planting seeds, you have to select the area and roll it properly. Rolling is a significant part of preparing a lawn for planting seeds. If you lay turfs, you can avoid this part. Rolling the soil can give the seeds a sound contact with the soil. It will help the seeds grow healthy as well as make the soil firm and fertile. In rental stores, you can get equipment for lawn rollers.
Step 6: Supervise the Lawn
After accomplishing all the steps, you must end the process of reviving a dead lawn with final care. In this case, water plays a vital role. You have to water the lawn in a way so that the lawn will be moist but not soggy. In a new lawn, you have to water it daily for the next two to three weeks. You will need to water multiple times daily for the first two weeks.
For both seed and turf, irrigation is a significant stride. You have to pertain an adequate amount of water to get the roots moist. Besides, you should apply some lawn food like compost for the best result. It will help them to grow healthy. But make sure that the roots do not get wet or patchy.
These are how you can revive a dead lawn. If you are a beginner, you may think that following the steps is pretty much difficult. But things are not like that. Once you start, you will understand how easy it is to get back a beautiful lawn.
FAQ
Q: Can grass grow back after it dies?
A: If the grass-root dies, you cannot receive them anyway. But you can get new grass in that place. For that, you have to remove the old dead grass and sow seeds. If you manage to care for the soil and water it properly, the seeds will germinate, and you will get a new bunch of green grass.
Q: Why has my grass suddenly died?
A: The grass on your lawn can die suddenly because of drought. Indeed, it is the most common cause of dead lawns. Also, if you don’t water it in time, it can die as well.
Q: How do you replace dead grass?
A: Replacing the dead grass is essential to get back a new lawn. For that, you have to clean the area, Use herbicides, reduce thatch, water the land, and sow seeds for the new grass.
Q: Should I cut my grass if it’s brown?
A: Yes, you should cut or mow the lawn when there is brown grass. If the roots are alive, they will soon grow new green grass.
Q: How long does it take dead grass to turn green?
A: To revive a dead lawn, you must go through many processes before you get green grass. And the entire process takes two to three weeks.
Final Thought
If you buy a new home with abundant lawn, I am sure this article will be a great help for you. Remember that, in this world, not all people get property to make a lawn. So, if you have one, you shouldn’t leave it in the wild and just utilize it to beautify your home. And the lawn is the best way to bring an aesthetic look to your home.
However, let us know how your effort to revive a dead lawn works? Also, inform us if you face any problems while preparing the yard for a new lawn. We love to hear from you and especially want to know how you are doing with your lawn. Thank you for your time.