Do you have 99 problems – and is a thinning lawn one? If so, you’re not alone! Thinning grass is a very common lawn problem – a common problem that happens to have a relatively easy solution! Here’s what you need to know from the pros at Lawn Love to help your thinning lawn become so thick, lush, and vivacious, it deserves its own song.
Are You Shady?
How shady is your lawn? Not in the Slim Shady, rap phenom from Detroit kind of way, but in the plentiful trees and shrubs kind of way? Sometimes as your grass is growing it simply comes in weak, patchy, and thin. One of the biggest culprits behind this is shade. In the places where grass lives in the shadows of bushes or trees, it simply isn’t going to grow as well. Your grass needs water and sunshine to thrive, but when it doesn’t get those things then it’s not going to grow to its full potential. Hence, you get thin, patchy grass.
How About Those Soil Condition?
Another common cause of thinning grass is poor soil conditions. The soil your grass grows in requires good drainage. If it doesn’t have that, then the grass will grow poorly. It’s also important to test your soil. If it’s deficient in a nutrient, then you can often correct that with fertilizer. But if it drains poorly, you may want to consider periodically adding gypsum to your soil. This is a long process that can take years to do right, but if you live in a place with a lot of clay in the soil, it may be your only hope for a lush lawn.
Have You Aerated Lately?
Something else that can cause patchy, thin grass is lack of aeration. Think about it: when was the last time you aerated your lawn? If it’s been since a Bush administration, then your lawn’s root system may be suffering from the effects of compacted soil. Make sure to aerate your lawn by removing small plugs of soil at least every few years to help encourage a strong, healthy root system. Aeration allows the grass roots to grow out and helps them to get the water, oxygen, and other nutrients they need.
What Kind of Grass Do You Have?
Something else that can cause patchy, thin spots is if you have the wrong type of grass growing in your lawn. Depending on what region of the country you live in, there are certain grasses that will thrive and others that simply won’t. Make sure you have a grass that likes your climate and can withstand the conditions in which you live.
These are the most common reasons for thinning grass, but if you need some expert backup, never forget that the pros at Lawn Love are here to help!
