But if your lawn is slowgrowing, has wilted turf, and is dotted with irregular, strawcolored patches and rings that get bigger throughout the summer, you may be dealing with a disease called summer patch. Warm season grasses perform best when the seed is sown in spring or early summer. Grass seed plays an important role in helping you maintain a beautiful, thick, green lawn. Bare patches in an otherwise full, healthy lawn may be the result of pet urine, heavy foot traffic, infestations by grubs or other pests, or a variety of other causes. Lawns that are generally poor, weedy, or sparse will benefit from a programme of thorough lawn maintenance. Keep the area an inch or so below grade so the new grass will be level with the lawn. This reddish color is an early symptom of something more severe and often only appears after a small area of grass has died. Its incredibly heat, drought, traffic, and salt tolerant making it an excellent choice for most of the mid interior regions and just about all of southern arizonas lower deserts. Management of summer patch is most effective when preventive measures are taken. If the lawn is really bad, then total relaying or reseeding may be necessary. Remove the sod patch, then remove the dead grass and the ring of healthy grass around the bare patch, using a hand cultivator. Warm season grasses need to be planted in the summer since they require warm soil temperatures to germinate and grow. Lawn patch products combine grass seed, fertilizer and mulch blends in one bag. One threepound bag can cover a 675squarefoot lawn from scratch or double that area if you plan to use it to overseed.
Managing patch disease in lawns lawn talk university of. Read on to find out how to repair a brown lawn to its previous magnificence and maintain a greener lawn for longer next year. Augustine, are best established when planted in late spring to early summer. In the second stage, the grass will turn a strawbrown color. Summer patch is a highly destructive fungus that kills grass by infecting and destroying its roots. Spring is the perfect time to get your lawn back in tip top shape. Soil quality can vary in your lawn, and poor soil can occur in patches, causing brown, bare areas or moss. How to patch spots in your lawn the home depot youtube. Tall fescue should never be blended with kentucky bluegrass but tall fescue is the most heat tolerant coolseason grass and can thrive in some of the warmer mid regions of arizona if. Grass seed can be very expensive, so purchasing a durable, highquality grass seed such as scotts turf builder grass seed can make all the difference in the world when it comes to having the lawn of your dreams. Seed germination blankets made from wood fiber keep seeds and soil in place for erosion control. I do the same thing for my own yard and so do many landscapers. Once they start to sprout, water the lawn every day. As time wears on, so does your lawn we show you how to sort lawn patches.
How to identify the cause of brown spots in your lawn today. Certain fungicides can help control the summer patch when applied on 28day intervals. Can a brown lawn be saved how to revive a dead lawn. Lightly scratch in the seed so that some of it is incorporated into the top quarterinch of the soil and some is at or near the surface. If the sod seems higher than the surrounding lawn, remove a little soil out of the patch, smooth and try again. The frog eye appearance is often from the poa annua being killed by the fungus while the middle living grass is bentgrass. Summer patch signs and symptoms the rings and crescents of summer patch can join together to form more irregularly shaped spots as well as in long streaks. Because it can survive in infected plant debris or perennial hosts.
Follow his tips to get your lawn looking green and lush again. Magnaporthe poae is an ascomycete fungus which causes the turfgrass disease commonly known as summer patch, or poa patch. Repairing holes pits in your lawn if the holes pits are only slight then repairing the grass should be a simple process and can be easily repaired with a little top dressing to level out the surface and reseed, but anything more than 12. Small dead spots are a fact of life for most lawn owners. Using a shovel, cut a patch of the sod to fit the bald spot in your lawn. To get good seedtosoil contact, gently rake the seeds and soil into the grass. Brown patch, rhizoctonia solani, may also attack lawns. If your only problem is a bad spot or two, spot seeding can do the job. Summer heat stress, however, makes this season one of the worst times to establish new grass seedlings, especially if your bare patches are caused by poor soil management or disease. Disease symptoms often show under lawn stress in summer, however. Youll want the seed to grow thick to cover the bare patch.
You can apply grass seed and fertilizer separately. Summer patch is caused by a fungus which lives in the soil and attacks the roots. How to patch a lawn with grass seed this old house. Go slowly for the first few times you mow to ensure the grass is cut as cleanly as possible. The result of this may look like a frog eye pattern reaching 212. Grass patch repair learn how to fix bare spots in your lawn. Lawns with advanced disease development may show irregular dead areas and streaks. Avoid patch and repair projects when weather is overly.
In this video, this old house landscape contractor roger cook and host kevin oconnor patch a lawn with grass seed. Scorched, burned or brown grass is quite a rare summer event but as weather patterns seem to produce longer spells of wet, cold or dry then this may become a more common event. Summer patch is a lawn disease that is active during the summer when turfgrass roots are growing very slowly. Use a small shovel or spade to remove the dead grass. Following are some suggestions on how to make repairing your lawn with sod easy and successful. This video will show you how to plant grass seed to fix or repair bare or dead spots in the lawn. Its easier to control grubs in the spring before they hatch, or in early summer when theyre small and havent yet caused a lot of damage to your lawn. Take a sample of stems, roots, and soil for analysis. Merge the edges of the sod with the surrounding grass by pressing it with your hands. Growing regions grass professionals divide the united states into separate grassgrowing regions based on cool and warm climates, humidity and aridity. Weve written a lot about what weve learned growing grass and have lots of tips.
Pennington one step complete bermuda lawn repair mix at. Associate rick from our howto community shows you how to patch brown spots in your lawn. Oct 14, 2019 in most areas, the best solution is to replant the bare spot with new grass. The conditions in your yard may be unfavorable for grass to grow. Learn how to repair bare spots in your lawn by spreading seed or patching. Last years dry summer lead to a lot of dead spots in lawns all over the pacific northwest. Mulch with a thin layer of weedfree straw, such as wheat straw. Scotts turf builder sunny mix grass seed is built for filling in bare spots or thickening up thin patches. Use a grub hoe to remove the damaged grass and weeds, but leave the topsoil. Crescent shaped or circular patches of dead grass, often with clumps of green grass inside, are a characteristic symptom often called frogeye. These patch diseases are similar in appearance and management.
How to repair a lawn patch bbc gardeners world magazine. Laying sod is the quickest and easiest way to patch a dead or damaged turf area. A patchy lawn is a frustrating sight during the bright spring and summer you may be tempted to fix the bare spots immediately. How to fix dead patches and fill bare spots in the lawn. If your lawn turns brown in spots when summer rolls around, you may have a problem with thatch a thick layer of decomposed. Because sod is a mature plant, it establishes very quickly compared to seed, hydroseed or lawn patching mixes, saving you lots of time. Know that hot, sticky nights can lead to grass disease. Garden guides how to plant grass seed in the summer. This grass seed will grow thicker, quicker and greener than other seed and it has the added benefit of being 99. How to repair thinning grass, patches and holes in your lawn. Topdressing to improve the soil in your lawn todays homeowner.
It will be ready for a light application of fertilizer before the heat of summer begins. Water the seeds in the early morning and evening until they germinate. Sun and shade grass patch mix100524545 the home depot. For many homeowners, this is a big deal especially for those who take a great deal of pride in having a beautiful, lush continue reading patching your pacific northwest lawn before summer. It produces darkcolored hyphae fungal strands that can damage and kill roots. Dec 15, 2018 typical seasons to grow new grass are in the early fall and spring when temperatures remain mild, but it is possible to establish a lawn during the heat of summer. Even if you have a really nice lawn, theres likely to be patches that are dead. Bermuda grass is probably your most common warmseason grass found in arizona. Late spring and early summer are ideal for southern lawns. Feb 08, 20 associate rick from our howto community shows you how to patch brown spots in your lawn. How to repair bare spots in your lawn healthy green turf is a welcome sight as lawns spring to life after winter, but early days sometimes hold surprises. While seasonal dormancy is normal coldseason lawns in the summer heat, warmseason lawns in the winter, make sure your lawn is getting the nutrients it needs all year round to. Summer patch thrives in sunny, hot conditionsin temperatures averaging 90 degrees or higherand generally appears in shorter grass.
A number of things can cause the spots, including spilled gas or fertilizer, insect damage, or dog urine. Otherwise if planted in the fall like cool season grasses. Depending on the seed used and the temperature you should start to see some green shoots within 10 to 14 days. Cool season grasses do best when planted in late summer to early fall. Lawns are best repaired in spring or autumn, when the. When the grass hits 5cm 2 1 2 you can start mowing your new lawn. Knowing how to patch grass is a great way to fix any small dead areas and keep your yard looking green. They are caused by a group of fungi known collectively as the ectotrophic rootinfecting or eri fungi. Apr 27, 2016 spring is the perfect time to get your lawn back in tip top shape. Your goal is to dig down slightly so that the sod patch will sit down at the same level as the rest of your lawn. Patching your pacific northwest lawn before summer. A few more days of sunlight, air and rain should do it. However, reviving brown lawns that are simply dormant usually occurs within three to four weeks of regular irrigation. Youll want to match the type of grass seed to what is already growing.
Summer patch can be prevented by avoiding cutting more than 23 the length of your grass. If fertilizer is applied unevenly or incorrectly, it can burn the grass, so be sure to follow the directions for application to the letter. Spring lawn care 6 steps to prepare your lawn for summer. The disease occurs mostly on kentucky bluegrass poa pratensis, fescues festuca sp. Summer lawn diseases protecting your lawn toro yard care blog. Sun and shade grass patch mix is a perfect match for your heartland seed lawn. Typical seasons to grow new grass are in the early fall and spring when temperatures remain mild, but it is possible to establish a lawn during the. Typical seasons to grow new grass are in the early fall and spring when temperatures remain mild, but it is possible to establish a lawn during the heat of summer. Marks tips for lawn repair after a hot, dry summer. If the grass is totally dead due to drought, theres no way to bring it back. Depending on where you live, the best time to plant grass may be in the summer months. Sow the patch with an appropriate seed mix, sprinkling half the grass seeds in one direction and the rest in the other.
Turfgrass patch diseases such as summer patch, takeall patch, and spring dead spot are difficult to diagnose and manage. When you need seed for your lawn, its important to consider the type of project you have and choose the correct grass seed product for your needs. Otherwise if planted in the fall like cool season grasses are, they may still germinate but will most likely fail. In fact, there are several lawn patch kits available at most nurseries and garden centers. Growing regions grass professionals divide the united states into separate grass growing regions based on cool and warm climates, humidity and aridity. Whatever the cause, patching a dead spot is relatively easy. Lightly rake over the seed and protect it against birds with netting. The eri fungi produce darkly pigmented runner hyphae along the surface of and ultimately inside the vascular tissue of roots. Sod is a quick, easy way to repair most damaged spots in an existing lawn. Before stores and infomercials started selling grass repair, or patching products in a bag, groundskeepers at golf courses made up their own mixture and used it to fill in divots and bare spots. For example, kentucky bluegrassand perennial rye grass are both fine textured grasses and complement each other nicely producing an attractive turf grass surface. Its still very fine grass, and while we are walking on it daily, i wouldnt exactly want to run a heavy lawnmower over it just yet. How to lawn care summer patch turf disease gertens.
The best time to sow seeds for lawn patch repair depends on the type of grass you have. In addition to containing common grass varieties such as rye and fescue, these hardy seeds include kentucky bluegrass for a green, lush lawn. Kelly burke is a freelance writer and professional turf manager. Rake to loosen the soil, apply ez seed, then water. Warmseason lawn grasses do best across the countrys southern tier of states and up into the challenging midsection known as the transition zone, where cool, warm, humid and arid regions meet and merge. Spread straw as a mulch after planting the grass seed to help keep it moist and safe from birds. Even wellmaintained lawns can yield bare or thin spots, but early spring provides excellent opportunities for corrections. Apr 19, 2017 this video will show you how to plant grass seed to fix or repair bare or dead spots in the lawn. Summer patch, magnaporthe poae, and necrotic ring spot, leptosphaeria korrae, are two separate diseases which attack turfgrass roots and previously were referred to as fusarium blight.
For the most part, this was a quick and easy project growing grass over the course of 12 days. Choose goodquality seed thats geared for your climate, such as greenview fairway formula grass seeds. How to seed and repair bare spots in the lawn youtube. This reddish color is an early symptom of something more severe and often only appears after a. Warmseason grasses like bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and st. Research continues to look for information on these diseases.
Remove everything right up to the edge of the healthy grass, taking an inch or two of soil. Nov 01, 2019 bare patches can appear in your lawn after a thorough raking, where the grass is undernourished or where its been worn out these gaps should be reseeded or returfed to prevent moss and weeds colonising the soil and to allow your lawn to look its best all year round. Be liberal when spreading grass seed in a dead patch of grass. Prepare the soil the same way you would for patching with seed. Summer patch will appear as irregular patches, rings less than 10 inches in diameter, and crescents. Cutting that much length from a lawn that has been left to grow long is known as scalping the grass, and is the cultural practice most closely associated with the occurrence of summer patch because it weakens the grass and makes it more prone to. Make sure the grass is dry and the mower freshly sharpened. In most areas, the best solution is to replant the bare spot with new grass. I also discuss my above ground sprinkler system and you can find out more about that here. Diy how to repair lawn patchy dead areas, brown dead grass, turf insects.
15 452 304 1288 730 336 88 453 638 1361 1468 1281 408 603 898 1095 1174 915 675 763 611 1231 935 435 1029 1085 1126 769 1111 1438 720