10 Ways To Revive Dead Grass And Bring Your Lawn Back To Life

dry grass during a hot summer day | Ways To Revive Dead Grass And Bring Your Lawn Back To Life | lawn care | featured

As summer cranks up, you’ll likely have to deal with dead grass in your lawn more than you want. That is why Garden Season has several great ideas to revive your brown grass and get the lush back on your turf.

RELATED: 13 Must Try Backyard Landscaping Ideas For Small Spaces

10 Pro Ways To Revive Dead Grass And Bring Your Lawn To Lush

1. Kill the Weeds

@vee898 ♬ Woah – KRYPTO9095

Grass depends primarily on water for life, but so do the weeds. Allowing weeds to grow alongside your grass only means there is competition for the little water on the lawn and in the roots, leaving little to keep the grass alive.

Tip: Be keen to get the roots, or the weeds will grow right back. For larger lawns, go for herbicides.

2. Dethatch

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Amanda Swearingen (@amandashappylawn)


A spongy layer of dead grass builds up on your lawn, preventing air and water from getting to the roots. To remove this, pull a metal rake in long strokes through your garden, pressing down as firmly as possible.

3. Mow Your Lawn for Top Dressing

@candymariehanvey ♬ Jump in the Line – Harry Belafonte

Cutting the grass may seem like a counter-intuitive measure to save your dying grass, but it’s an effective way to fertilize your lawn. Leave the nitrogen-rich grass clippings on the lawn, enriching the soil for the existing grass to grow healthier.

Tip: Different turfgrasses call for different mowing heights for them to perform best. Check your mower for the right grass height.

4. Aerate Your Lawn


Over time, your lawn can compact due to thatch, regular use, dirt, or even thick grass. This prevents air from penetrating into the roots. Use a garden fork or aerator prongs to make five-inch deep holes throughout your lawn.

Tip: Spiked aerator sandals can also work if your lawn is small.

5. Follow a Watering Schedule

@dohertywife2014 ♬ original sound – yay4cats


Dehydration from heat is what kills grass and not the heatwave itself. Providing sufficient water to your dormant grass is enough to get it back to growing, especially when your lawn is already aerated.

Tip: Compensating for the dehydration by overwatering can be lethal, so keep it moderate.

Related: 10 Best Garden Theme Ideas To Freshen Up Your Garden

6. Fertilize Your Lawn

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PTugaLawn (@ptugalawn)


Sometimes our soil falls short on some vital nutrients, hence the need to fertilize your lawn to boost the levels of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. While top dressing works, higher concentrations of these nutrients can only come from fertilizers.

Tips: If you are using solid fertilizer, watering afterward will prevent it from being blown away.

7. Grow the Right Type of Grass

Lawn Grass

Growing the wrong grass for your zone can lead to grass dormancy and eventually, death. Ensure your choice of grass is hardy for your climate and that you are growing it in the ideal light conditions.

8. Treat Diseases and Pests

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nathan Wetjen (@darkforestgardens)


Various diseases and pests affect turfgrass, which leads to a weakened state and eventual death. The best way to deal with this is by treating your lawn for pests and diseases before installing your grass.

Tip: Pests often invade neglected, overly fertilized, or watered lawns.

9. Train Your Pets

Lawn Grass for Pets
Sporadic brown spots on your lawn could imply pet spots. This is when your dog relieves itself on your lawn. Thorough watering is enough to nurture your grass to health. But train your puppy to use better and more strategic places to relieve itself.

10. Treat Salt Damage

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @grass_thats_all


Dormant grass can be a result of salt damage, especially if your lawn is adjacent to a driveway, street, or sidewalk. A good soak will dilute the salt concentration and save the situation, but reseeding your lawn will be the only solution if the damage is too extensive.

Watch this video from This Old House on how to revive dormant lawn grass:

With these pro tips, you bet dead grass is not something you will have to deal with for the remaining part of summer or other seasons.

What do you think is causing dead grass on your lawn? Let us know by leaving a comment below! 

Up Next:

Calling all green thumbs, Garden Season needs YOU!

Click here if you want to contribute for us!

Want to stay up to date? Follow Garden Season on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and Pinterest.

Up Next

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share This