Lawn & Grass Problems

Cultural Practices

• Proper fertilizing may prevent lawn problems. Gardeners should wait for their grass to come out of dormancy to fertilize. The timing of your grass greening up depends on the type of grass you are growing. Cool season grass starts growing in the fall, whereas warm season grass begins growing in the spring. Fertilizing too early encourages weed growth, because vigorously growing weeds absorb the nutrients quicker than slowly growing grass. Furthermore, weeds compete with turf for air, sun and the soil's nutrients, which can cause thinning grass.

Environmental Factors

• Environmental factors such as fungal diseases and pests can destroy small areas or the entire lawn. Lawns that have thick thatch layers over 1/2 inch deep provide a hospitable environment for diseases and insects, according to the University of Wisconsin. Thatch is the natural accumulation of living and dead organic material in between the grass and soil. To remove thatch, use a power dethatcher when your grass has started growing to remove the thatch build up. Treat your lawn disease with a fungicide chemically formulated to stop the spread of fungal spores. Also, inspect the lawn for pests after you have removed the layer of thatch. Pests such as white grubs can be seen in the soil. Apply a pesticide to kill grass-eating pests found in the soil or grass blades.

Grass Selection

• Choose the right type of grass to grow for your climate and for the amount of sunlight in the yard. Cool season grass types such as rye grasses, blue grasses and fescues are typically grown in the northern regions of the United States. Warm season grass types such as Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, bahia and buffalo are grown in the southern parts of the United States. Avoid growing certain grass types, such as Kentucky bluegrass, in the shade. Use supina bluegrass, chewings fescue, hard fescue, zoysia or St. Augustine grass in shady locations in the yard.

Renovating

• Renovate your cool season lawn from March through September, or your warm season lawn April through July, as recommended by Colorado State University. Remove the existing lawn with a herbicide that contains glyphosate. Remove the dead grass with a dethatcher. Apply a starter fertilizer to the lawn, and work the fertilizer into the first 4 to 6 inches of top soil. Install sod or distribute grass seed. Keep the lawn moist for two weeks to aid in root development or germination.