How to Repair an Overfertilized Lawn

Small Areas

• 1

  Cut out all the sod that has been overfertilized. If the area that was overfertilized is fairly small, replacing the sod takes care of the problem immediately.

• 2

  Remove and discard 1 inch of topsoil beneath the sod that was removed.

• 3

  Plant sod or seed in the area. Water the spot well, and use the correct amount of fertilizer.

Large Areas

• 4

  Vacuum or rake up as much of the fertilizer as possible, and discard it. This assumes the excess fertilizer has been applied recently.

• 5

  Sprinkle powdered gypsum onto the lawn. Apply 10 pounds of gypsum per 100 square feet at a minimum. Gypsum helps salts move through plants and flow through to the soil. Gypsum also helps improve soil drainage.

• 6

  Water the lawn well. Fertilizer contains salts that draw moisture out of vegetation if too much is applied. Watering the lawn helps wash away some of those salts before they are absorbed by the lawn.

• 7

  Stop watering when the water begins to run off. Wait a few minutes to allow the water to be absorbed into the soil, then repeat the gypsum-water process until no runoff occurs.

• 8

  Increase the mowing schedule. Fertilizer will cause rapid growth, but the grass may not be healthy. Too much fertilizer causes plant stress. Avoid cutting the grass too short; leave at least 2/3 of the blades.