How to Repair Patchy Grass and Dandelions

There's nothing like walking outside barefoot on a warm summer day and feeling a lush green lawn beneath your feet. Or perhaps your idea of enjoying the lush and green is looking at it from the comfort of your air-conditioned home. Either way, your intent is to keep that grass as rich-hued and weed-free as possible. Unfortunately, it takes effort to rid your lawn of brown patches and dandelions. Any homeowner who's willing to do a little work can overcome patchy grass and dandelions.

Grass seed
Herbicide (optional)
Fungicide (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Take a sample of your soil at the end of each season. Take 10 to 12 3-inch-deep samples from various places on your lawn, mix them together and send some of the mixed soil to a testing lab. The lab will tell you whether your soil has the necessary pH and nutrient levels for a good lawn, allowing you to take corrective action before next year's planting. Check with your state's agricultural college for testing facilities.
- 2
  Diagnose the cause of patchy areas. If the problem is excessive traffic by children or pets, no treatment will help.
- 3
  Water the lawn uniformly and regularly. Avoid dry spots and puddles.
- 4
  Water deeply but infrequently. That means let the water sprinkler run for five or six hours once a week or longer rather than for two hours twice a week. Avoid runoff, and water less in shady areas.
- 5
  Water early in the morning if possible.
- 6
  Patches caused by excessive standing moisture may require re-grading the soil.
- 7
  Mow the lawn with the correct frequency and to the correct height. Find out from your local nursery what height is proper for the type of grass on your lawn and how often to mow the grass. Be prepared to learn the proper height is higher than you like. Keep it at the proper height anyway. The more vibrant color of healthier grass will be your reward.
- 8
  Apply fertilizer that has a high nitrogen level about four times over the course of the growing season.
- 9
  Take a sample of patches caused by disease or fungus to a local nursery. Have it identified, and apply the appropriate herbicide or fungicide to kill it.
- 10
  Control perennial weeds like dandelions by spraying them with a postemergence herbicide in March or April.
- 11
  Use a herbicide designed that is designed specifically to control dandelions and that is tolerated by the type of grass on your lawn.
- 12
  Spray persistent dandelions with a second application four to six weeks after the first.
- 13
  Rake up and destroy weed carcasses before seeding.

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