Having a lawn of beautiful green grass in your home is great.
It not only looks amazing, but it also gives your house some bits of nature, perfect for relaxing, and for spending some time barefooted.
The thing with grass, however, is that it needs maintenance, and this means putting in effort and taking care of its growth and health so that it actually does look good.
And this isn’t always easy.
There are plenty of people that look out of their window only to find that their grass has turned brown and patchy, dried out and unable to grow, and overall just kinda dead-looking.
If your grass is truly and completely dead, then, unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about it as you won’t be able to revive dead grass.
However, grass that looks dead isn’t always completely dead. And if it’s on the border, then there are ways in which you can revive it, bringing it back to full health.
The main thing is to identify the problems and figure out the exact state the grass is in, and then you can apply the right solutions!
Luckily for you, we’re going to tell you everything that you need to know, from how to identify the state of your grass, and what solutions to apply.
So with this guide, you should be able to revive your grass in no time!
Does that sound good?
Then let’s get right into it!
Table of Contents
Dead Vs Dormant Grass
Before you instantly start panicking about your lawn, screaming that your grass is dead, you might want to check if it truly is dead, because here’s a secret: sometimes the grass is just sleeping.
During the winter season, many types of grass become what is known as dormant, and during this state, they can appear dead.
However, they are alive!
They’re just waiting for better weather!
But how can you tell if your grass is dormant or dead?
If it’s dormant, you can stop worrying about it. But if it’s truly dead, you’ll want to sort it out as soon as possible.
Well, it’s actually not that hard to tell them apart!
The main difference between dormant and dead grass is how easy it is to pull it up.
So if you pull on a clump of grass, by pulling at the blades upwards, the grass will either come out easily or struggle.
If the blades of grass come out easily, then your lawn is probably dead. But if there’s a bit of a struggle, and the clump of grass comes out with soil attached at the end, then it’s most likely just dormant!
This is because dormant grass is still clinging to the soil by the roots, where it gets its nutrition from. Dead grass, on the other hand, is no longer holding on to anything.
So yeah, basically, if the roots are still active and holding on to the soil, the grass is alive. Only dead grass stops holding on to the roots, because it is no longer seeking nutrition or anything, it’s dead!
Can You Revive Dead Grass?
If you have tested your grass, and you’re pretty sure that it’s dead, you might be looking forward to the answer as to how to revive dead grass.
But unfortunately, if your grass is well and truly dead, there is nothing you can do. There are no ways of reviving dead grass.
If it is on the edge, and there is still a bit of life in the grass, then there’s hope. Otherwise…you’re going to have to lay down new sod and grow your lawn from scratch all over again.
In the case of having to lay down new sod, to regrow your lawn from scratch, you will first have to get rid of all the dead grass, to make way.
However, sometimes you can just grow a new lawn over the old dead one, it depends on the exact circumstances. (Usually, we recommend removing the old dead grass, regardless of the situation, as it allows the new lawn to grow better).
Oh, and before you do lay down a new sod to grow a new lawn, it is vital that you identify the reason for which the grass died in the first place.
Otherwise, the lawn will have the same problem, and you’ll end up with even more dead grass!
If you’re not sure of what the problem is, then get some professional advice. Maybe get the soil tested! It could be that you’re using the wrong type of grass too. So double-check everything, and then proceed in the correct way.
Why Is Your Grass Dying?
If your grass is dying, or not doing too well, you can revive it and bring it back to health by identifying the problem and applying the correct solution.
If your grass is already dead and gone, you’ll need to regrow a new lawn from scratch, but you should first identify the problem in order to avoid grass dying all over again.
So basically, regardless of how you proceed or the state your grass is in, you have to be able to identify the reason why your grass is dying so that you can do something about it.
The thing is, that there are many different possible causes for grass dying. Lots of different factors to consider, and lots of mistakes that are easily made, without even realizing it!
Usually, when your grass is dying, you can tell because it is turning brown, and most often, this automatically means that your grass isn’t getting enough water or nutrients, and this can be because for many reasons.
Here are some of the most common:
The Grass Isn’t Being Watered
Grass needs water in order to grow and stay alive, it’s kind of obvious. So if your grass isn’t getting enough water, it will start to turn brown and die.
You have to make sure you have a good watering routine and schedule, as well as a good watering method to ensure the entire lawn gets enough.
If you use sprinklers, make sure they are set for the most optimal times, and that they reach every corner.
The Grass Isn’t Receiving The Right Nutrients
Grass needs food in order to grow and thrive, and it gets its nutrients from the soil. If the soil isn’t right for the type of grass in your lawn, then it won’t be well-fed, and it will eventually die. So it’s important to use the right soil!
But also, it’s important to reinforce the growth with some appropriate fertilizer in the right quantities, as this can help the grass become greener and healthier!
The Root System Is Unable To Absorb Water Or Nutrients
Sometimes, the root system of your lawn can have problems, resulting in the inability to properly absorb water and nutrients from the soil.
It could be due to a disease, or some other problem. In which case, you will have to get a diagnosis, and then treat it with the right products.
Weeds Are Stealing The Water And Nutrients
Weeds are the bane of any lawn or garden, as they get everywhere, and are pretty hard to get rid of.
But not only do they look bad, but they also harm your grass by stealing the water and nutrients, and essentially taking over.
Make sure to get rid of weeds with the right products, and to stay on top.
The Grass Is Not Receiving The Right Environmental Conditions
Different types of grass are adapted to different environments and climates, so it is very important that you choose the right grass for the location you live in.
If it’s too hot, too cold, too dry, or too humid, the grass will suffer, and can eventually die.
There are many other problems that your grass can have, with other causes for its dying. However, these are the most common ones, and most other problems are derived from the ones listed.
In order to revive your dying grass, and get it back to full health, you have to identify the right cause, and then apply the solution by changing the maintenance and care, until the problem is no more.
Basically, you need to adapt the watering habits, the fertilizer, the type of grass used, the soil, and similar, depending on what it is you have to fix.
Can Brown Grass Be Revived?
When grass is turning brown, this is a pretty clear sign that it is dying, and that you urgently have to do something about it.
But can you revive brown grass? There’s nothing to do with fully dead grass, so can you actually bring brown grass back to its healthy green?
The answer, luckily, is yes.
Brown grass might not always be fully dead, as it could still be hanging on to life. Not to mention that sometimes brown grass is merely dormant.
But if you test it, and it’s not dead, then you can turn brown grass into green grass by identifying the problems, and applying the right solutions.
Make sure the grass is getting what it needs, as soon as it does, it will start to gain health once more.
There are also plenty of products designed for reviving brown grass and getting it back to full health, as well as products designed to make grass greener and fuller.
So make sure to look into these!
Redoing A Dead Lawn
Going back to the worst-case scenario of having a lawn full of completely dead grass, the only option you have is to re-do the lawn, by regrowing new grass from scratch.
The different ways you can go about getting a new lawn of fresh grass, are the following:
- Seeding the soil
- Installing rolls of new sod
- Planting turf
The best option is usually to seed the soil, but this will take the most effort and time, as first it is recommended that you remove all the old dead grass.
You then need to prepare the soil, add new nutrients, and then lay down the new seeds. Then you fertilize, and wait for the new grass to grow!
As a general rule, it shouldn’t take too long for new grass to grow, in the right conditions.
However, it would be faster to lay down sod or plant turf, as these can give you a fresh-looking lawn in just a week or so.
But again, the most important thing is to learn why the old grass died, so that you can prevent the new grass from dying in the same way.
You should also prevent any issues by making sure to add extra enrichment to the soil, and being more strict on maintenance and care so that the grass has everything it needs.
Final Thoughts
To sum it all up, if your grass is truly dead and gone, then there is no way of reviving it. There is simply nothing you can do, and the only option is to start from scratch and grow new grass.
However, even if your grass is brown and patchy, it doesn’t always mean it’s dead.
Sometimes, your grass is merely dormant, which happens during the winter season when your grass “hibernates” and waits for better conditions.
Sometimes, the grass is dying, but still has some life in it, in which case, it can be revived and brought back to full health.
The main thing you need to do, in order to get your grass back in shape, is to identify what is causing the problem and apply the right solution.
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