One of the most common questions we receive from homeowners throughout Lakeland, FL at Creative Edge Landscape & Lawn Care, LLC is, “Can I save my dying lawn?”. That depends. The first task in saving a dying lawn is to get to the core of what is causing it to wither to begin with.
Your lawn could be dying due to one of the following circumstances:
- Insects
- Fungal lawn disease
- Overwatering/Under-watering
- Drought conditions
Insects That Harm Your Grass
There are several insects that can be harming the grass on your property, but some of the most common are armyworms, grubs, and cutworms.
Armyworms
Armyworms are common fall pests that eat many types of grass. They are the larvae stage of a moth and it is possible for them to eat the grass blade all the way down to the dirt. While armyworms may rarely kill a lawn, they can cause serious damage to parts of your property and these pests need to be controlled.
Grubs
You’ll know grubs are on your property if you find yellowing and dying patches of grass around your lawn. These patches of dead grass frequently occur when grubs are present. You can easily check for grubs by gently tugging on your grass and pulling it up—if they have caused damage the grass will be easy to pull up.
Cutworms
Cutworms are small caterpillars that dig into the ground. During the night, they come out of the ground to feed on the blades and shoots of grass. Since they often feed in the same area, the damage is confined, but present. You’ll know you have cutworms if you see depressed spots or circles of dead grass in your yard.
Lawn Service Tip: Take Pest Control Measures
The easiest way to solve an insect issue with your lawn is to establish which pest is causing it so the appropriate pest control measures can be taken to care for your lawn. This includes the use of insecticides and also maintaining the proper height for your grass so that your lawn becomes less of a tempting target.
Fungal Lawn Diseases
Fairy Ring, Brown Patch, and Dollar Spot are some of the most common fungal lawn diseases that occur in the climate found in Lakeland and other Central Florida communitites.
Brown Patch
An aggressive fungus that spreads in patches of up to several feet is Brown Patch. It is mostly found during the fall. This fungus is frequently caused due to heavy, consistent rainfall.
Fairy Ring
Fairy Rings tend to appear repetitiously year after year in the same spot. This fungal disease spreads rapidly among the roots of your lawn and results in 3-foot to 20-foot rings of dead grass. Fairy Rings deplete the nitrogen in the grass and produce a substance that hardens. The result is that it keeps water from reaching the roots.
Dollar Spot
You’ll notice Dollar Spot on your lawn by its distinguishing patterns of dead circular patches. Dollar Spot kills down to the roots and spreads quickly into large patches. Dollar Spot is common during high humidity and temperatures.
Lawn Service Tip: Establish A Lawn Care Routine
Routine lawn care throughout the year is the best way to prevent lawn disease.
Consistently mowing, trimming, and fertilizing your lawn with a balanced fertilizer will enable your grass to grow strong and healthy, and combat lawn diseases that much easier.
Overwatering and Under Watering
When it comes to lawn maintenance, watering is about as important as it gets! However, your lawn needs a certain amount of water to thrive. Many homeowners find themselves overwatering or under watering their lawns. So how much is enough?
Most grass species used in the lawns across Lakeland, FL require one inch of water per week to stay at their healthiest. This water can be achieved through standard rainfall, but when rainfall is scarce, it is up to you to use proper watering to make up for the missed hydration.
Over-watering can lead to thatch development, fungus, an abundance of weeds, and pest problems. Under-watering can result in dry soil, slow growth, or dead plants/grass.
Drought
In Lakeland, FL and the surrounding areas, there can be times of extreme heat and drought, which can easily contribute to a lawn that is not thriving. However, if it has been upwards of 4 to 5 weeks that your lawn has been deprived of water, it can possibly still be regrown. During the period of depravity, your grass goes dormant and conserves resources in the roots of the grass, which preserves the lawn.
Lawn Service Tip: Try Keeping Up With A Watering Routine For Your Lawn.
During dry spells, in order for your lawn to survive you must water it with at least one-half inch of water every two weeks. This will secure the survival of your turf during prolonged dry spells.
Try these lawn service tips for your Lakeland, FL property from the experts at Creative Edge Landscape & Lawn Care, LLC.
- Avoid applying too much nitrogen fertilizer during the summer
- Irrigate only when its needed and never more than one inch of water per week
- Keep your lawn mowed to the proper height on a regular basis
- Have your soil tested and adjust your care and fertilizer based on those results
If one month goes by with no improvement from trying tips or speaking to a professional, your property may need new sod.
Have our professionals assess and revive your dying lawn.
When in doubt, work with the professionals. Creative Edge Landscape & Lawn Care can determine the cause of your dying lawn and administer the solution. Have our experts assess your lawn so we can get it back to peak health.
To revive your dying lawn, give us a call at (863) 880-1355 .