Sickly grass can be frustrating. But understanding why your lawn won’t grow requires diagnosing the soil conditions below the surface.
Nutrients are essential for healthy grass. Soil must provide ample nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in order to give your lawn an advantage over weeds. Test the soil to check if these nutrients are present and adjust them if needed.
Drainage plays a vital role in turf health as well. The soil should allow water to penetrate while preventing saturation. If too much water is collecting on the surface of your lawn or you see a sudden change in grass color after watering, drainage may be a problem and cause root drowning for your turf.
Soil compaction is another issue that could prevent proper growth since it affects oxygen levels and root growth necessary for healthy grass blades. This can be caused by heavy foot traffic or machines passing through your lawn without proper aeration treatment beforehand. Finally, weeds compete with the grass because they thrive off unbalanced soil conditions better than most varieties of turfgrass do — making weed prevention key for creating an environment where healthy grass can survive and thrive. Aerate regularly to reduce compaction, plan ahead for proper irrigation routines, add fertilizer when needed, mow properly, and use pre-emergent herbicides to stop weed threats