Is It Time to Renovate Your Lawn?
A well-maintained lawn can level up your home’s exterior. Unfortunately, lawns don’t stay vibrant and lush all on their own. Without consistent TLC, your lawn may start to look patchy, yellow, or dry.
If your lawn is lacking its luster, you may be wondering what you can do about it. Depending on the degree of your lawn’s deterioration, a full-blown lawn renovation may be in order.
So, how can you tell if it’s time to renovate your lawn? Below, we’ll break down the major causes of turf deterioration and explain when you should consider a lawn renovation.
7 Major Causes of Turf Deterioration
Before you renovate your lawn, it’s a good idea to find out why it looks unhealthy in the first place. This way, you can solve the problem and keep it from happening again, preventing the need for repeated renovations.
Lawns may start to deteriorate for the following reasons:
- Poor lawn management – Lawns need to be mowed, fertilized and irrigated regularly to stay green and healthy. If your lawn care has fallen to the wayside, that may be the cause of its decline.
On the flip side, over-watering or excess fertilization can also cause issues. Too much water can cause your turf’s roots to rot, while excess fertilizer can lead to unsightly “fertilizer burn” and root damage.
- Excessive thatch – Thatch is a tightly-packed layer of decomposed stems, leaves, and roots that can build up between your grass and its soil. Some amount of thatch is unavoidable.
However, excessive thatch can create a claustrophobic environment for your turf’s roots. In turn, they may not get enough water, air, or fertilizer, even if you’re diligently providing them during your lawn maintenance routine.
- Weeds, insects, and diseases – Over time, your turf may get attacked by pesky weeds, insects, and diseases. Weeds harm turf by sucking up its nutrients. Meanwhile, pests attack turf by nibbling at its blades and roots.
- Poor soil quality – The quality of your soil can make or break your lawn’s appearance. Poor soil may be acidic, infertile, compacted, or lacking in essential microorganisms. You can have your soil tested at a local soil testing lab to evaluate its health.
- Inadequate sunlight – Not all types of turfs thrive in shaded locations. If your lawn lacks direct sunlight, you may need to remove or prune the surrounding trees and shrubs to let more rays shine through.
- Improper species selection – Not all turfgrass species are adapted to every climate. If your turf still looks rough after adhering to meticulous maintenance practices, it may simply be ill-suited for your location.
- Dog urine – If your furry friend frequently pees on your lawn, it can cause unsightly spots. Some species of turf are more resistant to dog urine than others.
Getting to the root of your lawn’s issue can be tricky. Fortunately, a lawn care specialist can diagnose the issue and suggest the best path forward.
When to Renovate Your Lawn
Sometimes, you can repair small portions of your lawn by re-seeding it or optimizing your lawn care regime. Most high quality warm season lawns are hybrids and cannot be grown from seed. These will need to be plugged or sodded. However, if more than 25% of your lawn is deteriorating, it’s probably time to renovate.
Lawn Renovation Considerations
One of the most important things to consider before you renovate your lawn is the time of year. Lawn renovations should be done when the lawn can recover the quickest. If you live in Arizona, it’s best to do your work in late spring or early summer. This gives your lawn the rest of the summer to recover and get fully healthy before winter.
Sprinkler System Check-up: The number one cause of lawn problems in Arizona is poor irrigation coverage. Check your system for proper head coverage, good pressure, and leaks. A good sprinkler system will also save water!
Aeration: Aeration is a mechanical practice that pull small cores from your soil. This helps alleviate compaction, and will also help mitigate thatch build up. Compaction tends to be a problem in high traffic areas wear dogs and kids play, or where people walk or stand frequently in the lawn.
De-thatching: Thatch is an accumulation of old leaves and stems from your lawn. Too much thatch will cause the lawn to repel water, or slow your water from penetrating the soil. Excess thatch can also be a host to many insects. Excess thatch will also make your lawn too soft and cause your lawnmower to “scalp” your lawn when you mow. You can rent a machine to dethach, or even vigorously rake an area to remove the thatch.
Next, you should determine if any nearby vegetation will compete with your fresh turf for space and soil nutrients. If you suspect it may, you might want to pull some weeds or apply herbicides.
Lastly, you should make sure that you plant a type of turf that’s properly adapted to your climate, especially if your old turf wasn’t. Not sure which type of turf is right for you? Try Evergreen Turf’s lawn selector guide to help you.
Evergreen Turf: Renovate Your Lawn With Premier Arizona Sod
If you’re longing for greener grass, Evergreen Turf can make it happen. We’re a premier producer of Arizona sod. Our sod grass has been used to refresh residential yards, elite golf courses, and all kinds of green spaces in between.
All of our sod grass varieties grow beautifully in Arizona, so you can rest assured you’re getting a grass type that’s right for your climate.
Are you ready to refresh your lawn? Reach out to Evergreen Turf today.