Drought

In the height of summer, one of the most common reasons for a dead lawn is lack of water. During periods of drought, it’s important to keep your lawn hydrated by either using a hose or sprinklers. Think carefully about when you water your lawn – it’s often better to water a lawn early in the morning or in the evening. If you water your lawn in the middle of the day during a heatwave, much of the water will evaporate before it’s soaked into the grass and soil. 

Lack of sunlight

If most of your lawn is in the shade for long periods of the day, this could be another reason why your lawn isn’t growing well. Like all plants, grass needs sunlight to survive. Some types of grass need less sunlight than others. For example, ryegrass can still thrive in areas that are shaded for most of the day. This could be a solution if there is no way of increasing your lawn’s sun exposure (such as cutting back trees). 

Dog urine

Got a pet dog? Their pee could be damaging your lawn! Dog urine is full of nitrogen, which kills off grass over time. Many dogs like to choose the same locations to urinate, so you’ll often get bare patches forming. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should ban your pooch from peeing on your lawn. Regularly watering your lawn or spraying your lawn with dog urine neutraliser could solve the problem.

Leaves and debris

Decomposing leaves in autumn can provide nutrients to your lawn’s soil. However, a thick layer of leaves will do more harm than good. Too many leaves will prevent your grass from getting any sunlight or water. To prevent this from happening, consider raking away leaves and debris in autumn. Alternatively, make light work of those leaves by looking into the best battery powered leaf blowers.

Cutting too short

A common mistake people make when mowing their lawn is cutting grass too short. There needs to be enough grass poking out of the earth to trap sunlight and trigger photosynthesis. If blades of grass are cut too short, the grass will not absorb enough sunlight and will die. Aim to keep grass between 1.3 and 4cm long. 

Fungal disease

If there are brown, orange or reddish patches all over your lawn, it may be due to a fungal disease. Red thread, lawn rust and fusarium are common examples. Fortunately, you can combat these diseases using a fungicide. You can compare some of the best lawn fungicides here. 

Insects

Infestations of certain insects can also cause damage to grass. Ants, chafer grubs and leather jackets are a few pests to look out for. If you suspect that bugs are destroying your lawn, you can look into various chemical or organic forms of pest control. Sprinkling a solution of dish soap and water over your lawn is a strategy that could potentially work. 

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