{"id":18969,"date":"2021-08-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/?p=18969"},"modified":"2021-11-02T18:44:08","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T22:44:08","slug":"lawn-repair-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/lawn-repair-tips","title":{"rendered":"Trying to Save Green? Here Are Our Top Lawn Repair Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<p>Extreme heat during the summer can make your garden or lawn suffer \u2014 and this year has been incredibly dry. For that reason, trying to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/outdoor-home-maintenance-checklist\">fix your outdoor living area during the summer months<\/a> can feel like an uphill battle. The hot temperatures can quickly dry out your lawn and sabotage any promising growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best-recommended approach differs according to your climate conditions and the type of your garden. For example, is the summer weather in your area hot and dry or hot and humid? Is your grass area shaded \u2014 or struggling with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmanddairy.com\/top-stories\/how-to-recognize-and-remedy-grub-infestations\/550301.html\">grub infestation<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide will help you figure out the best strategy to repair patchy areas of your lawn during the summer months.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lawn-repair:-dealing-with-patchy-grass\">Lawn Repair: Dealing With Patchy Grass<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/lawn-repairs-in-the-summer-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Luxury house in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada.\" class=\"wp-image-18972\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you dream of having a beautiful dense lawn that resembles lush English countryside, the first step on the road to a green lawn is to identify the issue. Looking at the patches in your yard and comparing them to the rest of your garden can help you diagnose the problem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yellow patches indicate insufficient water and nutrition, whereas if the grass in the shaded area looks different from the rest of the lawn, it indicates a problem with inadequate sun exposure. If your yard has brown spots, it can signify a grub infestation. Grub infestations can cause the grass to thin, and these patches can slowly increase in size if not managed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"<strong&gt;to-manage-a-grub-infestation:<\/strong&gt;\">To Manage a Grub Infestation:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Test your soil every two to three years, and focus on fertilizer<\/li><li>Regularly mow your lawn, but keep a length of at least two inches to allow for a healthy root<\/li><li>Avoid over-seeding your lawn<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The changes between seasons in Canada expose your garden to cold conditions in the winter months and extreme heat in the summer, making the maintenance of your lawn challenging. But, a well-tended lawn can increase the value of a property by up to 15% and&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/newinhomes.com\">improve curb appeal<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-to-help-with-patches-in-the-summer\">To Help With Patches in the Summer:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Water early<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Watering your lawn in hot and dry weather can be ineffective since the water evaporates quickly. Instead, we recommend watering your garden early in the morning to combat this problem, best before the sun comes up. Another way to keep your lawn green is to consider investing in an irrigation system that you can set for automatic watering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Water deep<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Deep watering is essential, especially during hot and dry summer months. To find out whether you&#8217;re watering deep enough, push a screwdriver into the soil. If it meets with a lot of resistance, you know your lawn needs more water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Mow high<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Mowing the grass high will provide more shade and help to improve heat tolerance, and promote vigorous root growth in the hot and dry climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Use warm-season grass<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to fertilize your lawn during hot and dry conditions, only do so for warm-season grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"<strong&gt;to-help-with-patches-in-humid-weather:<\/strong&gt;\">To Help With Patches in Humid Weather:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Aerate the soil<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you live in a climate with hot and humid summers, your lawn will benefit from aerating. However, these conditions can cause a compacted soil, making promoting new grass growth more difficult, especially in patchy areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By aerating the soil, the water and air can penetrate it more efficiently, and your grass seed can readily absorb the needed nutrients and moisture. For smaller patches, you can use simple tools like a garden fork. However, hiring a power aerator will make the process more efficient if you need to aerate a larger area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Improve drainage<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you experience a lot of storms during summer, this can leave your grass water-clogged. It will be helpful to investigate the areas that often get flooded and improve their drainage system. If you&#8217;re planning to aerate the soil after a heavy storm, wait for your lawn to try out first to prevent compaction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"<strong&gt;to-repair-patchy-grass-in-shady-areas:<\/strong&gt;\">To Repair Patchy Grass in Shady Areas:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have patchy areas in the shady spots of your garden, there is a good chance that the sun exposure isn&#8217;t sufficient for the particular grass seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When repairing the patchy grass in shaded spots, it is essential to select the right grass and follow its maintenance requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Select shade-tolerant grass&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While most grass needs&nbsp;<strong>around four hours of sun exposure<\/strong>&nbsp;to thrive, there are specialized shade-tolerant grass types adapted to handle a limited sun exposure. Therefore, when trying to repair bald spots in the shaded area of your lawn, it is crucial to invest in seeds that are resistant to shade and reduced sun exposure. As a result, they will last longer and form stronger roots, thus saving you money in the long run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Aerate and use compost<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The shady areas benefit from aeration before seeding. You can further boost the growth by spreading a layer of compost on top. Remember to use less fertilizer than you would in a sun-exposed area of the lawn.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Water deep and infrequently<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Watering the shady spot in summer is different from the rest of your lawn. The best approach is to water deeply and infrequently to encourage the growth of deeper roots. With more robust roots, your property will be more resilient and more likely to prevent the appearance patches when the next year comes around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lawn-repair:-how-to-handle-bald-spots\">Lawn Repair: How to Handle Bald Spots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"731\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/repair-lawn-with-patchy-grass-1024x731.jpg\" alt=\"repairing a lawn with grass seed\" class=\"wp-image-18973\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Patchy spots in your lawn do not only disrupt the appearance of your garden but also make it more vulnerable to dry spells. Healthy lawn grass is better at holding moisture and handling the challenges of summer conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help, follow these essential summer lawn care tips to promote healthy growth of your lawn:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Aerate the soil&nbsp;<\/strong>&#8211; This will allow more nutrients and water to penetrate the lawn, boosting growth.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Use premium seeds and nutrient-rich compost<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Using premium drought-tolerant seeds will increase your chances of filling the patchy spots in summer. From there, spread compost after seeding to prevent them from being blown away, burnt, or eaten by birds.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Fertilize<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Warm-season grass to encourage the growth of strong roots.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Water deep<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; To ensure maximum germination in the patchy spots, ensure the soil is kept moist. This can be a challenge in the summer months, but watering early in the morning will eliminate the water evaporating from the ground.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Mow high<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; In the summer months, mow your lawn on the highest setting. Taller grass will help to shade the soil, keeping it cooler and allowing deeper roots to develop. This will decrease the amount of water evaporating from the soil during the summer heat.<\/li><li><strong>Sharpen your lawnmower blades<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Instead of clean-cutting the grass, a dull blade lawnmower can shred your grass, making it more vulnerable to water loss.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"most-useful-tips-and-products-to-repair-your-lawn-in-the-summer\">Most Useful Tips and Products to Repair Your Lawn in the Summer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/watering-your-lawn-to-repair-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"deep watering lawn repair\" class=\"wp-image-18971\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Aerate the soil with a garden fork or a power aerator<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; This will benefit the soil in hot conditions, both dry and humid.<\/li><li><strong>Sharpen the blades on your lawnmower &#8211;&nbsp;<\/strong>Taller grass can provide additional shade for areas exposed to the sun and contribute to stronger roots. However, dull blades will shred your grass instead of giving it a clean-cut, making the grass lose moisture more easily.<\/li><li><strong>Consider irrigation system &#8211;&nbsp;<\/strong>To enable deep watering in hot and dry conditions.<\/li><li><strong>Use a summer fertilizer<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>&#8211;<\/strong>&nbsp;This is best for warm-season grass.<\/li><li><strong>Improve drainage &#8211;<\/strong>&nbsp;This is key in hot and humid conditions to prevent flooding after heavy storms.<\/li><li><strong>Invest in shade-tolerant grass &#8211;&nbsp;<\/strong>When repairing patches in shaded areas, this is a necessary change.<\/li><li><strong>For grub-infested areas<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Invest in high-quality grub control, insect control and apply lawn food regularly.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The heat stress during the summer months does not provide the best conditions to repair your lawn. However, if your garden is patchy, there are things you can do to improve the health of your lawn over the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the basic ways of getting your lawn in shape are watering deeply before sunrise, mowing high with sharp blades, aerating the soil, and using blends of lawn seed suitable for your weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To ensure the best-looking lawn during summer, tailor your approach specifically to your climate conditions. You can prevent most common lawn issues by following our approach for hot, dry or humid conditions, shaded lawns and gardens infested with grubs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Take control of your dry and patchy lawn with these tricks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18974,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"guide":[],"class_list":["post-18969","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-improvement"],"acf":[],"zolo_excerpt":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18969"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19595,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18969\/revisions\/19595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18969"},{"taxonomy":"guide","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide?post=18969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}