Seven quick, easy and cheap fixes for common lawn problems
RepairClinic.com, the online store for replacement parts for home appliances, outdoor power equipment and HVAC equipment, shared tips for solving common lawn problems.
“People are often surprised to learn that common lawn problems are often easy to solve,” said Jeff Linderman, RepairClinic.com’s in-house landscaping expert. “It may be as simple as raking and watering.”
Here are common problems, their likely causes and possible solutions.
Problem: Widespread yellow hue at tips of grass.
Likely cause: Dull lawn mower blades that tear the grass, rather than cut, resulting in this discoloration.
Possible solution: Replace the lawn mower blades. They are inexpensive and easy to install. Be sure to use your engine’s model number to find the correct, recommended blades. Universal blades are not recommended, due to safety issues.
Problem: Stripes
Possible cause: Uneven fertilizer application is commonly the cause of yellow stripes on otherwise healthy, green lawns. If the stripes are brown, your lawn mower may be scalping and may need to be adjusted.
Possible solution: The best way to apply fertilizer is to use a drop-type spreader. Make sure you overlap wheel tracks. It may require adjustment to cut more evenly.
If stripes are more tan or brown than yellow, your lawn mower may need to be adjusted to cut more evenly and prevent scalping.
Problem: Thin patches
Likely cause: This often occurs in shady areas. Grass grows through photosynthesis so when sunlight is restricted, growth is hindered.
Possible solution: Consider pruning trees to enable a greater amount of sunlight. Aeration may also kickstart growth. If that doesn’t work, consider an alternative grass type that is better suited to shady conditions.
Problem: Brown, dead patches, round in shape and surrounded by healthy grass
Likely cause: A dog has left territory markings.
Possible solution: Give those spots extra water during its weekly watering. These spots can usually recover quickly.
Problem: Large, dry patches
Likely cause: Large, dry patches are commonly caused by compacted soil due to heavy foot traffic and/or insufficient watering.
Possible solution: If you have a sprinkler system, check to make sure there are no clogged or broken components. Spend time watching your sprinkling system in action. It could be that water simply isn’t reaching those areas and as a result, those areas are drying out.
In most parts of the U.S. and Canada, lawns should be watered weekly; the water should flow for a lengthy period to allow for deep saturation. This will result in root growth and a healthier lawn. If heavy traffic is the cause, consider a gravel walkway. Also, annual aerating will improve water penetration in compacted soils.
Problem: Spreading brown and dead patches of grass
Possible cause: This is a difficult one to diagnose. This can be caused by disease and/or infestations by pests like grubs.
Possible solution: Consult professionals at your local gardening center for diagnosis and repair advice for your particular grass type and region.
Problem: Weeds
Possible cause: The growth of weeds such as dandelions may mean that your grass has unhealthy roots or that there are insufficient nutrients in the soil.
Possible solution: You can pick up a soil test kit at any hardware or lawn care- garden care store. The results will help you determine what is required to balance it out.
From the beginning, RepairClinic has provided free troubleshooting and how-to resources on its website. The company’s 1,000 plus free how-to repair and how-it-works videos on its YouTube channel have been viewed more than 14 million times.
RepairClinic’s free advanced online repair help system empowers do-it-yourselfers to fix common problems associated with outdoor power equipment, home appliances and HVAC equipment. DIYers can enter a model number to choose from a list of common symptoms for that particular model, troubleshoot and watch expertly-produced videos to learn the most likely causes and conditions and purchase the correct part.