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How do you thicken thin grass?

To start off, I’m not going to make any assumptions so this article can cover as many causes of “thin lawn” as possible. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a lawn, luckily, you can fix most of them yourself.

How much should I water my lawn?

Proper watering is perhaps one of the most important steps to keep your lawn healthy. Maybe you’ve seen a leaky automatic sprinkler head or fire-hydrant, they’re always surrounded by lush green grass. This is the effect we’re going for, without wasting all that water. Make sure your lawn is getting what it needs, without wasting water.

How much should I fertilize my lawn?

If you feel you’re watering your lawn correctly, it’s possible you’re not applying your fertilizer right. Fertilizing is touchy. Too little and your lawn is a dull green, and takes forever to grow. Too much, and you risk burning the turf which could even kill it. A good rule of thumb is roughly 1/2 kilogram (1 pound) of Nitrogen per roughly 100 Square Meters (1000 square feet).

Can I just sprinkle grass seed on my lawn?

So you’re fertilizing correctly and it’s getting enough water, what now? I’m glad you asked. Over-seeding is fairly involved, but it can really get your lawn back in business. The basic theory is to shock the existing lawn to slow it’s growth. This is done by mowing on a very low setting. Next Aerate to improve water, oxygen, and fertilizer penetration. Next the actual seeds are sown, this is called over-seeding when there is already established grass. Top-dressing with a mix of rich soil, humus, or compost is generally the final step.

Why is my grass thinning out?

Grass could thin out due to too high or low pH. Many common grasses grow well between a pH of 6 and 7 (slight acidic to neutral).

With the right pH meter, soil pH can be tested to determine if there’s a pH problem.  If Soil is too low in pH (acidic), you can amend your soil with Lime. This is commonly caused by coniferous tree needles. If the pH is too high, horticultural sulfur can be added.

Don’t add sulfur or lime directly on top of your grass. Mix it small amounts in with soil, or in water, and apply it gradually. Concentrated sulfur and lime can burn the vegetation of your soil. If applying directly, apply 1-2 pounds per 1000 square feet. It’s better to apply a few times than all in one batch. Modifying soil chemistry is a long term game. Sulfur and lime modify pH which unlocks nutrients in your soil that might otherwise be unavailable.

Inadequate fertilizer can also cause grass to thin out. If grass doesn’t have enough nutrients for the sunlight and water it’s getting, it can thin out. Lawns are pretty resilient to a lot of types of fertilizer. Whatever is available at your local hardware shop should work great.

Mowing too short is another cause of a thin or patchy lawn. If you mow too short, the grass doesn’t fully recover between mowing. Unless you’re watering very frequently, keep your lawn at least 2 inches long.

How to reseed a patchy lawn?

The main idea is to get the seeds down in contact with the soil, and keeping them moist long enough to germinate without birds and other critters.

Rake away as much dead grass as possible. This will help the seed get down in contact witht the soil. Top-dressing with a half inch of topsoil will help keep the seeds moist, and give the grass a boost of nutrients. 

Does shade cause grass to thin?

Sometimes, but usually not. Thinning in my area (western Canada) is more commonly caused by too much sun, or not enough water. Drying out.

But, there are a few situations where shade can cause grass to thin. One is between houses. If there are only a handful of feet between buildings, not enough light will get in for the

I’m Alex Lafreniere. I learned a lot about plants when I built and operated a landscaping company. But, there’s always more to learn. Ever since travelling across the world, I’ve wanted to find ways to bring more tropical and exotic plants into my life. This is the site where I share everything I’ve learned with you. 

 

 

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