Old Tired Lawn? Understanding the Signs, Causes, and the Cures

Summer has arrived in all of its glory. Unfortunately, you cannot say the same for your lawn. It may just be that the grass is not the lush, dark green that it was last summer. Or, you are seeing small circles of dead or dying grass. What you are seeing is your lawn’s cry for attention and help.

While you may not know exactly what is happening to your previously beautiful lawn, you can always discuss your lawn problem with one of the friendly, knowledgeable lawn care specialists at Bibra Lake Soils, 7 days a week, by calling (08) 9434 2290.

The sunny summer weather in Western Australia is great for outdoor activities, but it can be brutally harsh on the parts of your lawn constantly exposed to the bright sunlight. Your lawn may look tired and old if you skipped the pre-summer lawn care maintenance that protects your lawn during the cooler weather because your lawn looked great last summer. But, that is not the case now that summer has returned.

Don’t panic. With the right materials and some assistance from Bibra Lake Soils, you can revive your tired lawn and have an enviable landscape before the summer is over. To understand what may be at the root of your lawn problem, you need to know the signs, causes, and recommended cures for lawn revitalisation.

SIGNS OF A TIRED LAWN

The signs that your lawn is in need of help can include seeing bald spots, seeing yellow spots from pet urine, seeing small circles of dying grass is different areas, the grass colour is changing to pale green, brown, and yellow, the new grass growth is thin and spiny looking, having an increase in weed growth, and even seeing uneven patches where some of the ground has sunk.

Believe it or not, these are all situations that most homeowners have encountered at one time or another. But, they are all situations where Bibra Lake Soils can help you infuse new life into your lawn.

CAUSES AND CURES FOR A TIRED LAWN

The top 8 lawn problems homeowners experience:

1. LOSS OF A HEALTHY APPEARANCE: If your lawn is losing, or has already lost, its lush green colour, and there has been no drought or harsh winter weather, it probably needs the nutrients of a fertiliser. Bibra Lake Soils has several products designed to revive older lawns. The Special Lawn Mix is particularly effective for lawns in Western Australia’s harsh summer climate. The Sheep and Cow manure is an excellent soil enhancer. The Soil Conditioner adds necessary nutrients and organic matter for soil improvement. There are a number of bagged products such as Turf Start designed to serve the fertiliser needs of a tired lawn. Feed and Weed is excellent for nurturing your lawn’s soil while also destroying those pesky unwanted weeds.
2. NOT ENOUGH SUNLIGHT: Grass grows slower, becomes thinner, and develops bare spots when it is not getting enough sunlight. Adding an application of Green Up Lawn Food, available at Bibra Lake Soils, in the shaded areas for thicker, greener grass. An option for shady areas that are not getting at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily is to consider planting ground cover, shade loving plants, bark, or placing decorative limestone blocks for a personalised lawn appearance.
3. MOWING SCHEDULE: Don’t wait until your grass is over 15cm tall or you are seeing more weeds than grass. Grass grows faster during the summer season and will need to be mowed weekly. Keep the grass at a reasonable height to insure adequate photosynthesis for new growth and thickness. Lower grass levels expose the roots to sun damage which can rob your lawn of essential nutrients, encourage weaker lawn growth, and leave it prone to weeds. Regularly scheduled mowing should only remove a small amount of grass.
4. GRASS CLIPPINGS AND LEAVES ON THE LAWN: Grass clippings remaining on the lawn after a mowing and fallen leaves will leave a covering on the lawn that shields the grass from adequate sunlight. Leaving clippings or leaves on the lawn can weaken the health of your lawn, produce thinner new growth, and create an environment for loss of colouring. Grass clippings and leaves need to be raked off of the lawn.
5. SOIL pH LEVEL: The ideal soil pH level is between 6 and 7. The acidic soils in the Perth area are typically below pH 6. The lower pH levels can be raised with an application of lime and dolomite. If left untreated the lawn will quickly lose its beautiful green colouring. The soils sold by Bibra Lake Soils are designed to maintain the ideal pH levels needed in our coastal regions. If you do not know the pH level of your soil, bring a sample to Bibra Lake Soils for an analysis by one of our professional soil staffers.
6. WEEDS: Weeds are like ants at a picnic, they just seem to appear out of nowhere. If a lawn is stressed, tired, or in need of mowing, weeds will fill in those bare and thinning spots. You can deter weed growth by maintaining a thick, dense, healthy lawn. There are favorable lawn products available at Bibra Lake Soils such as Feed and Weed that will both nurture your lawn and kill those unwanted weeds. Maintaining a regular mowing schedule will also encourage healthy grass growth and discourage any weed invasion.
7. WATERING: Nothing robs your lawn of essential water retention than the harsh summer sunlight. Watering too often can also damage your lawn by creating a damp condition that ideal for fungal issues. The hot summer climate in Perth means that your lawn’s soil will dry out while becoming water repellent at the same time. This means that the soil will quickly become deprived of its essential water requirements. The solution to retaining adequate soil and root water needs is to apply a coating of a wetting agent. The Easy Wetta Wetter Granules available at Bibra Lake Soils is an ideal wetting agent that allows water to stay in the soil and root zones, increases water retention without having water runoff, and lasts for a full 6 months.
8. HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS: If there are areas of your lawn that typically have high traffic from pets, children, visitors, or even vehicles, you might want to consider redesigning those areas with a gravel, pebbled, limestone, or cement ground base. You can find a full selection of lawn design products to fit your high traffic area needs at Bibra Lake Soils. Offerings include decorative stones, stepping stones, limestone blocks and pavers, and cement accessories.

You can have, and deserve to have, a healthy lawn. You can revive your old, tired lawn with the right amount of attention, at the right time of the year. Your lawn will return your attention with a beautiful green covering that easily becomes the envy of the neighbourhood.