Learn how to repair worn out patches

Worn out patches in your lawn are definitely unsightly but they can also be confusing. There’s many reasons they can occur and determining the reason will help to fix it and/or stop it happening again. Once you have identified the reason for the worn out patches you can easily learn how to repair them.

• Are the worn out patches in areas where your kids play or there is high traffic?  
• Perhaps you accidentally spilled fertiliser or some other chemical?  
• Have you seen any pets urinating in those areas?

Diseases that can cause bare, worn out looking patches include Spring Dead Spot, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch and Fairy Rings. These diseases are mostly characterised by circles of dying patches in the lawn from the size of dollar coins to the size of dinner plates, and they are most prevalent in the warmer weather. The exception is Fairy rings – rings of mushrooms circling a patch of thriving lawn and surrounded by a circle of dying grass.

If the worn out or bare patch is accompanied by a dry patch then it could be the result of a lack of water – take stock of your watering regime, any sprinkler system, your drainage and consider apply a wetting agent to help stop it from continuing. Sprinkler systems can become blocked or the heads can move (or be moved) so that over time certain parts of your lawn are missing out on their watering. Turn on the system and check to ensure they are all working correctly and covering the entire lawn.

• A lack of sunlight
• A lack of adequate drainage
• Compacted soil
• Lawn scalping
• Excess thatch

Now that you’ve determined the cause you can help the lawn repair itself but clearing out the bare/worn out patch, fertilising and giving it room and time to self-repair. Of course, if the worn out patch is cause by pests or disease then you’ll need to apply an appropriate insecticide or treatment first. Temporary fencing off the area from the pets and kids is a good idea too.

All of these issues can cause bare or worn out patches but are easily sorted with some fairly simple lawn care tasks such as trimming back overhanging branches that block sunlight, aerating the soil, vertimowing, and following a good lawn care regime of correct mowing, dethatching, fertilising and watering.

Once you know the reason for the worn out patches you can take the right steps towards fixing the current issue and avoiding it in the future. For added guidance, tips and tricks just search the Daleys Turf lawn care articles.