Is It Time to Renovate Your Lawn? 4 Key Signs to Look For

Are you getting tired of looking at your lawn and wondering what on earth it needs?

Maybe it’s patchy or has bare spots. Maybe it looks discolored. Maybe it’s got weird areas that are thinning. Maybe it has a pest or disease infestation causing an unpleasant, unhealthy appearance. 

You might be staring at it wondering whether you need to help your lawn with some minor fixes or whether you need to fully renovate your lawn.

Some major signs show lawn renovation is necessary:

1. Majorly Discolored Grass as a Result of Water Issues or Soil Compaction Problems
2. Grass Pulling Up Too Easily
3. Very Thin Grass or a Lot of Bare Spots
4. Your Lawn is Overgrown With Weeds

Let’s talk about restoration lawn services and review these signs, so you know whether it’s time to tackle grass restoration at your Northeast Ohio home. 

4 Lawn Renovation Signs To Watch Out For

If your lawn isn’t looking lush and green like it usually does, it’s possible that there is a deeper issue at fault. 

When this happens, grass restoration may be necessary. 

This is when we assess the lawn’s condition, identifying critical issues. Those issues may include thin grass, compacted soil, or excessive weeds. 

We may even need to test your soil to discover pH levels and nutrient problems to find out if adjustments are needed. 

From there, a plan of attack is put in place for getting the lawn back in shape – whether that’s aeration and overseeding; soil enhancements; and a balanced, slow-release fertilization and weed control program or a total overhaul. 

If your lawn has very large bare spots or seems thin, aeration and overseeding might be enough to bring it back to good health. But if you’ve been trying to grow grass for years, and you can’t get it to work, there’s probably more going on that you need to address. In fact, you might need to start over with a lawn renovation.

Despite which situation best fits your lawn, proper care will always be necessary to ensure healthy grass. 

Wondering if your lawn is suffering? These signs can signal whether lawn renovation can be the solution. 

1. Majorly Discolored Grass as a Result of Water Issues or Soil Compaction Problems

Is your lawn looking less green by the day?

There are so many reasons that a lawn could be discolored. 

First, obviously, water could be an issue – whether that’s too much or not enough. 

In summer, most lawns need 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. if you don’t get that with rainwater, you should supplement with irrigation. If your lawn looks dull in summer or drought conditions, increasing watering could help prevent this color fading. 

While a lack of water is easy to blame, especially during a drought, an excess amount of water could also cause your lawn to yellow. Excess water deprives your lawn of air, making it lose its rich, green hue. It can also make your lawn feel spongy. 

You may also see lawn discoloration if you have a mix of different grass species in your lawn or a grassy weed is running rampant through a big section. This could cause a patchy color mix. 

You may also have a poor soil pH, resulting in a lackluster appearance. Raising your pH can help it return to a good color. 

However, discoloration that lasts a while or continually leads to additional lawn problems, causing an increasingly poor appearance, could be a sign of a bigger problem that  may require grass restoration. 

2. Grass Pulling Up Too Easily

Imagine how you’d feel if you brushed your hair and it came out in clumps. 

Similarly, you don’t want to go to your lawn and find it just comes up in chunks or sections. I mean, if your lawn doesn’t have roots that are solidly keeping it in the ground, that’s not great, right?

A lawn problem in Northeast Ohio that usually results in this situation is a bad grub infestation. White grubs, which are C-shaped, milky white pests, feed on your lawn roots. And they are hungry, so they can keep eating until there are no roots left. 

Preventive grub control applied at the correct times can help with minor or possibly even moderate infestations, but there are situations where the feeding may have gotten out of control, and lawn renovation is necessary as a result. The way to avoid this is to catch grubs when they are small and easier to tackle – before they cause serious lawn damage. 

3. Very Thin Grass or a Lot of Bare Spots

A thinning lawn or one littered with bare patches is never as attractive as a lush, full, healthy one. 

Not to mention, when your lawn is very thin or has open holes, it also lets other things in like weeds. So now your thin appearance is accented by some nasty looking weedy invaders. 

There are a number of reasons your lawn could be thinning or causing bare spots. A low soil pH or compacted soil could be preventing your lawn from growing since it’s limiting your grass’s absorption of nutrients, water, and oxygen. 

A thin lawn may also be a sign you’re cutting your grass too short, which is stressing it out. 

On top of this, weeds, diseases, or insects could thin your lawn. 

Identifying the problem can help determine whether your lawn can be repaired or whether you must fully renovate your lawn. 

4. Your Lawn is Overgrown With Weeds

You might be tackling every single weed as you see it emerge in your Northeast Ohio lawn. No weed is going to get past you. But weeds can still sneak in, especially if the conditions are right. 

Weeds are a nuisance because of their aggressive ability to take over a lawn quickly, eliminating healthy turf as they spread. This can slowly lead to weed domination. 

Grassy weeds like crabgrass, especially, can be tough. The best defense is a thriving, healthy, thick lawn. When grassy weeds do get in, your lawn care service provider can offer specialized solutions using products targeted at the right weeds to enable control.

But if weeds have been left to grow beyond control, restoration lawn services may be necessary to get a weed-free lawn again.  

Lawn Renovation: Fixing Your Grass Once and For All

You might be wondering whether grass will naturally fix itself or whether you need a grass restoration intervention. 

To determine the cause of your lawn problem, first we have to identify the issue or issues making your grass unhealthy. Whether it’s a lawn disease, soil issues, a pest infestation, or other issues, knowing the cause can determine the right solution. 

Remember, just tossing grass seed down may not fill in thinning areas or bare spots if other problems are preventing your grass from growing in the first place. 

Next, and obvious now that we’ve pointed it out, ensure conditions are good for grass growth. This means at least four hours of direct sunlight, good soil, adequate airflow, and proper care. 

The following step is planting seed at the correct time of year. In Northeast Ohio, that’s fall because it offers a mix of warm soil, cool air, rain, and just enough time for grass roots to develop before winter arrives. Ensuring good seed to soil contact is important. Since lawn aeration is best done in the fall months, this is the ideal time to also overseed your lawn and fill in open areas or renovate your lawn. 

Then water your seed properly. You want to keep it evenly moist until germination, which takes about 10 to 14 days. Then, continue watering to ensure those last seeds germinate. 

If you’re feeling lost or like this isn’t working, remember that a professional in lawn care can help with your lawn renovation. 

Trust Your Grass Restoration to Turf Pride

Whether you have patchy grass, bare spots galore, or a massive weed takeover, having a nasty looking lawn can be very frustrating. 

If you find your lawn is looking a bit less than stellar, give Turf Pride a call. We know how to fix lawns with our many years of lawn care service experience and can help you solve your lawn renovation issues quickly, so you can spend time enjoying your lawn instead of constantly thinking about how the neighbors are talking about your lack of a green thumb. 

Ready to learn why Turf Pride could be your choice for lawn care services in Northeast Ohio? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can prepare a customized plan that is perfect for you and your lawn.