Winter and spring weather has been difficult on turfgrass lawns virtually everywhere - too much rain and cold weather in the East and too little rain in the West. So what can you do to improve your lawns health and appearance?

The Solution
Repair solutions vary depending on climate, topology and landscape.  You can get ideas and suggestions from county extension agents, local master gardeners, and local nursery and landscape professionals.  To begin consider these ideas.

1. Lawn grasses usually benefit from some form of ‘cultivation’ like aerification, verticutting, slicing or spiking. This equipment is available from most equipment rental businesses and should be used only when the lawn grass is actively growing. If your grass is available as seed then a light reseeding will also enhance lawn appearance.
2. Where areas of the lawn are obviously dead, remove the dead grass and re-sod or seed. Patten Seed produces a number of grasses that are available as both sod and seed – Zenith Zoysiagrass, Centipedegrass and Tall Fescue. These sod / seed combinations offer the best of both worlds – quick and immediate sod and economical seed.
3. Correct poor lawn growing conditions like heavy shade, compacted soils.
4. Check the soil fertility levels with a soil test. Soil tests are provided by most county agents offices, many full service nurseries and our Super-Sod Outlets. Adjust soil nutrient levels based on these results.
5. If much of your lawn is not recovering - consider changing lawn grasses to “better adapted” more winter hardy and more drought tolerant lawn grasses like Zoysiagrasses and Centipedegrass.

For more information on selecting the best lawn grasses for your specific site - go to our web pages that will walk you through the process or read our publication ‘Encyclopedia of Lawn Grasses’ found in printable form on this site.

Patten Seed Company and Super-Sod producing
“Lifetime Lawns from Sod and Seed”