When you’re a homeowner, fixing things around the house might seem like just another daily task.
However, some fixes, like problems in your lawn, can require more expertise than a quick Google search.
While there are many DIY fixes for common lawn issues, calling on a professional lawn expert who can provide the best solution is always the smartest option when tackling the problem spots in your yard.
Here are five common lawn problems that professionals can fix, so your yard will make your neighbors green with envy again:
Dry Spots
There’s nothing like dry spots getting in the way of big hopes for a luscious, green yard. Dry spots can range in color from brown to yellow, and in size from a single spot to the majority of a yard.
What it means: Dry spots are when one section of your yard dries out before the surrounding areas. Heavy foot traffic, compacted soil, poor water supply, dull mower blades and chemicals are some of the many causes of dry spots.
How a pro can help: A professional can treat the dry spots in your yard by first determining the cause. But no matter the reason, calling in a pro will be beneficial for quickly solving the problem through solutions like aeration or irrigation.
Weeds
Weeds are not only unsightly, they’re also difficult to get rid of — for good. Usually grown in cultivated areas like gardens, farms and lawns, weeds can take many forms: crabgrass, dandelions, ragweed, yarrow, daisy weeds, greater plantains and sheep’s sorrel.
What it means: Weeds, one of homeowners’ most frequent lawn problems, can interfere with crops by reducing quality, housing insects and potentially spreading germs. And, the causes are nearly infinite: overwatering, infrequent watering, compacted soil, mowing too closely, excess heat and sunlight.
How a pro can help: Using a professional to rid your yard of weeds can save many headaches and a lot of time. When dealing with a weed infestation, a pro will have the knowledge to remove your unwanted weeds and ensure they’re gone for good — even the ones that haven’t grown yet — through custom treatment plans or regular services.
Dog Urine
Pets are family, and sometimes, even family makes mistakes. But don’t punish little Fido for marking his territory outside because, hey — at least it’s not on the carpet.
Many things can cause brown spots in a yard, but the telltale sign of the cause being dog urine is lush, dark green grass surrounding a brown spot of dead grass.
What it means: Dog urine can cause brown spots in your yard because of the nitrogen in the urine, which exists due to dogs’ protein-rich diets. The nitrogen is excreted at such a high volume that it kills the grass, leaving a brown spot while darkening the edges around it as the urine that hit those areas may have been more diluted.
How a pro can help: Sometimes fixing spots caused by dog urine can be easy, but when left untreated, it’s best to call in a lawn care professional. We can help lay sod over the damaged spots in your yard, or reseed the spots depending on the time of year.
Pests
If you have a yard, chances are you’ve dealt with pesky pests munching on your grass. Between grubs, mole crickets, crane flies, sod webworms and chinch bugs, these pests can cause issues like dead patches, spongy areas, root damage and infestations that can lead to a fully infected yard.
What it means: Most of these pests feed on the roots of your grass, creating dead areas that can spread rapidly. To determine if you’re dealing with pests like grubs or chinch bugs, examine the roots of dead plants or crops.
Aside from dead plants in your lawn, pests can also kill grass, dig tunnels and create holes throughout your yard. Pests like mole crickets can even attract skunks and raccoons.
How a pro can help: Since pests come in many forms, a professional can help you determine what you’re dealing with and what you need to do based on your unique circumstances. Lawn care professionals can help with bug control, pesticides and regular pest maintenance that can even help you prevent pests from creating issues altogether.
Lawn Fungus
You could unknowingly have a yard with lawn fungus, but once you notice it, immediate action is incredibly important to prevent the fungus from spreading and killing your grass. Some signs of lawn fungus include brown patches, red stringy threads, an orange-red powder, bleached turf, rings and shriveled grass, among others.
What it means: Several conditions can cause lawn fungus like cool and warm temperatures, unbalanced or over-fertilization, overwatering, drought, improper mowing and compacted soil. Your lawn naturally consists of fungi and spores, and these conditions can turn that natural fungus in your grass into a fungal disease.
How a pro can help: When dealing with lawn fungus, it’s best to have a professional determine the issue. If it’s lawn fungus, an expert can provide tips for lawn care and even ongoing support to help reduce your chance of lawn fungus in the future. A professional can also provide a lawn care plan to help restore your lawn to the green grass it deserves to be.
