Fixing Grass Burn Spots

[Buzzard]

^^ That's actually a good idea CP, one worth trying.

What kind of a grass would that be though, and would you actually be able to buy it as seed?

[algernon]

I thought about suggesting packing tape.

On second thought, I'll suggest the topsoil and seed method. I would also spread the soil (and seed) so as to overlap onto the existing grass, to blend in the damaged areas. I think a 1/4 inch thickness (over the existing) would be grown through with in a week or so, and give it a boost, as well.

[Jimmy Stang]

I bought some of that patch stuff (mulch, seed, and fertilizer mixed in together). Maybe I got a crappy kind, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. I have been watering it, but so no sign of new grass.

I like the sound of just using topsoil, seed, and maybe a little fertilizer. Sometimes the all-in-one solutions are crap, I guess.

[McG]

thanks for this thread. i think that CP is onto something particularly with the inability of "citified" lawn to be resistant to the slightest bit of adversity. i know that sounds odd...but i doubt that CP spreads fertilizer and everything else over his yard and yet it looks good from here.

i have some spots that have huge "exposure" to the elements, and this season it looks like huge patches of dead grass. so i raked and prepped and then i put down the scotts turf builder ez seed. the good news is that i now have spots where the seed has taken; similarly it is the bad news too as there are still lots of brown spots. so today i bought a bigger bag of scotts seed from costco and so will apply that. i will also be overseeding other parts that are a bit lifeless but remain green.

actually, i have 2 ages of grass on this lot; all of the older stuff is...well...showing its age. the stuff that is only a few years old looks great.

my question is this; does grass ever "age"? i just can't explain it any other way.

[killer_carlson]

for me, the thing that worked the best after significant trial and error was to gently and lightly take the dead sod out of the lawn with a small shovel or trowel. then I would put down some new dirt, and then grass seed.

I found that removing the chemically/urine damaged dirt and grass allowed the replacement to accelerate the growth. It looks funny for a couple of days, but no funnier than the rest of the solutions on the market.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

for me, the thing that worked the best after significant trial and error was to gently and lightly take the dead sod out of the lawn with a small shovel or trowel. then I would put down some new dirt, and then grass seed.

I found that removing the chemically/urine damaged dirt and grass allowed the replacement to accelerate the growth. It looks funny for a couple of days, but no funnier than the rest of the solutions on the market.

That may be my problem. My patches are just because the area is very dry and on a hill (so no moisture is retained). I roughed up the area before applying the patch stuff, but I didn't completely remove the thatched grass underneath.

Next time around I'll get it all out of there and put some proper dirt down and seed it.

[Clarkey]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

It's probably too late in these cases and the answer is probably useless anyway but the problem is "citified" grass.

I have four acres of prairie of which I cut down about 1.75 acres as a lawn. No brown spots from the dogs pooing and peeing as the grass has evolved through millions of years and is well used to animals urinating on it. After all, bears pee in the forest too. You need natural grass that isn't so friggin' sensitive.

Cowperson

It's because your dog are draining on 4 acres not 500sqft (the size of most Calgary yards).

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

It's because your dog are draining on 4 acres not 500sqft (the size of most Calgary yards).

Mmmmm . . . . . . not really. They have particular places where, through 11 and 12 years respectively, they generally poop and pee.

There is a particular spot where they tend to gravitate in the morning and nary an indication they've ever been there through the years.

I do not fertilize the cut down prairie and that might be a factor but I would still think a "natural" lawn has some advantages over the souped-up grass seeds used in the city and maybe that all circles around to the nitrogen thing noted below.

Dog urine causes dead patches and lawn burn due to the high levels of nitrogen that is released into the lawn through the urine. As we know from the section on fertilizing, nitrogen is actually a lawn-growth stimulant that encourages lawn growth when properly applied as a fertilizer. The problem presented with dog urine is that since most dogs urinate in one spot, then will introduce large amounts of liquid nitrogen (urine) to that spot thereby causing a burning reaction and even a dead-spot in the lawn. Often times, the effected spot will show vigorous grass growth around the spot due to the nitrogen levels that stimulate growth around the edges. Since larger dogs usually produce larger amounts of urine, there is a direct correlation between the size of your dog and the changes of developing lawn burn and dead spots in your lawn through urination.

http://www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-ma...ng-my-lawn.php

Eat it urban dwellers!!!



Cowperson