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Renovating Old Lawns

Source: NDSU Extension Service Horticulturist

Whatever is causing a lawn to fail should be determined and corrected. Reseeding alone may not greatly improve an old lawn, for the new plants will not do better than the old ones. It is necessary to improve conditions that will give vigor to both old and new grass plants.

Poor growth of lawns is not necessarily due to lack of fertility. Other conditions that commonly cause poor growth are: poor varieties, soil compaction, insect or disease damage, dogs, too much shade from trees and buildings, over-watering, not enough water, or use of salty water. The top soil and subsoil may be too sandy, too gravelly, too salty, contain building material wastes or be poorly drained. Improper mowing and watering are common faults.

Aerating, dressing with topsoil, fertilizing, removal of shallow tree roots, treating for diseases and insects are the usual remedies.

Where soil conditions cannot be remedied by the above recommendations, removal of existing soil followed by the preparation of a good seedbed and establishment of a new lawn may be the only solution.

Additional information on this topic is included in the Extension bulletin H-244, "A Beautiful Lawn Can Be Yours," which is available at your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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