There are so many reasons why your grass could be having trouble. Here are four of the most common reasons we see grass getting stunted.
You’ve been mowing the grass too short
You never want to cut more than a third of each blade when you cut. If you’re cutting the grass to half of its pre-cut length, that’s too much. Doing these short grass lengths shocks the roots, and they freeze and refuse to grow for two weeks or more. The roots fear for the safety of the grass when it is cut so short all at once.
We call grass that is mown too short “scalped grass.” Not only does this scalped grass shock the roots, but this short grass is much more likely to get an infection or a disease.
You need more minerals
Your lawn may be short of nitrogen or phosphorus. We can help you run soil tests to determine if that might be the case. Adding nitrogen or phosphorus is a delicate dance, though. Too much nitrogen is just as bad as not enough – it can cause thatch and other issues.
The grass needs to get more sunlight
Does your lawn get at least six hours of direct sunlight each day? If not, you may want to try a more shade-tolerant type of grass. If you have a big, large-canopied tree, it could be hogging the ground moisture for nearby grass, as well as blocking sunlight.
The grass needs more water
Most grass needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water every week. You may be watering often, but not watering deeply enough. Running your sprinkler fewer times, but for longer intervals, could help.
