How to Fix your Scorched Lawn | Greenland Seeds (2024)

It is not difficult to see how this recent and, dare I say it, perpetual warmer weather has affected our landscape. From acres of agricultural grass fields in the countryside to streets upon streets of lawns in the ‘burbs there are not many areas that have remained lush and green this spring-summer.

There are a number of things you can do to repair your lawn.

  1. IRRIGATE:
    Obviously, the key to maintaining a lush green lawn and reviving brown patches, quality and suitable grass seed varieties aside, is to water them. Our advice would be to keep watering your lawns, in the evening or early morning, to avoid any further damage caused by dry conditions. If possible, soak the lawn and concentrate primarily on areas which see full sun for long spells during the day, once a fortnight only.
  2. MOW:
    Do not mow your lawn too short or too often. A height of no more than around 3.5cm is sufficient. If you cut your grass too short you will damage the blades and it will appear dryer and flatter.
  3. FEED:
    Fertilise your lawns with caution. Due to the recent dry conditions we have experienced we would recommend an application of a liquid spring/summer fertiliser. An application of this, 6 weeks before a change in temperature and conditions should prepare the seed bed well for re-seeding or overseeding.
  4. ASSESS:
    Assess your grass before making any decisions on seed.Decide whether your grass can be revived or not before cutting brown patches out to completely re-seed. If you look closely and there are some green shoots, this means that the grass is just dormant and it will repair itself. OVERSEED in order to restore a dense lush green sward and greater overall appearance.

    If there are no signs of life then you will need to RE-SEED.

  5. RE-SEED OR OVERSEED:
    Prepare to seed. Inevitably – but for some, hopefully not too soon – the cooler and wetter climes we have all become accustomed to in the UK will return. If anything is “coming home” this year it will almost certainly be this!

For burned lawns which are in need of a re-seed:-

  1. First, remove the burned grass and a depth of around an inch of soil with a shovel
  2. Apply topsoil, rake and level it out
  3. Apply a pre-seed fertiliser to encourage growth
  4. Re-seed with our SUPREME HARDWEAR LAWN.
  5. Water the lawn and refrain from cutting for a minimum of 4 weeks.

For overseeding dry patches which still show some signs of life:-

  1. Bring your lawn back to life with our special 2kgs SUMMER LAWN GRASS REPAIR MIX
  2. First, prepare the area first by scarifying and removing as much dry grass, weeds and thatching as possible.
  3. Apply a granular pre-seed fertiliser to improve your chances of grass recovery
  4. Sprinkle the seed by hand to the affected areas or use a spreader
  5. Water the lawn and refrain from cutting for a minimum of 4 weeks.
How to Fix your Scorched Lawn | Greenland Seeds (2024)

FAQs

How to Fix your Scorched Lawn | Greenland Seeds? ›

Rake the burnt grass out and water the soil well. This is to wash out any product which may remain in the soil. If it particularly bad it may be best to dig the area out and replace with fresh topsoil. Overseed with fresh grass seed.

How to repair scorched grass? ›

Rake the burnt grass out and water the soil well. This is to wash out any product which may remain in the soil. If it particularly bad it may be best to dig the area out and replace with fresh topsoil. Overseed with fresh grass seed.

Will sun scorched grass recover? ›

With sunburnt grass you can expect to see new leaves in a few days if properly watered. However, it will last weeks for scorched patches to cover in thick grass. Sun-scorched spots often appear during summer when high heat puts grass under tremendous stress.

Does fire burnt grass grow back? ›

When a fire sweeps through, it takes the dead plant material from the surface, but grass grows back quickly because most of the plant is below ground and escapes long-term damage. The key to grass growth is the amount of rainfall, not whether there's been a wildfire, he says.

Can you seed over burnt grass? ›

Whether the fertilizer only burned a tiny patch of your grass or a large area, damaged lawns can usually be repaired – however, the fix may take more than some simple TLC. The burned sections will have to be removed, discarded, and replaced with new seed.

Can watering fix burnt grass? ›

If the burnt area is small, reseeding will be the most cost-effective choice. However, if it is a larger area, sod would be a better choice. If the damage has not reached the roots, then a consistent watering schedule will potentially and hopefully revive your grass.

What fertilizer is good for sun scorched grass? ›

Add nitrogen and fertilizer

This method tends to be most effective for smaller areas of severely impacted grass. If you have a very large bare space, you might be better off reseeding. You can find a nitrogen fertilizer suitable for your sun-scorched grass at your local lawn care store.

How do you revive heat damaged grass? ›

Patches the size of your hand can usually be brought back to life with proper watering and just a tenth of an ounce of nitrogen-rich fertilizer granules. Larger patches will require breaking up the soil surface, with a dirt rake, and then spreading new grass seed to create new growth.

Can a scorched plant be saved? ›

Once leaf tissue is scorched, the damaged areas will not recover; however, minor damage, while unsightly, will not kill the plant.

How to bring burnt grass back to life? ›

Burned lawns will need a generous amount of water to get back to green. It's important to water your lawn as soon as you spot any brown or yellow patches to prevent further damage.

What does burnt grass look like? ›

Sunburnt grass typically looks yellow or brown.

How long does it take for brown grass to turn green again? ›

Water the Grass and Watch It

Water your entire lawn for 20 minutes three times in the next week, and ensure you continue to water your grass the recommended amount (usually 1 to 2 inches per week). If your grass is dormant, it should turn green again within a week of watering it.

How do I keep my fire pit from killing my grass? ›

Mist the grass surrounding your fire pit with water before lighting. This will prevent heat stress from spreading outwards to the rest of your lawn. Always keep a bucket or hose of water handy in case of emergencies. Consider using a fire pit screen to contain any sparks that might fly up.

How do you clear grass for a fire pit? ›

You'll need to use the cultivator or a sod cutter from The Home Depot Rental Center to remove the grass surrounding the fire pit. Find a place where you'd be able to dump the excess soil. Use a garden spade to carve out the edges of your fire pit seating area.

Will dry brown grass come back? ›

There is no way to revive dead grass, but you can lay new sod to grow your landscape again from scratch. If you notice brown, bare, or thinning areas in your lawn, these are clear signs that you need to sow new seed or replace the sod.

How do you fix badly damaged grass? ›

Overseeding bare patches

It's generally easy to repair a lawn with bare patches by sowing new grass in the affected areas. The best time to do this is in April or September when the ground won't be exposed to frost or hot sun; the soil temperature needs to be at a little over 10° C to ensure uniform growth.

Will damaged grass grow back? ›

If your grass is actually dead, there's nothing you can do to bring it back other than plant new grass. Brown grass, however, can green up following proper care. Oftentimes, that just means water, nutrients, and cooler temperatures for northern lawns and warmer temperatures for southern lawns.

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