Will Dead Grass Grow Back? (And How To Do It!)

You’ve heard and seen the horror stories, and now it’s happened to you.! Your once beautiful luscious green grass is dead! What do you do now? It is going to cost you a fortune to start over. Isn’t there something you can do to revive your dead grass? 

If your lawn has been dead for 3 to 5 weeks, there is a chance that you can regrow it. Look for signs of life by cutting off the top layer and searching for any hidden green grass. If you spot some green grass, you can start the healing process. It all depends on how dead your grass is.

If your lawn looks lifeless and sad and you are willing to do anything to revive it, then you have come to the right place. This article will discuss the causes of dead grass, as well as supply you with the tips and tricks to turn your lawn’s frown upside down. 

What Causes Grass To Die And How Can You Revive It?

Grass can die for any number of reasons, but here are a few of the most common causes.

Infestation 

It is common for diseases and pests to ruin a lawn, but they won’t destroy it. It may be time to investigate to find out if it is, in fact, fungus or insects that are responsible for the dead patches of grass on your lawn. 

An easy way to tell if you have an infestation is by grabbing a handful of the dead grass and pulling it out; if it pulls out easily, then you may have a pest or disease present in your grass. 

Try to identify the culprits by digging out a small area of your lawn. Check for grub worms. If there are a lot of worms in a small area, then that could be your problem. For more details on diagnosing and treating lawn grubs, read our in depth article on spotting the signs of lawn grubs.

How to fix it 

You can use biological control with nematodes or milky spores (child and pet-friendly), or you can use chemical pesticides which act fast to take care of the problem. If you have an unwanted fungal infection, you can use a general fungicide (be careful, it is toxic). 

To avoid fungal diseases, try not to overwater your grass; otherwise, you could drown the roots causing root rot.

Drought 

Water restrictions due to drought are one of the main reasons for dead grass. States like California that are experiencing a historic drought prohibit their inhabitants from watering their lawns, and more often than not, almost all of its residents are experiencing lifeless grass. Luckily, grass goes into a dormant state, and it is the deep roots that can boost the grass’ survival chances.

The top layer of the grass, which appears dead, acts as a protective blanket to keep these deep roots alive. Unfortunately, if it has been dead for over six weeks, chances are very low for revival, and you may have to think about laying new grass. 

If you are in a region experiencing a drought, you need to give your grass and occasional soaking to keep those deep roots alive until the next rainfall or until restrictions are lifted. 

How to fix it 

Trim away a small section of the dead layer and see if you can spot any signs of green. If so, keep watering the section for a few days. If you see new growth after a couple of days, you will know that you can revive the dead grass. Proceed to mow the dead layer of grass off of your entire lawn. 

Next, run a rake over the lawn and break up the hard surface. Plug the lawn to enable the water to percolate deep into the deep roots. Sprinkle some ryegrass seeds over the lawn. These seeds sprout fast and turn your lawn green while waiting for the dormant grass to grow back.

Thatching 

If there are patches of brown in between your green grass, you may have a thatch problem. Thick layers of thatch prevent the water from reaching the dormant grass roots. It acts almost like a sponge, soaking up all the water before reaching the deep roots. 

A thatch layer that is more than ¾ inches will strangle your grass, causing dead, brown patches all over your lawn. For a more in-depth guide on lawn thatching, read our article on how to prevent lawn thatching.

How To Fix It

To prevent thatching, make sure you remove the dead grass from your lawn after mowing. Instead, start a compost pile that you can use later on as a fertilizer for your grass. If you find that thatching is less than an inch thick, use a dethatching rake to break it up and remove it. 

Once all the thatch is removed, feed the grass with nitrogen fertilizer and give it plenty of water (which will help with vigorous regrowth). Additionally, you can add some grass seeds over the dead patches that have no deep roots left. 

Deep Mowing And Too Much Water

Deep mowing and watering your lawn frequently, but not thoroughly enough, causes shallow root growth. Unfortunately, this makes your grass susceptible to wilting. 

If it is a scorching day, you may find that your grass is turning brown, despite the fact that you water it regularly. The reason for this is shallow watering; the water is not enough to reach the deep roots, and most of the water evaporates. 

How To Fix It 

Water your lawn thoroughly for seven days (after running a lawn tiller over the entire lawn) and after a week, reduce the watering to only three days a week (thoroughly). This ensures deep root watering to keep dormant grass alive and healthy. 

Instead of mowing your lawn too short, mow it on a higher setting and cut your grass more frequently. Always water your grass thoroughly after mowing to protect it from sunlight exposure. Remember to remove the cut grass.  We go in depth on why cutting your grass too short is bad in our article exploring if cutting your grass too short will kill it.

Chemical Residue And Salt Buildup 

If you don’t have a good irrigation system, frequent feeding can form salt buildup in your soil. To spot salt buildup, look for brown grass growing along the edges of your lawn, along the driveway, or nearing the street. This is a good indication that you do have salt buildup. 

Herbicides from neighbors transferred through the wind onto your lawn or pets, relieving themselves on your grass can cause chemical residue and chemical burn. 

How To Fix It 

The first thing to do if you are experiencing these conditions on your lawn is to water it thoroughly. It reduces the impact of the chemicals by diluting them. You can also add limestone or gypsum salt, and in the worst-case scenario, you may need to recede your lawn. 

Wrapping Up

There are many ways to care for a lawn that has “died.” The most important thing is to find out what is causing it to die in the first place. Give these tricks and tips a try to see if you can breathe new life into your grass. Go for green!