Homeowners want to have the lawn of their dreams, but those dreams can be fraught with problems. There are a number of common problems that could negatively affect your lawn. Fortunately, Lawn Doctor can help you at not just identifying these problems but in coming up with effective lawn solutions. Here are some of the common lawn problems we come across in our business:

The grass does not get enough sunlight

If you find that your lawn will not grow in particular areas, you may need to:

1. Prune the trees and shrubs that are blocking the sun.
2. Move furniture, such as umbrellas or chairs, if they block sunlight.
3. Change the type of grass you have on your lawn, to one that grows better without much sunlight.

Weed infestations

Generally speaking, there are two types of weeds: grassy weeds, such as crabgrass, foxtail, and other weeds, and broadleaf weeds, such as dandelion, clover, chickweed, or other weeds. Depending upon the type of weed, applying a preemergent keeps grassy weeds from growing while post-emergent controls are used on broadleaf weeds.

Insect and arachnid infestations

Arachnids (eight-legged bugs) and insects (six-legged bugs) can do damage to your lawn, chomping up the blades of grass, rummaging through the dirt, and biting humans and animals around the lawn. Pest infestations can cause all sorts of lawn problems and even be dangerous at times. Make sure your yard is well-protected and set up to prevent infestations from growing.

Drainage problems

If your lawn does not drain correctly, you may have other lawn issues. For example, it could be that you are getting too much water in one spot in the lawn, and too little in other parts. You could also develop standing water, which can be a breeding ground for pests like mosquitoes, one of the biggest nuisances in the world.

Lawn Diseases

There are a variety of diseases that can hurt your lawn, diseases like snow mold, fairy ring, and many others can destroy the yard you worked so hard for. Because there are so many types of lawn diseases it can be difficult to treat the problem directly. The most effective approach is keep your yard properly maintained all year. With regular fertilization, proper watering and mowing and soil testing you can make sure your plants are strong enough and have the nutrients needed to ward off many types of diseases.

Animal control

Moles, voles, mice, groundhogs, skunks, and raccoons are among the many animals that may be running around your lawn and causing damage. In part, controlling animals also involves insect control, because animals like moles feed on grubs, and burrow through yards to get at them.

Lawn growth issues

There are many different reasons that your lawn may not be growing as lush and thick as you would like. You may need to have it reseeded, or water differently, or have more fertilizer applied. You may have one or more of the above-referenced problems affecting it or you may need to have a different type of seed planted for your lawn. Whatever the issue you should speak to your local professional lawn service to help diagnose the problem and work with you to get your lawn looking and growing the way it should.

Lawn problems and solutions

Once your lawn is getting the right nutrients and water, and is mowed and aerated regularly, you will find that it is less susceptible to a large number of common lawn problems such as diseases, insects, and weeds. Instead, it can just grow and help your yard be a showcase of your green thumb.