A healthy green lawn improves the curb appeal of your home and provides your family with a place to relax and play. To achieve the kind of even, lush growth you want, you need to practice lawn irrigation carefully and watch for signs of problems. Here are the most effective solutions to a few common issues.

What Are Some Frequent Lawn Irrigation Problems?

1. Weeds

Weeds interrupt the smooth green of your lawn with irregular colors and shapes, and they can cause the grass to die off. The solution depends on the type of weed.

For crabgrass, which dies off in the winter and grows from seeds in the spring, the time to control their growth is before the last frost in spring. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide or a layer of mulch to keep it from sprouting. If you see sprouts, pull them while they're small.

For longer-lived weeds, like perennial dandelions and sedges, you'll need to either dig out the entire root or tuber, or use selective herbicides designed to kill the specific weed while leaving your grass healthy.

2. Compaction & Thatch

Over time and with repeated watering, soil tends to get compact, which means air, fertilizer, and water don't reach the roots of the grass. Thick thatch--the layer of dead brown blades around the bases of grass stalks--can also block water and nutrients from the soil.

You can use a rake to thin thatch if it's very thick, but a simple way to keep thatch thin and to allow air and nutrients to the roots is to aerate once a year. This process leaves small open spaces that nutrients can travel down to soak into the soil. This also gives the compacted soil space to loosen up.

3. Bare, Thin, or Yellow Patches

There are several possible causes for these problems. Bare and thin patches can form when large or numerous weeds are removed. They can also happen due to disease, traffic, poor soil quality, or because your lawn irrigation isn’t reaching the area effectively.

First, check whether the area is being watered by leaving a small, straight-sided, open container there. The depth of water in the cup after watering will tell you how much hydration the area is receiving. If it's not being watered, you may need new irrigation installation or irrigation repair.

Otherwise, try sowing additional grass seed in the area and treating it with fertilizer, or simply lay fresh sod. Soil testing can also identify any problems.

For lawn irrigation installation and repairs to keep your grass green, call Artistic Irrigation in Woodbury, CT. For over 25 years, they've created custom irrigation solutions for each client using state-of-the-art equipment, including automatic watering systems. To schedule a free on-site estimate, call (203) 263-6622 or visit their website.