When you find bald patches on your lawn, it's a clear indication that something is not quite right.
Bald patched could be a sign that your lawn is undernourished, that it's plagued by pests or disease, or that it has dried out and died in the sun.
There are a whole host of reasons why your lawn might have bald patches, which can make it difficult to diagnose the cause - that's where the Lawn and Weed Expert team can step in. We have decades of experience treating dry patches on lawns, so we should be able to get your garden back on track in no time!
Request a FREE Lawn Survey >
What Causes Bare Spots In Your Lawn
Let's take a closer look at some of the most common reasons people find bald patches on their lawn. When you can identify the cause of the bald patches, you can use effective treatments to encourage your lawn to grow again. So, why does your lawn have bald patches?
1. Leatherjackets
During spring, crane fly larvae (commonly known as leatherjackets) are prevalent in most lawns, although it should be noted that they tend to prefer new lawns over well-established ones. The crane flies (known to you and me as daddy longlegs) lay thousands of eggs under the surface of your lawn.
When spring arrives, the eggs hatch into larvae. Like all living creatures, crane fly larvae need food to survive. When they're trapped in the soil beneath your lawn, crane fly larvae don't have a huge amount of options to choose from. One of the most abundant food sources underground is grassroots.
Leatherjackets will quickly munch through your grassroots, killing off the plants and leaving large bald patches on your lawn. So, if you have bald patches in your lawn – particularly in shady damp areas, you may have leather jackets and should give us a call. We will survey your lawn to confirm that leatherjackets are the cause of your bald patches. Then we'll provide a treatment plan to ensure they are dealt with before they cause lasting damage to your lawn.
Leatherjacket Treatment >
2. Too much shade
Shaded areas of the garden are prone to bald patches because the grass is struggling to survive. A quick way to improve the quality of your lawn in shaded areas is to remove trees and shrubs that are blocking the light. Psssst... this is something we can help you with! Take a look at our ground clearance services here.
If the shade is caused by something immovable like a building or fence, the solution might not be so simple. There are things you can do to bring your lawn back to life though. First, you should scarify and aerate the soil to remove any debris and improve drainage. This should create a great base for a more resilient lawn. Next, you should overseed your lawn with a species of grass that's more tolerant of the shade. We can advise you on the best seeds for the job. Follow this up with a lawn maintenance program to ensure that your new lawn seeds establish into the ground and start to thrive.
READ MORE: What Does Overseeding Do?
3. Wear and tear
Another reason why bald patches appear on your lawn is that the grass has been physically damaged. This could be in areas where there's a high footfall. Over time, continuous wear and tear can create bald patches of all shapes and sizes.
If you've walked along the same stretch of grass numerous times then it's likely to die back. In areas where there's a heavy footfall, you should consider adding a garden path. There's no point in investing time and money into your lawn care if you're going to tread on it. Once the garden path is installed, the bald patches should completely disappear.
What if my lawn has more bare patches than green patches?
Unfortunately, there are some scenarios where large areas of your lawn to die and become bare. If you're noticing that your lawn has more bare patches than green patches, we'd recommend that you give us a call. First and foremost, we will survey your lawn to see if any remedial work can be used to rescue it.
Specialist Lawn Care Treatments >
In some cases, however, remedial work is not an option; but don't worry, we won't leave you lawn-less! We can strip away your old lawn and provide a turfing service so that you can enjoy brand new grass that's green and healthy. Chances are, with the right lawn care program in place, a fresh lawn should establish well and you'll be rid of those unsightly bald patches forever!
Turfing Services >
So, if you're wondering why your lawn has bald patches, we hope this has helped. If in doubt, contact the Lawn and Weed Expert team, we're more than happy to assess your lawn and provide you with the treatments you need to bring your lawn back to life.
Request a FREE Lawn Survey >
