YOUR YARD is subjected to various stresses throughout the year, from insufficient water to bare spots to the summer heat, foot and vehicle traffic, brown patches, sports, games, dead grass, and pets such as dogs.
So, it’s expected that it will end up looking ragged at times. If your yard looks worn out, you should intervene. If you are willing to sacrifice your time and effort, you can create a thick, healthy, and lavish-looking yard that you will be proud of for years to come.
Overseeding (filling the spaces left by thin or dead grass,) is the best way to make grass thicker and fuller.
Watering your grass, applying the right fertilizer, regular mowing, routine weeding, and getting rid of pests all aid in achieving a beautiful yard.
10 Secrets on How to Make Bermuda Grass Thicker
Follow these steps to establish a healthy yard:
1. Start With a Decent Base
Thick and green lawn care dictates that you start with incredible soil. To achieve this, do enough prep before laying out the grass. The first step is to conduct a soil test – a simple cycle that gives major returns regarding thick, fuller grass.
A simple soil test helps with better soil planning and allows you to solve any issues with the soil precisely. For instance, if your soil’s pH is too low, the grass will not properly absorb the nutrients it needs to grow.
Correctly resolving the pH issue will restore equilibrium and improve nutrient absorption for better growth.
Also read: How to Care for New Sod
2. Pick the Right Grass Type for Your Location
Many grass types will develop better under sufficient sunlight. If you plant these types on a shady patio, you can expect a thin, despondent-looking yard.
A superior methodology for individuals with shady nurseries is to look for seeds that can thrive in such conditions.
3. Feed Your Grass
To give your new grass a good start for fast growth foundation.
4. Water Appropriately
Be ready to water, water, water while your grass takes root. Now is not the time to cut back on watering. Growing grass needs a consistent water supply until the seedlings begin to thicken.
Caring for an Existing Yard
Maintaining a yard is not an easy thing. It requires consistency and hard work. But with the right attitude and equipped with modern tools, you can make it.
You can also check out this guide on how to care for new sod.
5. Feed Your Grass
The thickness of your grass is intensely subject to the amount you feed it. If you think of it in human terms, an individual who eats larger food portions will naturally expand more than an individual who doesn’t.
It’s the same with your grass: you can’t expect a thick, full yard if you neglect to take care of it.
This will give your grass everything it needs to grow thick and full. If you can only manage one application of compost a year, do it in late winter.
Pick a compost suitable for your grass type and location, and apply it as frequently as recommended.
The normal recommendation is to apply compost three times each year: in late winter, mid-summer, and right before winter.
Use slow-delivery compost to deliver nutrients into the soil for a few months.
Also read: Can You Spread Tenacity on Wet Grass?
6. Over-Seeding to Thicken Out Your Grass
Assuming your grass is showing thin, uncovered patches, it’s a sign that you need to overseed the yard. As mentioned, this process includes planting additional grass seeds in the current yard to make it look thicker and lusher.
Make sure you use the same grass seeds as you currently have in your yard.
7. Mowing for Thickness
Although it tends to be enticing to keep your grass short so you will not need to cut as often, this can adversely affect the thickness of your yard.
Mowing leaves your grass helpless against pests and bugs, UV light, and an absence of nutrients. This can make your grass thin and feeble. Leaving the grass for a long period urges the roots to develop further, meaning the yard can endure the dry seasons.
Cutting to the right level enables the grass blades to shade the soil below and lessen dissipation.
Try not to mow out more than 33% of the level of the grass. This means you’ll need to mow more frequently to retain a level of between 2 ½ and 3 ½ inches.
Also, try not to mow when the grass is wet. Keep your trimmer’s edges sharp to avoid tearing the grass, as this will make it more vulnerable to yard infections. Routinely change your cutting blades as well.
8. Water Appropriately
Following the right watering practices will assist in keeping your grass thick and sturdy. A yard that’s already established, for the most part, needs at least an inch of water every seven days.
You’ll have to irrigate if there isn’t enough rainfall to supply this need. Water deeply to empower the root development required for thicker grass.
Also read: How Long Does Sod Last?
9. Eliminate Compaction
Air circulation is an incredible method for relaxing compacted soil, allowing more manure and oxygen to reach the grassroots.
Use a yard aerator or nursery fork to remove soil blocks and separate the compaction. This cycle will facilitate new root development, helping your grass green and thicken up.
10. Work on Grasscycling
This exercise, where you dissipate your grass clippings back onto the yard, encourages a thicker yard by saving dampness in the dirt.
Related: What Chemical Makes Grass Green?
How to Make Grass Thicker and Fuller FAQs
Q: What is top dressing and over-seeding?
A: This is among the methods of treatment used for a yard. Top dressing and over-seeding refer to spreading a ½ inch of top dressing soil on the lawn, followed by spreading grass seed.
Q: What is core aeration and how is it beneficial?
A: Core aeration removes plugs from the lawn, creating small holes. These holes allow air, water, compost, and soil amendments to reach the root level. It is beneficial in reducing compaction.
Q: Are reel mowers better for cutting grass?
A: Reel mowers are not as convenient as electric mowers, but they are much better for the safety of your grass.
Q: What are the benefits of using organic compost?
A: Chemical manures are a “convenient solution.” They give the supplements it needs but to the detriment of our water, soil, and the living climate within the soil. Organic manures are made using normal processes and break down slowly to deliver a dependable source of nutrients for the grass. Natural manures are an inside and out better decision.
Q: How often should my lawn be cut?
A: After the spring growth has slowed, weekly mowing will be suitable.
So far, this post has helped you with tips on how to make grass thicker and
fuller even when:
You’ve also learnt how to fix a dead lawn and that watering alone cannot help bring back grass that looks dead, literally. Instead, you will worsen the state of the lawn.
Final Thoughts
So have you got the answer on how to make Bermuda grass thicker? While you can’t change the weather or stop climatic limits from influencing the grass, you can oversee your lawn, thus learning how to make grass thicker and fuller.
Overseeding, feeding your grass, watering regularly, eliminating compaction, and grasscycling, your lawn will look fuller and thicker sooner or later.
Try not to apply compost in blistering climates, and try not to cut in these climatic conditions or immediately in the first part of the day when the grass is still wet.
Try not to over-water your grass if it’s getting a sufficient water supply from rainfall; this can cause parasitic diseases.
Keep an eye on your yard during the dry seasons and avoid causing tears in your grass during the most vulnerable stages of growth.
