Is your yard looking a little worse for wear? Wondering why your lawn is starting to resemble a savanna rather than a lush, green oasis? Summer in the Ottawa Valley is prime time for dense, healthy, and thriving green lawns, but if yours is beginning to look a little tired, it may be time to schedule a professional lawn repair service.
Below, let’s explore a few of the most common lawn maintenance and repair calls we get—and the steps that you can take to minimize each. Read on to learn more!
Thin, Patchy Grass
Lawns that look more like a thinning patchwork quilt often indicate a deeper issue. One common cause of these patchy, bare spots is heavy foot traffic from children and pets, but it’s far from the only thing to look out for.
Other common reasons for thinning grass include:
- Compacted soil from heavy foot traffic
- Poor drainage or pooling water in low spots
- Too much shade for the grass type to thrive
- Lawn pests like grubs that feed on the roots
Some of these issues are easy to spot once you know what to look for. For example, compacted soil feels hard underfoot and is difficult to dig into. In these cases, the fix often starts with creating small holes (known as aeration) to loosen the soil structure and improve nutrient penetration.
Weeds That Won’t Quit
Weeds are some of the most annoying neighbours you can deal with. While summer annual weeds often first pop up in spring, their hold will intensify in summer.
What makes weeds so challenging to handle is the different ways they spread and multiply. Dandelions are among the most infamous weeds in Canada, spread by blowing tiny seeds to other parts of the lawn. White clover, on the other hand, spreads not only by seed but also through above-ground runners.
Other common weeds found in the Ottawa Valley include:
- Crabgrass
- Ground Ivy
- Black Medic
- Canada Thistle
Like most lawn stressors, weeds are easier to manage when caught early. Pulling them before they go to seed saves a lot of work later. Once weeds are dealt with, overseeding can help create a denser lawn and leave less room for weeds to take hold in the future. In severe cases, a professional lawn repair company can help remediate and restore lawns affected by weeds.
Brown Spots
Few things interrupt a beautiful green lawn quite like mystery patches of brown grass. At first glance, it’s easy to attribute these pale patches to a lack of water. The Ottawa Valley is no stranger to dry spells and even droughts, with more dry conditions affecting the region year after year. As a result, it’s essential to practice proper watering techniques.
In other cases, brown lawn patches can be caused by:
- Insects and pests
- Dog urine spots from concentrated nitrogen
- Lawn diseases such as dollar spot or red thread fungus
Before you grab the watering can, it’s important to look into what’s really causing the damage. A lawn care professional can help you diagnose the issue and treat it properly.
How NeighborScape Handles It
The common theme across these lawn challenges is that there is often more than one possible culprit for each. The truth is, lawn care is rarely completely straightforward. With every symptom you can see, there are often several others that are hidden in plain sight.
That’s why our team starts with a walk-through before we touch anything. We check soil compaction, look at drainage, scout for pests, and only then map out the right combination of fixes for your yard.
We offer comprehensive lawn repairs and garden maintenance:
- Lawn mowing and maintenance
- Aeration
- Overseeding
- Fertilization
- Sod installation
- Lawn repair/restoration
Restore Your Lawn with NeighborScape
Say goodbye to dull grass this summer. We take care of everything from start to finish—from sod sizing to lawn maintenance and repair. Call in the NeighborScape team, and we’ll take care of the rest!
