Identification

• You will know it is time for lawn repair if you see bare spots or grass spreading over from an adjourning property and/or weeds that are getting out of control. Identifying the problem early on is important or you will have to do a total lawn replacement and in most cases, this is unnecessary if you follow a few simple steps.
  
  

Types

• There are several methods to choose from when you need to repair your lawn. Each one will take care of a different problem and can easily be done by the homeowner. They are aeration, removing thatch and re-seeding dead spots.
  
  

Features

• Aeration can be done in two ways . You can simply buy aeration shoes and walk across the problem areas. Aeration shoes have spikes on the bottom that will penetrate the soil. You can also choose to use gas powered aerators. If your lawn has too much thatch, it is because of one of two things. Either you gave it too much water or too much nitrogen. In order to solve the problem, you need to use a core aerator. It will dig down deep and pull up plugs of soil and grass. And if your problem is dead spots, you can fix the problem by re-seeding or patching the lawn with pieces of sod.
  
  

Function

• Aeration is necessary if your soil contains a lot of clay or is situated in heavy traffic areas where the soil becomes compacted not allowing water to seep in. Keep in mind that removing thatch is usually required if you have a grass that normally grows tall. These types of grasses are usually the warm season grasses, such as Bermuda, Zoyia, Bent grass and Kentucky Bluegrass. Also, removing thatch by using a core aerator to get rid of thatch will allow water to get down to the roots where it is needed. Additionally, filling in dead spots will work if the cause is simple wear and tear. However, if the problem is widespread and occurs in areas that do not get heavy traffic, your lawn may have a serious disease and for this you need a professional
  
  

Considerations

• If the job is too big or the equipment you need is too expensive to either buy or rent, consider getting a professional to do the job. But do consider taking action one way or the other before you have to replace the whole lawn.