Question
I live in Crown Point, Indiana 46307, close to Chicago, IL.  Last summer we had a bad draught.  Somehow, some people say it was grub and/or draught, my entire back yard died.  It turned brown/hay looking and most spots you were able to pull up the dead grass.  It is a large area and of coarse there are companies that came out to give me an estimate on fixing it (very pricey).  I would like to try to repair it myself but not sure how to.  How can I repair my lawn and make it look full and green again?  Thank you so much!


Answer
Draught can turn a lawn brown/hay looking. Typically it will turn green again when plenty of water is again available and temperatures moderate.

Being able to pull up parts of the dead grass (aka "lifting a carpet") is the tell tale sign of grubs, so this is a definite possibility.

In spring, after the soil warm, the grass should green up. If this has not happened by mid May, it is time to reseed. Do this by loosing the top of the soil. This can be done with an dethatcher (slicer) which is a machine you can rent. You can also use a rake or shovel for the hard/compact areas. Spread grass seeds thickly and stamp down well to ensure good soil/seed contact. I do this with a back of a rake (takes some time, but is not impossible). Running over the area with a landscapers roller with water is also a possibility (can be rented) and is faster.

I recommend a good allround mixture of various seeds, but in particular kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Ryegrass germinate fast. Do not buy bags with annual ryegrass. Unless you already have tall fescue then do not buy this (coarse, tall, wide bladed). Fine fescues (hard, chewing, creeping red) are fine. E.g. Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues (not tall fescue) are all good choices. A mixed bags of several types is preferred. Kentucky bluegrass takes the longest to germinate but stays greener in winter.

You must next keep the top 1" of soil consistently damp until the grass germinate and grow which can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on soil temperatures and grass types chosen. Never let the seeds dry out completely or they will die. I prefer to water 1-2 times per day for 2-6 weeks until the new grass is 2-3" tall and have been mowed once. Just apply enough water to moisten the top inch of soil. E.g. watering twice daily for 10 minutes each time is fine.

Then gradually start to increase the time between watering and the amount of water you apply. The goal (after 2-3 weeks) is to water infrequently but deeply. This means once per week for 2 hours instead of daily shallow waterings.

Daily shallow waterings (twice per day for 10 mins) is for periods during seed establishment. After grass has germinated (sprouted) you gradually transition to an infrequent but deep watering pattern (once per week for 2 hours). This is how you water an established lawn.

During the first summer, make sure you water the lawn atleast once per week. Do not let the lawn go dormant (turn brown and die) due to draught or you loose your young seedlings.

I recommend fertilizing with a good quality lawn fertilizer (such as Scott's Turfbuilder) at time of establishment (early May) and then again in late June. Always apply fertilizer to a dry lawn and water in immediately. Repeat again early september and late october. Do not fertilize during hot summer months.

Mow frequently and mow high. Mow the lawn 2.5-3.5" tall (after a cutting). Avoid mowing lawns too low (1-2"). Always use a sharp mower blade and recycle the clippings to the lawn using the mulch mower setting, if available.

Finally, I recommend that you apply an insecticide for grubs in late spring. In june apply a product against grubs which has the active ingredients MERIT (Imidacloprid). This particular ingredient can be used against grubs and is not going to kill your earthworm population or other beneficial insects. There are many bags of grub prevention available at lawn garden centers but many of them are based on very toxic insecticides. Try to find a bag which has IMIDACLOPRID as the active ingredient (see lable on the back of the bag).

Examples include: Bayer Advance Season-Long Grub Control Granules (some bayer advance products use other ingredients so check the lable).

Another option is Scott's Grub-Ex.
Check the label on the GrubEx bag to verify that its active ingredient is imidicloprid.

You can also use products which contain Halofenozide, if you find these.

If you use products with Halofenozide or imidicloprid, you can just apply one applications in june.

Ok:
- in mid may check if the lawn has greened up. If not then rake out dead grass and preferably loosen the top few inches of soil with a spade/rake.
- spread grass seeds thickly and stamp down well. Water the lawn frequently and shallowly until germination occurs and grass has grown 2-3".
- gradually transition to an infrequent but deep watering pattern, but make sure you water atleast once weekly during the first year of new grass growth.
- fertilize at time of seeding and again in late june. Then repeat in early september and late october. You can apply fertilizer at time of seeding,but then always apply fertilizer to a dry lawn (not draught stressed, but not damp either). Water in immediately with plenty of water. I usually water the lawn a few days before applying fertilizer and then add the fertilizer when the grass blades are dry.
- mow frequently and mow high (2.5-3.5"). recycle clippings to the lawn
- apply an insecticide against grubs in late june, try to find imicloprid as it is safe on beneficial insects in the ground.

Good luck