Your grass is looking a bit flat, and it is frustrating. When you find yourself asking, ‘why is my grass laying down,’ the answer may seem obvious. Sometimes that grass has gotten trampled or pressed down, and the stalks have broken. However, that is not the only reason grass might lay down, and the other explanation may surprise you.
Why is my grass laying down? Your grass is laying down because the stalks are broken or folded. When you mow, or walk, or drag something across the lawn, those delicate grass shoots bend and break, leaving your grass looking flat and sad. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to avoid this issue and treat it to get your lawn back upright.
Mold can also lay your lawn flat. Mold can develop if you overwater your grass since the soil cannot absorb the water fast enough. The mold can attack the roots of your grass, weakening the grass which can cause it to lay down.
Luckily, most of the time, it is only trampled. After years of having and caring for a lawn, I have had every problem, from weeds to brown patches, and the answer isn’t always what you expect. A flat lawn may have an underlying problem you don’t immediately see. I will walk you through both flat-lawn problems and how to fix them so your yard will be lush and green all the time.
How To Get Grass to Stand Up Straight
When you’re looking at your lawn, wondering, “Why is my grass laying down,” it’s time to fix that mess. Fortunately, it’s not as hard as you think to make that grass stand up again. You probably only need a mower.
It’s important to note that some grass problems come from fungus or other issues. However, under most circumstances, that sad-looking grass is fixable with a few moments of work. If you water properly and feed your lawn, it should stand back up with a little TLC.
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First, when you cut your lawn, set the mower to about three inches. When grass gets too long, it can bend naturally, but three inches is enough for most grasses to look lush without allowing it to overgrow and bend from gravity. Sometimes this is all your lawn will need if it was getting too long.
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Why Does Grass That is Laying Down Usually Die
If your lawn is lying down and turning brown, it may be dying. However, when there’s a drought, grass can also do this as a state of dormancy. Depending on the grass, most species can handle up to four weeks in this state before the roots start dying off, and you need to reseed the lawn.
Another reason laying-down grass dies is the stalks have broken. If the lawn is trampled, the individual blades may snap. Whether they come off completely or merely bend, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients, broken grass will die.
Overwatered grass can become sodden and lay down as well. Root rot and too much moisture can lead to dead or dying patches of grass that lay down. In this case, give the lawn less water, decrease the frequency, and aerate your soil.
Lastly, you could have mold or algae issues in your soil. This comes from overwatering or living in a moist climate. Fortunately, you can get rid of mold by spraying the lawn with vinegar, a bleach solution, or a pre-made antifungal solution from your nearby lawn and garden store or home improvement shop.
Why Does My Lawnmower Flatten My Grass
Lawnmowers can cause issues with your lawn if you don’t use them correctly. When your grass is laying down after you mow it, and raking doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to look at your mower and technique. First, let’s look at mower issues.
Mowers with a rear roller can crush those blades downward. When you have the mower set for higher grass, the rear roller may be pressing the stalks down after the grass gets cut. Try setting the mower for a shorter cut. Three inches is ideal for most grass, but you can adjust up or down based on your preference and the type of grass you’re growing.
Alternately, when your grass lays down or grows sideways, then it may be your technique instead. By mowing in the same direction each time, you can pressure the grass to grow sideways. This will give it a flattened or trampled look.
Make sure you change your mowing direction every time to prevent forcing your grass to grow sideways. For example, if you always mow north to south, switch it up and go east to west instead. Pushing the cut stalks in different directions will help the grass grow more upright over time and avoid that crushed look from sideways growth.
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How Do You Fix Flattened Grass
Sometimes getting your grass to stand up straight instead of laying down is a matter of the aftercare. When you finish mowing, you need to rake, especially if your mower has a rear discharge of the clippings. Just as anything else sitting atop the grass weighs it down, so can piles of cut grass.
Luckily, all you need is a rake and some bags to fix this simple issue. When you finish mowing, grab your rake. Try to rake in a different direction from the one you pushed the mower to help prevent sideways growth.
Bagg up those clippings and consider starting a mulch pile to help feed your lawn or garden beds. By removing any large patches of mown grass, you can prevent it from weighing down your existing grass. Additionally, the rake will help ‘fluff up’ the grass and bring it back to an upright position.
If you own a leaf blower, then using air to remove clippings and right your lawn is also an option. Plus, it’s a lot faster than old fashioned raking, and it doesn’t hurt the grass stalks as a metal rake may do.
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Why Is My New Sod Matted Down
After putting in all the work to sod your lawn, it can be disappointing when it doesn’t look the way you hoped. Your grass laying down is easy enough to fix, and so is mated down new-sod. However, new sod isn’t as fixed in place as an established lawn, and it can be more sensitive until it’s established.
Your new sod may be more susceptible to fungus when it gets matted because of the new growth. Mower wheels, pets, people walking, and other sources of pressure will push the grass down. Especially when it’s new, this can cause irregular growth and a funky look.
Like an established lawn, you should gently go through the grass with a rake to help the stalks back into an upright position. You may want to rake a little more often if your new sod lawn sees a lot of traffic. It is alright to go through after a busy day and fix the grass your kids, guests, or pets have pressed down.
Moreover, you can help your sod stick and grow by treating it right. The first two or three days after installing your sod, make sure to wet the top several inches of the ground thoroughly. This gives the roots moist soil to grow into. That is how the sod becomes affixed to the ground below, leaving you with a beautiful lawn.
It would be best if you watered it for thirty minutes to an hour. Plus, those in arid environments may need to water twice a day to keep the ground below new sod damp.
Final Thoughts
Flat, floppy, sad-looking grass isn’t what anyone wants to see in their yard. Happily, you do not have to settle for a lackluster lawn. Whether it’s a mold treatment or some post-mowing TLC, you can help that grass live its best life and keep your outdoor areas beautiful.
There’s more to that perfect, soft emerald field than merely watering and mowing. In lawn care, sometimes the best solution is to do preventative maintenance in advance. Re-seeding bald spots, weeding, and getting rid of any unseen problems like insects and fungus before they become problematic will help you eventually.
Once you’ve figured out what caused the flattening, the solution is only part of keeping that lawn lush. Make sure to take a little extra time to check out any problem areas, however small, so that they don’t end up flattening your mood along with a large swathe of your grass.