How to Get Dark Green Grass

Growing a dark green lawn takes patience, time, and effort, but once the work is done you’ll have a beautiful, dense, and healthy dark green lawn that your neighbors will envy.

Learning how to get dark green grass can be a difficult job, but it doesn’t have to be a hassle.

However, not all grasses will produce a dark green lawn.

The most important factor in helping you achieve a dark green lawn after selecting the right grass type is to fertilize after selecting the right grass type. Choose a lawn fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and low in phosphorous to encourage green growth. However, make sure the nitrogen is slow release so that all the nutrients don’t reach the plant at once which can result in fast, weak growth. Also watering your grass regularly at the right time and mowing it properly will help you achieve a lush green lawn.

Tips on how to make your grass dark green

Getting your lawn that dark green color will not happen overnight. You’ll need to plan and plant appropriately and also use the right maintenance techniques so that you can get that deep green color you want.

Select the Right Grass to Plant

Not all grasses will give you a dark green lawn so you need to plant the right grass seeds for your lawn.

Bermuda grass and manila grass will grow into a very dark green lawn. Kentucky bluegrass and Bahiagrass will give you a green color but lighter.

You need to know which grass will be more effective depending on the weather and temperatures in your location since some grasses thrive during the warm season while others during the cold season.

The best idea is to choose 2 or 3 different kinds of grass that fit your needs.

Use the Correct Fertilizer

After selecting the right grass type, choosing the best fertilizer is the most important step when growing dark green grass. 

You should know that nitrogen in the right quantities will make it easier for your grass to grow faster, but use less phosphorous.

Make sure you pick a slow-release fertilizer so that your grass gets nourished gradually and effectively.

Make sure you fertilize at the right time depending on your grass type and follow the directions on the label on how to spread the granular fertilizer on your lawn.

However, most grasses can be fertilized from spring to fall so that they can remain healthy during winter and be able to grow stronger next spring.

Water your grass

Water your lawn regularly and carefully, but always do it in the morning so that the water has enough time to evaporate from the grass blades by evening to prevent mildew and mold.

Plants use water to absorb the nutrients in the soil that’s why it’s important to water your lawn correctly.

Water your grass daily to keep the earth humid and help your grass to absorb nutrients all day.

Keeping your grass hydrated will not only keep it stronger and healthier, but greener and darker.

However, some grass types need less water than others, but you still need to water it.

Iron Application

Applying iron to your lawn can be very effective in getting a green lawn. If you’ve watered and fertilized your lawn properly and it hasn’t achieved that green color and iron application can be effective for all grass types, especially fescue and bluegrass.

Also Read -> Milorganite vs Ironite – Difference and Comparison

This application will help the foliage in most plants to green up.

You can mix a granular iron supplement with a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer every spring and continue this application for the rest of the year to provide your grass with the micronutrients it needs and keep the dark green shade on your grass.

However, when applying iron make sure to follow the instructions on the package to avoid an overdose which can turn your grass gray.

Also read -> Can Too Much Iron Kill Grass?

Mow your Grass Properly

Grass grows all the time and it can be very fragile if you don’t cut it properly.

Your mower blades must be sharp enough so that your mower doesn’t damage your grass and create discolored and patchy bald spots.

Ensure that your mower is in good working condition before mowing to avoid having inconsistencies in the blade movements as it cuts your grass.

Don’t let your grass grow for more than a month without cutting it and don’t cut your grass shorter than 2.5 inches.

Rake the Grass Clippings

Rake out the dense patches, clippings, and thatches around your grass, even the weeds, and any unwanted vegetation on your lawn that can cause your lawn to lose its color or even kill it.

This will help your grass seed roots to sprout faster and prevent your lawn from paling as the dead vegetation and clippings become more visible as summer progresses.

Keep off your Grass

Once you plant your grass seeds and they start to grow, you should stay off your lawn and avoid walking on it or carrying out any activities on it.

Once your grass has grown you can walk on it, but if you want to achieve that dark green color, you should limit the traffic on your lawn as much as possible.

Reasons Why your Grass isn’t Green Already

There are reasons why your grass isn’t the dark green color that you want.

Pests and Diseases

The most common grass diseases and pests include Pythium blight, gray leaf spot, fusarium blight, etc. that cause grass discoloration and may even kill it.

These diseases spread very fast and can at times attack other vegetation near your lawn.

The best way to kill the disease is to use grass-friendly herbicides, but if your lawn is infested, you’ll be forced to replace your entire lawn.

Dry Grass

This is one of the most common causes of your grass not becoming green as expected.

This mostly happens when you don’t water your grass properly which causes it to turn yellowish.

If you don’t water your grass daily and sufficiently, it will become dry and discolor in patches or entirely. This is common during the dry season or dry areas.

Wrong Environment and Season

By now you know not all grass types grow in the same environment or season. Bermuda and Bahia grasses are warm-season grasses that won’t grow green enough if planed in too much shade or an area with temperatures below 55 degrees F.

Centipede grass and carpet grass can grow in a milder climate and cold areas, while Kentucky grass will thrive in both cold and warm seasons with proper improvements, but it needs a lot of watering during the dry season to keep it from turning brown and discoloring.

Heavy Traffic

Heavy traffic on your lawn from people and pets can cause your lawn to discolor, have yellow patches, or even die.

People like to step on green lawns or play on them with their family and pets, but it’s best to keep off your grass to keep it as green and dense as possible.

Poor Mowing

Keeping your lawn short is important to maintain its appearance and health.

However, if your mower cuts more grass than is needed which is only about one-third, but any shorter will damage the grass and cause discoloration.

This can happen if your mower blades are dull or too large.

Planting the Wrong Grass Type

Not all grass types will achieve that dark green color and most grasses aren’t green or dark.

That’s why you should make sure you plant the right grass if you’re expecting it to become dark green.

Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass and the best grass to give you that dark green lawn.

Also read -> How to Make Bermuda Grass Grow Thicker

It grows very fast and it’s the easiest to plant. Bahiagrass grows the same as Bermuda, but it has lighter color.

Centipede and carpet grasses both have a dark green color, but it’s more an apple-like shade.

Too Much Chemical

Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are mostly used to help your grass thrive, but too much can be harmful.

Using too much fertilizer can cause discoloration and too much herbicide or pesticide can lead to stripes and patches of discolored grass.

Also, petroleum-based products like oils and pet waste like urine, cleaning products, vinegar, and alcohol can have a bad chemical effect on your grass.

That’s why you should keep these products away from your lawn and use the right proportions of herbicide, pesticide, and fertilizer on your lawn.

Growth of different grass types

Final thoughts

Learning how to get dark green grass isn’t hard, but you have to know what to do and what not to do. It’s all about persistence and knowing the proper care for your grass, but you have to consider many factors.

Also Read

​​How Much Does Grass Grow In A Day?

How deep does grass roots grow?

Does Rain Make Grass Grow Faster?

References:

Dark Green Grass Types