Does Fertilizer Help Revive Dried Up Grass?

A great-looking lawn not only adds to your home's curb appeal and provides a lush area for outdoor gatherings, but it also absorbs rainwater, reduces soil erosion and helps prevent pollution from reaching underground aquifers. Fertilizing at the right time is one way to help keep your lawn in top form, but applying fertilizer during periods of high stress, such as when your grass is dried up, can do more harm than good.

Brown, dried up patches of grass in your lawn could indicate a lack of essential nutrients, which might make you want to reach for the fertilizer. However, before you attempt a remedy, it's worth taking the time to make sure you're treating the right problem. Dried up grass might be the natural result of a long, dry summer, but brown patches could result from any number of factors. Urine from your pet dog, a dull mower blade or a mower height that is too low might be the culprit. Grub infestations or diseases that attack the roots can cause your grass to have a dried up appearance.

One way lawn grasses compensate for a lack of moisture is by going dormant during periods of drought. If there is not enough natural rainfall, and you don't irrigate your lawn with sufficient water, you might end up with a crispy carpet of brown, dried up grass in your yard. Dormant doesn't mean dead. It just means your grass is protecting itself by redirecting its resources toward its root system. If your grass has gone dormant during the hot summer months, chances are once cooler temperatures arrive your lawn will revive on its own.

Fertilizing during drought conditions or during the heat of summer usually is a bad idea, particularly if you're using a nitrogen-based product, according to Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Fertilizing during drought conditions encourages growth of the shoots at the expense of the roots. It can put additional stress on your grass and make your lawn's condition appear even worse. In the long run your lawn will be better off with a healthy root system.

Proper fertilization can help revive your lawn, but that doesn't mean you should apply fertilizer to dried up grass during the middle of a drought season. The right time to fertilize depends on a number of factors, including the type of grass in your lawn, your geographic location and the condition of your soil. The University of California advocates fertilizing at the beginning of the optimal growing season for your type of grass and geographic region, typically in late April or May. The Oregon State University Extension Service advocates fertilizing again in the fall after the onset of rainy weather to encourage regrowth of grass after its dormant season.