While they may seem like annoying weeds in your lawn without any purpose, dandelions have several little-known environmental benefits. A routine occurrence everywhere, these harmless flowers can sprout in any location at any time. Most people view dandelions as annoying weeds invading their lawn. However, they have many good attributes that can benefit the local ecosystem surrounding them.

1. The Destructiveness of Weedkillers 

Weed-killing spray may seem like an easy solution to an old problem, but it is highly toxic to the environment. Industries manufacture weedkillers to kill weeds, but their products can kill a lot more than just their intended targets. Weedkillers can kill ecologically essential small animals, breaking the food chain. Moreover, it seeps underground, poisoning groundwater. When it rains, weedkillers run off and pollute waterways, causing grave environmental harm.

To avoid the environmental damage caused by weedkillers, the dandelions in your grass should stay put. Weedkillers are the only practical method of combating them, so eliminating them will save dandelions and the environment.

2. They Feed Essential Insects That Promote Pollination

As with most flowering plants, insects such as bees pollinate dandelions to help them reproduce. The process is mutually beneficial, as bees and other insects such as butterflies rely on dandelions for food. These insects suck the nectar out of the flowers, carrying pollen from one flower to the next. If dandelions are not available to feed insects, they will not pollinate other more essential plants that humans typically rely on for food. 

Nowadays, with severely declining bee populations, it's even more important to provide them with an essential food source. Getting rid of your dandelions will hurt the local bee population, and in turn, make it harder to grow other plants due to the lack of natural pollinators. Keeping the dandelions in your yard will help pollinating insects survive, allowing them to carry out their pollination work.

3. They Fertilize Your Lawn

While you may think that the yellow flowers on your lawn are ugly, they do good work taking care of your grass. Their roots spread out the soil, allowing more air to reach underground. Additionally, those roots hold the ground in place, mitigating the effects of natural erosion. Finally, when they die, the decomposing dandelions provide nutrients for your grass to help it grow and sustain itself.

4. You Can Eat Them

Though most people consider them weeds, dandelions are a very healthy vegetable to eat. According to Express UK, they contain large amounts of vitamins A and C and other essential minerals such as potassium, iron, and calcium. Dandelions as a food source may be a cheap solution to worsening food insecurity around the world. However, the one caveat is to ensure that the dandelions are thoroughly washed of weedkillers and pesticides before consumption. If you want to get rid of your dandelions, maybe picking them to eat is the best option.

If you’ve taken time to nurture your lawn, then you understand how devastating it can be to find it dry and compacted. A green, lush lawn is the pride of every homeowner. We know how relaxing it can be to feel soft grass beneath your bare feet and to spend some time alone or with friends and family on fresh turf. The good news is that you can restore the beauty and freshness of your grass with these simple steps. 

Why Do You Have Trampled Grass?

Many things can damage your lawn. Tires, feet, paws, sports balls, and other objects may, directly and indirectly, harm the grass. When these objects, people, or animals stamp on the grass, the soil gets compacted slowly. The more traffic a lawn sees, the more compaction also occurs. As the grass gets stepped on, the tiny air pockets disappear, and the soil becomes denser. 

As you can expect, when the ground becomes compact, the soil becomes more and more unlikely to allow water, air, and root penetration. Consequently, the plants get damaged, and it becomes difficult for new plants to grow. In addition, high traffic tends to rip up grass, especially when the ground is wet.

How Can You Fix a Trampled Lawn?

There are a few methods you can use to correct problems caused by trampled grass.

Identify the Traffic Patterns

To identify your high traffic areas, look for spots that look uneven, muddied, or dingy. Try to find out the direct routes to common areas, your dog’s favorite spot, and other places on the turf that take the most abuse. With this knowledge, you can develop ways to redirect the activity flow over your grass as you fix the damaged spots.

Overseed

Next, fill in the patches that are empty, thin, or worn. Mow the grass while making sure its length is only about 2 inches. Shorter grass is ideal because it can allow the grass seeds to reach the ground and access the sun and water effectively as they germinate. You can use a spreader to help you overseed. 

Rake, Water, and Feed It

If your grass is not heavily trampled, you can fluff it back up and avoid further compaction. As you do that, water it regularly and fertilize it as you would a garden. You can begin timing your irrigation to ensure that the ground that gets trampled the most doesn’t experience high traffic when it’s wet.

Mow Differently

Last but not least, you need to adopt an alternating mowing pattern to ensure your damaged grass adjusts quickly. Don’t follow the same path every time you mow because doing so can trample one section of the turf more than necessary.

It’s possible to revive damaged grass no matter how bad it looks. Simply ensure that you understand the traffic patterns, overseed if necessary, water the turf, apply fertilizer, and change your mowing patterns.