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The first step is killing any current nutgrass plants, either through application of herbicides or sugar, by digging up the plants and rhizomes, or by using soil solarization. To discourage new nutgrass plants from forming, ensure proper landscape drainage and bring shade into areas of the lawn that are consistently damp.

Purchase a selective herbicide that targets clover and similar weeds but doesn't take out your grass. You can also keep it from growing with corn meal gluten or remove clover from your lawn manually at the start of the season as part of your lawn maintenance checklist.

Yes, in most cases, grass will return after your dog urinates on it. But without preventative measures, there’s always a chance your dog will pee on the grass again, leading to brown patches come summer. This aside, even if your grass is dead in patches, simply reseeding the dead spots should help restore your lawn. 

If you choose not to reseed your lawn, unaffected grass surrounding the dead patches will spread over any dead spots. But be prepared for this option to take longer—you likely won’t be able to grow grass fast.

One of the best ways to soften your grass and prepare it for planting grass seed is aeration. Aerating your lawn will loosen up compacted soil and facilitate a more even balance of nutrients from root to topsoil. We recommend using core aeration methods for the most effective soil-loosening results.