Weeds love bare patches, so if you don't act quickly, they will. Spring's cool, wet weather is conducive to growing many types of turfgrass. Start by digging up the damaged section, plus 6 inches of surrounding, healthy lawn, cutting about 2 inches deep. Then level the soil and add a small amount of soil amendment, such as a plant-based compost, and starter fertilizer.
If you're using seed, cover it lightly with straw and keep the ground moist until germination. For sod, which is about 10 times more expensive than seed but tends to work better, cut a section to fit, press it into place, and water frequently until it takes root. Spring and autumn are the perfect seasons for fixing your patchy lawn. That's the time when you should sow your grass seeds if you're starting a new lawn, so it makes perfect sense. The damp and cooler weather will give the grass the best chance to recover.
What you should also know when it comes to repairing bare spots on your lawn is that the smaller the patch the bigger the possibility for it to fill in on its own. You see, grass can spread vegetatively and small bare patches may well repair themselves gradually, especially if you water, feed and mow the lawn properly. Larger bald areas, however, will need some attention on your part. After your grass seed or sod has fully established itself in the area, it's important to keep it watered regularly, especially if outdoor conditions are hot and dry. This will probably entail one to two deep irrigations weekly, depending on the weather.
The grass will usually tell you when it needs you to turn on the sprinkler as it usually starts to lose its color when it's time to irrigate. It's far better for the grass roots to give the lawn a deep drink instead of a shallow one. Most lawns need an inch of water a week to soak it down to 6-8 inches deep. If you are only dealing with reviving a section of a brown lawn, then you will want to remove the brown spots from the grassy areas still alive.
Thatch is a layer of decomposing plant materials that build up on the surface of the soil. But when it's thicker than 1/2 inch, it restricts the movement of air, water and nutrients. It also restricts the development of roots, which opens the turfgrass up to insect and disease problems. Most equipment rental stores have vertical mowers or power rakes you can use to remove the excess thatch. If you have a St. Augustine lawn, you'll want to sod or plug your bare spots instead of seeding them.
First, purchase a few pieces of sod or enough plugs to cover your bare spots from your local garden center. Lay the sod pieces directly on top of the prepared soil and tamp down gently with your foot, or plant plugs in a checkerboard pattern, spaced 12 inches apart. Lightly water the newly seeded, sodded, or plugged areas daily for at least 2 weeks to keep the top inch of soil consistently moist but not soggy. Once the grass seedlings develop and start to fill in, gradually increase the amount of water the lawn receives so the top two inches of soil is kept moist.
After the grass reaches mowing height, it's best to water deeply once or twice a week to encourage the grass roots to grow deep in the soil. The best time to sow seeds for lawn patch repair depends on the type of grass you have. You'll want to match the type of grass seed to what is already growing. Cool season grasses do best when planted in late summer to early fall.
Warm season grasses perform best when the seed is sown in spring or early summer. To optimise conditions for good germination and growth, you'll need to make sure that the ground stays damp and warmish . Once the new grass reaches a height of 5cm, you can give it its first light cut, but pick a dry day. Once the grass grows to about 2 inches tall, reduce watering to once every few days. Begin mowing when the young grass reaches about 4 inches tall. After one full season, your patched area should be as established as the rest of the lawn.
By then, you probably won't be able to tell the difference… unless those grubs, dogs and fungi decide to pay another visit. Bald or coarse patches can occur after the grass is treated with weed killer. Remedy by overseeding, the process of sowing new grass seeds into the existing lawn. It increases the density of the grass and reduces weed and moss growth.
Start by aerating the soil and mix lawn seed with compost at the ratio recommended on the product's packet before watering the seeds in. Deep, infrequent watering can help establish your lawn by allowing it to grow deep roots, which can compete against weeds. Try to water your lawn about twice a week, in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. Lawns typically need about 1.5 inches of water per week, but that could vary based on the climate you live in and the type of grass seed you chose. Various mixes are available, designed for a range of growing conditions and intensity of use. Other slower-growing mixes are specifically designed for hard-to-reach areas such as steep banks while there are even some designed to cope with shade.
But for the average family lawn, the traditional choice is what's commonly known as the "Number 2" – a versatile, relatively hard-wearing blend of species suitable for most situations. After that, it's all about good keeping the grass properly mowed and at the proper height, watering deeply and keeping it fed. When adequately maintained, your feet will be enjoying a green carpet of a healthy lawn for years to come. Most lawns end up with patches and spots like this, where it's a little thin on the ground because there's been a lot of foot traffic over the area. If your lawn has a small bald patch, you can simply repair it by digging a sod about 20 centimetres by 20 centimetres from elsewhere on the lawn. Simply fill the empty hole with some potting soil or even some sand and a running lawn will regenerate itself.
How To Improve Your Garden Grass However, as you can see by this lawn, there's nowhere that I can pinch a sod from, so I've actually bought a roll of instant turf. I'm going to cut it up and sow it in the lawn and this is a great way to start a new lawn or even regenerate an old one. Now all I have to do is simply cut this instant turf into 10 centimetre squares and plant them about 30 centimetres apart. What that means is one square metre of instant turf can actually be used to create 10 square metres of lawn.
Now at around $10 a square metre, that's really cheap. Be warned that your lawn will look even more woebegone after scarifying but don't panic – it's just a temporary effect of the tough love it's received. Teufel's Compost provides a microbially active source of organic matter, humus and other important soil builders required by turf to thrive. Add a 1/2 inch layer to lawns and gently rake over area. An established lawn needs about 1 inch of water per week in the growing season.
A light daily watering will encourage shallow root systems. Instead, water thoroughly once a week, using a 1-inch deep empty tuna can as a makeshift measuring device. Early morning is best, say before 8 a.m., when evaporation rates are low and more water is absorbed into the soil.
Also, don't be afraid to let grass turn brown during dry spells. It's time to water again when the grass goes from tan-brown to straw-colored. Turning your sprinkler on for just a few minutes a few times a week really won't do much to help your lawn. For a healthier lawn, learn to water your grass deeply and less often. If you water infrequently and deeply, the roots of your grass will start to grow deeper down into the soil.
This helps your grass stay green during periods of drought or extremely hot weather. Experts recommend that you water your grass with 1 inch of water, once a week. This amount of course can vary depending on your local weather conditions, soil type, grass species, etc.
For a healthy lawn it is vital to trim correctly with your lawnmower. Only trim new growth when the grass is about 6cm tall. Don't set the lawnmower on a low setting as this will cut the grass too short and could result in bald patches of dead growth. As a general rule, it is recommended that you only trim the top third at any one time, leaving two-thirds of the grass blade to create a green, lush carpet.
Learning how to fix bare spots in lawn spaces is an essential part of lawn maintenance. The best method for grass spot repair is to overseed with new grass seed in the affected area. Overseeding, or planting new grass seed, allows for a healthy new start and can result in a virtually undetectable repair. Fertiliser is vital for keeping a lawn lush and green. Lawns should only be fed during the growing season and usually need only two feeds a year – in spring and autumn. Always choose a dry day for feeding, but make sure the ground is not too dry – water first if necessary.
If you're down to 30 to 40% grass and the rest weeds, consider starting over. If you use a non-selective herbicide, wait several weeks before seeding. If the soil is not compacted and there is no thatch, use an aerifier or a power rake set to cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch into the soil. However, if the soil is compacted, til to a depth of 4 inches and let the soil settle for a week or two before seeding.
On lawns with a lot of thatch, use a power rake and remove the thatch as you pull it up. Even if you don't have one of these common lawn problems right now, we'd suggest you read how to prevent them! We cover the 10 most common lawn complaints, including crabgrass, compacted soil, brown patches, grubs, disease, pet urine, and bare spots. Avoid pre-emergent weed controls, such as crabgrass preventers, and combination weed-and-feed fertilizers anywhere you're planting new grass seed. These products are designed to keep weed seeds from germinating and rooting properly, but they can work against grass seed in the same way. Target tough turf weedswith effective spot treatments.
Hit tough spots first, and then repair bare lawn patches. If your family includes pets, you're sure to have some pet damage. But don't worry; healthy lawns and happy dogscan coexist.
Once everything's planted, you'll need to keep your renovated lawn moist. For the first week or so after planting, be sure the soil doesn't go dry. After the grass is up and growing, keep the area just moist . This may mean watering a couple of times a day early on (for short, five-minute applications).
Over time, you can go to a once-a-day watering for 10 or 15 minutes. It's also important to water evenly so that your seed doesn't wash away, creating bare spots. Another variation of this is lasagna gardening, so named because of the layers of material used to build the soil in the bed. Eventually, the layers deteriorate and create a rich, well-drained medium for planting. Alternate the layers of green materials, such as grass clippings, with browns, such as cardboard, just as you would in a compost pile. It's best to start in the fall, to give the bed time to properly decompose before planting, according to Patricia Lanza, author of Lasagna Gardening.
Unruh lists irrigation as the most crucial step after planting the seed or sod. "Apply only enough irrigation to keep the soil layer moist but not wet," he says. After testing the soil and applying the appropriate fertilizer, it's time to plant your grass seed, if you aren't using sod to revive the dead areas of the lawn. If you are reviving a patchy lawn section with grass seed, you can reduce the recommended amount of new seed by the percentage of good lawn still thriving. For example, Clemson University suggests reducing the amount by half if half the lawn doesn't require reviving.
It's easy to find drought-resistant and fast-growing grass seeds, especially like the fescues we mentioned earlier. These grasses establish themselves quickly, don't require a lot in the way of maintenance, and are one of our best bets for having a green lawn—even in periods of drought. Founder at Evergreenseeds, Emma Sophie, recommends laying sod at any point in the season in a way that is similar to how you would patch with seeds. 'Keep the area an inch below so that it can be leveled up with the ground. Once this is done, cut a piece of sod and fix it on the repair site. Gently press the patch and walk on it, so it gets settled down.
Then water the area properly so that it goes down in the soil,' Emma explains. Bare spots in lawn areas can be caused by a number of things, and knowing how to fix patchy grass starts with identifying your lawn issues. Take the time to investigate, and try to get to the bottom of your bare spot mystery before taking the steps necessary to correct the problem. Otherwise, you may continue to repair bare spots without addressing the actual cause. Even when freshly planted, lawns usually inherit weeds and weed seeds.
Weeds compete with grasses for nutrients, water and light. Learn about common lawn weedsand how to kill broadleaf weeds,so you eliminate the labor and expense of repeated treatments. Water the area using a garden hose, giving it a good, long soaking. Spread fertilizer and some topsoil to the patch and then water thoroughly again.
Spread grass seed over the area using a seed spreader or by hand . Lightly aerate the soil again using the hand rake or an aerator to work in the seeds and fertilizer into the soil. Water the spot every day for a month or so until the grass has re-grown and blended in with the surrounding lawn. Lawn aeration simply means punching holes throughout your lawn to about 3 inches deep. With regular lawn aeration, you can help give your grass a proper medium to grow in, which loose soil and better air circulation.
You grass will also make better use of water and nutrients. Additionally, micro-organisms will establish themselves in your soil and help break down any thatch that builds up. There are several different ways to aerate your lawn, either by renting a large aerating machine or by using a simple handheld aerating tool. For most homeowners with small to medium sized lawns, ahandheld aerating toolwill do the trick.
So how do you go about feeding lawns with coffee grounds? You can be super lazy and simply throw the grounds out onto the lawn and let the earthworms dig it into the soil. Don't let the grounds completely cover up grass sprigs. Rake or sweep it out lightly so there aren't any deep piles atop the grass. You can also use a bucket with holes punched through the bottom or a spreader to broadcast the grounds.
