How To Fix Bald Spots
After youve taken care of what caused your bald spots, you can make them green again. Laying down seed so you have new, fresh growth is easy, but there are some things you should consider when you put new seeds on your lawn.
- Determine if the bald spot has room for pieces of sod or perhaps a tray or more of grass plugs will do. The trays come with 18 – 3 X 3 square cubes of grass plugs.
- No need to remove dead grass unless fitting in a whole piece of sod. Then you must dig down enough so that when the sod is put in place it will match the existing soil level. Plus, this will prep underlying soil where root contact and establishment will be better served.
- If there is enough viable grass with not enough room for a whole piece of sod, then grass plugs are the way to go. Plant them with 6 spacing from center to center. No need to remove all dead debris first but the more soil on the surface that exposed only quickens time that plugs will grow in. Also, be sure to loosen soil between plugs so that grass runners may spread and root quickly.
- Finally, make sure you have good water support from irrigation in a uniform pattern over the repaired area. Full sun areas should receive 1 of water peruse. Just monitor new grass for wilting and water well until it becomes established enough to survive off of normal irrigation cycles.
How To Avoid Dead Grass In The Future
Once you have revived your lawn from dead grass, take care of it properly with these things in mind:
- Irrigate the newly seeded patches with a low amount of water 2-3 times a day to keep it moist in the beginning, then gradually reduce the frequency by increasing the amount of water.
- Make a proper schedule for mowing your lawn. Mowing once a week will promote the growth of the grass as well as make your lawn look good. Do keep in mind that dont cut the grass more than 1/3rd of the total height as it can harm the grass and make it stressed out.
- For the initial period fertilize your lawn every 2 months and after one year, when your lawn is established fertilize it every 6 months.
- Aeration and dethatching are very necessary for a healthy lawn so try to aerate and dethatch your lawn every 1.5 to 2 years.
- Keep your pets out of the lawn or try to create a specific spot where they can urinate as the urine can harm the lawn and make it acidic.
How To Repair A Bare Patch Of Lawn
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Bare patches can be a nuisance and usually let the garden down. But there are certain tricks that can be useful in these circumstances. From shade to compaction, there is a solution for most bare patches. This article provides some suggestions for repairing a bare patch of lawn.
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What’s Causing Bald Spots
First things first: to solve the problem, you need to know what’s causing brown spots. Bald spots can be the result of heavy foot traffic — which you can prevent in the future — but also disease, weed, or insect infestations. You have to get rid of the problem before you plant new grass. Even in hot Florida weather, if an area is not receiving sufficient water during irrigation, it may cause thinning of grass during extended periods of no rain. Heres what to look for:
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Killer weeds love to march into your lawn and steal the nutrients that your grass needs to thrive. Weed preventatives will help kill weeds, and stop them from spreading through your lawn. You should also mow your lawn regularly to stop weeds from sprouting seeds, as well as fertilize your lawn to facilitate healthy growth.
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Lawn disease can be harder to identify, but here are some tips on what to look for. You should treat for all of these diseases right away, either with a fungicide or pulling the infected grass up by its roots. If you arent sure which measure to take, ask a professional!
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Dollar Spot is patches are round spots that are the size of a quarter or silver dollar.
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Brown Patch is a disease that often plagues cool-season grasses, specifically in the summer months, when it is hot and humid. These patches can be up to several feet across.
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Powdery Mildew is when your grass looks to be frosted. White powder grows on the grass, eventually killing it.
This Is How You Repair Bare Patches In Your Lawn:
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What Causes Patchy Lawn
- Fungal disease Fungal disease is a very common cause of bare patches in your lawn as it makes your grass weak and unhealthy, which dies after some time causing a patch in your lawn. To eliminate fungal disease, you need to apply pesticides to your lawn.
- Animal damage your pets or other animals roaming and playing on your lawn can also cause patches in your lawn. This can happen due to digging or heavy foot traffic. To stop this damage you need to fence your lawn or make sure that your pets dont dig up in your lawn.
- Grub damage Grub can also cause patches in your lawn by eating the roots of the grass. Every lawn has some amount of grubs but if you are seeing a lot of them in your lawn then you need to take precautions by applying a grub controller to your lawn.
- Dog urine Dog urine is also a cause of yellow or brown patches in your lawn. When your dog urinates in the lawn it provides excess nitrogen and salts to the soil, which burns the grass making patches in your lawn. We have talked about how you can prevent dog urine from killing your grass.
- Heat and drought Heat and drought are a very common issue for patches in your lawn. Your grass can be burned out due to excessive heat or drought and create an ugly patch. To eliminate this you can reseed your lawn with drought-tolerant grass.
How To Fill In Bare Areas Of Your Lawn
Noone likes a patchy lawn. If you walk out to your front yard or backyard and see bald, weak, thin, or bare patches in the lawn, try not to lose your cool you can definitely repair them with a little bit of TLC.
Seeding is a great way to freshen up your lawn and give it a minor makeover. But before you get started, it’s important to find out what caused the patchiness in the first place.
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How To Grow Grass Quickly In Bald Spots
An overactive dog or a baby pool sitting out all summer can mar the deep green, beautiful lawn you’ve cultivated. Time to get the bald spots back in shape so you can enjoy your lush yard again. Preparing the soil, amending it with compost and fertilizer and, above all, maintaining irrigation will get grass regrowing quickly. Keep the area free from traffic for several weeks, and you will have the bald patches repaired in less than a month.
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Remove rocks, sticks and other debris from the bare spot. Rake the entire area thoroughly.
2
Loosen the top 2 inches of soil with a metal rake. Remove any dead clumps of grass or weeds you have dislodged.
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Add compost to the soil, then work it in with the rake. Add 5-10-5 starter fertilizer to the soil to encourage the seedlings’ root development and vigorous growth.
4
Choose the same grass seed you have for the rest of your lawn if it grows well. If not, try bermudagrass, red fescue or tall fescue for heat, drought and traffic tolerance.
5
Sprinkle grass seed over the bare spot. Sprinkle the seeds by hand if you have a small bare spot. To be more exact, use a lawn spreader, and go over the area twice in perpendicular rows. Tamp the seeded area down lightly.
6
Mist the seeded area immediately. Too much water will dislodge the seeds, so keep the spray light. Water four times a day until seedlings emerge to keep the seeded area moist.
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References
Plant At The Right Time Of Year
The goal is to get the roots established before environmental conditions become too harsh for the baby grass to survive. The best time to repair bare patches is when the grass is actively growing, says Waltz. That depends on where you live. Warm season grasses grow during the warm times of year, which is about May to mid-September. Cool season grasses grow during the cooler times of year until the soil freezes, which is roughly December to February. If youre not sure what you have, talk to your local university coop extension service. Both seed and sod are good options for patching.
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How To Plant Grass Seed In Bare Spots
Seeding bare spots in lawn areas is a simple task that can be completed in just a few hours. It can take several weeks for new seed to turn into green grass, but the wait is definitely worth it.
Before you seed the area, get down and dirty by pulling weeds and removing any dead grass from the area. Grab a rake and roughen the soil in the bare spot and surrounding area. This will give the seeds a better chance to work into the soil and establish their roots quickly.
The best way to avoid overplanting which causes weak and spindly grass plants is to mix one part seed and three parts potting soil in a bucket. This gives you a seed application rate of approximately 10 to 15 seeds per square inch and results in the healthiest-looking grass patch repair.
Spread the seed and soil mixture evenly over the bare soil and slightly into the surrounding grass area. A slight overlap is just fine you dont want to see any evidence of the patch job once the grass grows back in.
Covering grass seed isnt necessary, but it can be helpful to give the seeds a boost of nutrients with a light covering of fine compost. Once covered, gently walk over the area and tamp the seeds down into the soil.
As the seedlings grow to the height of the surrounding grass, gradually taper off watering until the former bare spot is eventually on the same watering schedule as your surrounding lawn.
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How To Patch Bare Spots With Sod
For a quicker fix than reseeding, try using sod. Sod is a fairly inexpensive way to repair bare spots of dead grass.
- Remove Debris
Similar to reseeding, remove any leaves, dead grass, weeds, or debris from the brown patch area before getting started.
- Till the Soil
Using a garden hoe or rake, till the soil a few inches deep to break up the solid pieces of dirt.
- Measure the Area of the Brown Patch
Use a tape measure to evaluate the width and length of your brown patch. Then, purchase a piece of sod from your local gardening store that will fully cover the area.
- Select the Right Turfgrass
Be sure to select the correct turfgrass sod for your lawn, identify the grass you have growing, and try to match this when buying pieces of sod.
- Cut the Sod
Using a sharp shovel or garden tool, cut a piece of sod that is slightly larger than the area you are covering.
- Lightly Fertilize
Applying a small amount of fertilizer to the soil before laying sod will encourage the roots to establish and anchor down the sod piece.
- Firmly Place the Sod Piece
Place the sod on top of the brown patch matching the shape as best you can. Compress the sod down into the lawn by tamping it down with a rake and then immediately walking on it.
- Water the Sod Immediately
The sod will need more water than regular seed grass. Keep the area moist by watering two to three times a day if needed. Monitor the edges of the new sod they will dry out first.
- Hold Off on Weed Control
- Assume Regular Lawn Treatment
Fixing Large Thin & Patchy Sections Of Lawn
If your lawn is looking thin overall, you can try over-seeding or re-seeding instead to revitalize it. The principles are the same as fixing bald spots, but youre applying to your entire lawn.
First, youll have to rake your lawn thoroughly to remove any debris, such as leaves or dead grass. Then youll spread the seeds over your lawn and cover with a half-inch of compost or topsoil. Rake again, gently this time, to get the seeds in the grass. You want good seed-to-soil contact for the grass to grow. After that, water your lawn in the mornings and evenings until the grass starts to grow.
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How To Fix Brown Patches In Your Lawn
Your lush green grass has been overtaken by dead brown patches and you need to know how to fix dead grass. These unsightly patches of dead spots in your lawn threaten to ruin the beautiful outdoor aesthetic of all your hot summer barbecues and events and spread disease to your grass.
Brown patches are caused by factors including, but not limited to foot traffic, lack of fertilization, fungus, grub infestation, animal urine, chemical spills, and/or drought. Dead grass patches are also more likely to occur in older lawns than younger ones.
Before you start repairing the brown patches on your lawn, study the growth patterns of these areas to see what might be contributing to the dead grass conditions. Understanding the underlying factors will help you avoid recurring brown patches in your yard.
While repairing brown patches is not particularly difficult, you should be aware of best practices and recommendations for the optimal grass regrowth. We are going to equip you with the tools and knowledge for how to fix a brown patch in your lawn through two main methods: reseeding bare spots and patching with sod.
