How to Patch a Lawn

A common question is will grass spread to bare spots on its own? Depending on the type of grass you have, it may, however, once grass has been damaged by drought or sun, it will need patching to come back to life.

To get started patching a lawn:

• You'll want to remove any dead grass from the area prior to patching the lawn.
• Prepare the soil by removing weeds and damaged grass thoroughly like you were replanting a new lawn.
• Using a garden rake or cultivator, turn the soil over to a depth of 6 inches and remove any roots or rocks.
• Add compost or well-rotted manure and mix well into the soil.
• Smooth over with a ground rake and lightly tamp the soil with your hands.

Now it's time to decide the best grass patch repair for your lawn. Let's take a look at two methods.

If you prefer to learn how to patch a lawn with seed, you can to do this by hand or using a spreader.

• Sow seed at the rate recommended on the package and scatter by hand or with a spreader. Be sure to cover the area with the seed, but don't use so much that you create a pile.
• Rake the seed into the soil, about 1/2-inch.
• Use a roller, or your feet, to compact the seed to the soil. Cover the seed with a light layer of wheat straw.

Tip: Water the area lightly but often, allowing it to grow a little longer than the rest of the lawn around it for a few days. New grass usually sprouts in about 10 days.

For a quicker way to update your lawn's look, patch it with sod. Here's how to patch a lawn with turf:

• Using a shovel, cut a patch of the sod to fit the bald spot in your lawn. Place it over the problem area. Merge the edges of the sod with the surrounding grass by pressing it with your hands.
• If the sod seems higher than the surrounding lawn, remove some soil out of the patch, smooth and try again.
• Walk gently on top of the area to make sure the sod roots have good contact with the soil.

Tip: New sod should look uniform, although a little brighter in color than the rest of your lawn, in about one to two weeks.

When it comes to caring for your patched lawn, water is essential.

• Gently water new seeds with the mist attachment of a sprayer or a gentle sprinkler.
• Water sod with a more powerful spray.
• Both seeds and sod need to be soaked to a depth of 4 inches the first day, followed by daily, or even twice daily, watering until well-established.
• Follow up with lawn fertilizer to make sure your lawn's not just well-watered but also well-nourished.

Tip: While fall is often considered to be the best time to patch a lawn, waiting until spring makes sense. Winter may have taken a bit of a toll on your lawn but the weather will help restore the patched lawn back to health.