(StatePoint) Even if you have lush, green grass, your lawn may still have bare spots. Bare spots occur for a variety of reasons, and when they do, seldom fix themselves.
To repair these areas and earn the title of best lawn on the block, consider these insights and tips from lawn care equipment manufacturer, Exmark.
Clear Your Lawn: The first thing you’ll need to do is clear your lawn of invasive weeds, dead grass and thatch. To give your new grass a fighting chance, the soil underneath needs to live its best life, first and foremost.
Prepare and Reseed: Soil that’s become hard and compacted won’t be ideal for the seed germination needed to replace barren spots with fresh growth. So, use a good, heavy garden rake to loosen the soil two to three inches deep.
If your soil’s dry, add fresh topsoil for a hearty mix of nutrients and grass-growing energy to the depleted ground. Work the new soil in with the old and you’re on your way.
Now that your soil has what it needs, you’re ready to repair bare spots by applying new seed. Rake a seed type that matches your grass type into the soil. Always follow the directions on the bag closely, as applying too much seed in too small an area can cause the grass to grow to the point of choking itself out. This will land you right back to square one with a new bare spot to repair, so make sure you don’t put down too much seed.
Feed After You Seed: All plants require six essential nutrients: oxygen, carbon and hydrogen, which are received above-ground through air and water, and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which come from the soil. Every bag of plant food will contain three numbers separated by dashes. Understanding lawn and plant fertilizer numbers can help you grow your greenest lawn ever.
Post-Bare Spot Repair: You’ll want to keep your re-seeded area moist for at least a few weeks before new growth appears. Sprigs of new grass will start appearing before you know it, but it’s important to wait a few more weeks before mowing to allow new grass to become established
For more insights, watch “How to Repair Bare Spots in Your Lawn,” an episode of “Backyard Smart,” an original series from mower manufacturer, Exmark. To watch the video, visit Backyard Life, which is part of a unique multimedia destination with a focus on helping homeowners improve their outdoor living spaces. There you can also download additional tips and view other Exmark Original Series videos.
By following these steps, you can make lawn bare spots a thing of the past—and your dream lawn a reality of the near future!
