Lawn bare spots are hard to avoid. It seems like no matter how hard you try to keep your lawn plush and green, bare spots will appear. Our yard looks pretty good in the Spring and Fall, but during the hot summer months is when it struggles. High temperatures and not enough rain can cause bare spots to start appearing.
We don’t get too worried about them, but if there is a big one, we normally take steps to get some grass growing in the area.
In this article, I’m going to show you what we do to fix bare spots in our yard.
Step 1: Rake Up the Bare Spot
Before sewing grass seed, it’s always a good idea to use a rake and break up the soil. Grass seed will always do better in loose dirt versus hard ground. There are several reasons for this. Loose dirt allows the seed to have more contact with the dirt, creating a better chance for germination. It also helps prevent birds from eating the seed and rainwater from washing the seed away.
So use a rake to scratch the surface until you have a thin layer of loose dirt on top of the bare area.
Step 3: Spread Some Grass Seed
After you have finished raking the area, it’s time to spread the grass seed. It’s a good idea to use the same type of grass as what you already have in your yard. Or if the bare spot is in a shady area, you might want to try a shade mix. It contains seed for grass that doesn’t require as much sunlight.
If it is a large area, using a seed spreader might be your best bet. But if you’re only dealing with a small spot, spreading the seed by hand will work just fine. Spread the seed evenly over the bare area, but not too much. Believe it or not, it is possible to put down too much grass seed.
Step 4: Rake in the Seed
Time for a little more raking. This time use the rake to make short strokes over the area that you seeded. This helps the seed to get down in the soil. Be careful not to spread the seed around too much or you could end up creating spots that don’t have seed.
Step 5: Cover with Straw
Cover the area with some straw. The star will help keep the area moist, which is essential for seed germination.
Step 6: Water the Area
Gras won’t grow without water, but you probably already knew that. So it’s important to keep the area watered regularly. If it isn’t raining much, water it at least once per day.
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