If your lawn is suffering from bare spots due to winter’s wrath, pet damage or other factors, it’s critical to get it taken care of sooner than later, otherwise weeds could infiltrate and take over. Here are some tips on how to use a technique called spot seeding to thicken your yard.
Identify The Problem Areas
You’ll want to do a visual assessment of your yard to locate areas where the grass is bare. These are commonly found on edges along sidewalks or driveways, areas where your pets and/or kids play, or where weeds have started to grow in.
Applying Seed
Spring and fall are a great times to tackle this yard repair project since the cooler weather gives grass seed a great opportunity to sprout. But as a heads up, if any pre-emergent (usually in spring) or broadleaf weed control (late-summer or fall) was applied on your lawn you’ll need to wait at least 6-8 weeks otherwise the grass seed’s growth will be impeded.
Not sure what type of seed to use? Just contact the team at Greener Grass, because most seeds are tailored to specific environments such as shade or full-sun, and wet or dry soil conditions. So you’ll want guidance on applying the right seed type in the ideal locations throughout your yard.
Preparing the Spot
Once you’ve identified a bare spot, use a Garden Weasel or other type of manual tiller to cultivate the soil. Don’t worry if you damage what little grass is still there; it will all be replaced with stronger, new grass when you’re done. Once the ground is loosened, spread your seed liberally and work it into the loose soil. If there’s too much thatch or dead grass covering your soil, you can stamp it down and cover it with a thin layer of topsoil before adding your seed.
Watering
It’s important to keep the seed and soil moist for 3-4 weeks to allow for seed germination, so plan on watering the area lightly 3x times per day. If you’re using a sprinkler system on a timer, be careful that you don’t over water the newly seeded area otherwise the seed could wash away.
After Care
Your bare spots should be on their way to filling in within a month or so, and it’s best to keep kids, pets and people from walking or playing on the areas until the new grass grows enough to blend in with the surrounding lawn. Lastly, if you have existing grass that needs to be mowed it’s best to maneuver your mower or use your string trimmer to get the grass that’s adjacent to the newly seeded areas
If you have more questions about how to spot seed, or anything related to the care and health of your lawn, get in touch with Greener Grass today!