Funny how some stuff happens to your lawn all on its own.
It grows frustratingly fast. Weeds appear out of nowhere. Bugs munch on it.
But those ugly bare spots just sit there.
Does grass spread on its own? Or do you need to do some lawn repair out there?
Let’s take a look:
Does Grass Spread on its Own? It Depends on the Grass
Not all grass varieties act the same.
Kentucky bluegrass, an Idaho favorite, has underground runners that help it spread on its own.
But before you holler “yippee” and make a bunch of weekend plans, hold on a minute. Even if your lawn is Kentucky bluegrass, you should know this self-spreading habit is really slow. It can take years. If you’re in any kind of hurry to fix bare spots in your grass, you’ll be disappointed.
Many other grasses, like the perennial ryegrass and fescue also common here in Idaho, don’t spread. So seeding is absolutely needed to fill in lawn bare spots.
How Do You Know What Type of Grass You Have?
It can be tricky to tell.
Idaho's cooler climate means that your grass is a cool-season variety. This type of grass is winter-hardy but still holds up well in the summer.
It could be either Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass, or likely a blend of the two.
A blend of grass varieties is actually a good thing. Ryegrass blends well with other grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and adds disease and insect resistance to the mix.
We actually recommend starting a new lawn with a blend of grass varieties — 80 percent Kentucky bluegrass and 20 percent perennial ryegrass.
Different grass types also have different traits. One grass may do better in drought conditions and the other may be more disease resistant. A blend gives you the benefits of both.
But then you have a lawn that sort of fills in on its own and sort of doesn’t. It’s looking more and more like fixing bare spots in your grass will be up to you.
Bare Spots in Your Lawn? Fill Them In
You could take your chances and hope you have mostly Kentucky bluegrass that will eventually fill in those ugly lawn bare spots.
But chances are you’re in more of a hurry than that. Those bare spots are ugly. Maybe they’re from an unsightly lawn disease. Or yellow or brown areas killed by dog urine.
Meanwhile, guess what LOVES bare spots in your lawn? Weeds! They’re happy to fill in those bare spots, surprisingly— and frustratingly— fast.
Time for lawn repair.
Lawn Repair: Fixing Bare Spots in Grass
If you just have one or two bare spots in your lawn, you might want to tackle this simple lawn repair yourself:
- Loosen the bare soil a bit to prepare it for the seed.
- Scatter grass seed over the loosened soil. Scratch it in a bit and press it down so you know there’s good contact with the soil.
- (Skip the cheap seed and get high quality grass seed that will blend nicely with your lawn.)
- Spread a thin layer of topsoil over the seed to protect it from blowing away or washing away in the rain. It will also help hold in moisture, which is really important as it starts to sprout.
- Add some fertilizer designed for new grass to get it off to a good start.
- Keep it watered. New grass needs frequent light watering in smaller amounts — two or three times a day for 15-20 minutes
Fixing Lawn Bare Spots with Aeration
If bare spots aren’t just a one-time thing, but a continuing problem, your soil might be compacted. If that’s the case, just a sprinkling of grass seed won’t solve the situation.
Time for aeration and overseeding.
When your soil becomes compacted, your lawn can't breathe. Its roots can't take in water or nutrients, which weakens your turf and sets the scene for bare spots, weeds, and lawn diseases.
Lawn aeration uses a machine to pull out plugs of soil, creating spaces so that air and water can penetrate, which leads to healthier roots.
Those holes created by aeration are perfect new homes for the grass seed, creating the great seed to soil contact needed for quick germination.
Aeration and a proper seeding with quality grass seed can often do the trick to fill in lawn bare spots.
Keep Lawn Bare Spots Away with Proper Maintenance
You’re less likely to have ugly bare spots in your lawn if your grass is healthy and thriving.
Establish healthy turf with proper fertilizing, watering, and mowing. Keep on top of weed control. Watch for signs of insect damage or lawn disease.
Struggling, neglected lawns are big welcome mats for bare spots — and lots of other lawn trouble.
A healthy lawn doesn’t just happen. It takes a lot of work, and the right knowledge. Hmmm. You kind of like having your weekends free for fun stuff.
Why not leave it to the pros?
Professionals do all the pesky scheduling for you. They also have access to fertilizers and weed control you can’t buy without a license. And they know exactly how much of each product to apply.
Bare Spots in Lawn? Get Idaho Lawn Repair with Lawn Buddies
If you want simple, hassle-free lawn care and landscaping services in Idaho Falls or Boise, ID that offers quality core lawn care services for a healthy, impressive lawn, it doesn’t get easier than Lawn Buddies.
No stressing about which complicated combination of lawn care services will get you beautiful dark green grass.
You don’t have time to fuss with all that. Give yourself a break.
Welcome to one premium, six-visit lawn care program that includes everything your lawn needs to grow healthy and green.
Fertilizer, weed treatments, and grub control, all wrapped up in six visits, each perfectly timed throughout the season, so your grass is green and strong and resists weeds.
We’ve got your back.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. Just fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard.
