How to Fix Bare Spots in Your Lawn with Ashton Ritchie

Even if you've got a great looking lawn, you may end up with a bare spot thanks to high traffic or a disease or insect problem. Scotts Lawn Expert Ashton Ritchie has this recommendation: Fill it in using the right Scotts® EZ Seed® —which contains high performance grass seed, premium continuous release lawn food, and super-absorbent mulch—for your grass type. When you wet the mulch, it expands, surrounding the grass seeds with moisture so they won't dry out and die. (Not sure what kind of grass you have? Bring a plug to your local hardware store, or simply check out our Identify Your Grass article.)

Grass seed germinates when temperatures get between 60 and 80 degrees F. So, if you live in the North, spring and fall are the best times to plant. If you live in the South, however, spring and early summer are the best times to seed bare spots. To to use Scotts® EZ Seed®, you'll first want to clean up any overhanding foliage that might keep sunlight from reaching the grass seed. Then, remove any dead grass and break up the soil with a hand rake. (You don't want to put seed on a hard surface because it won't have any way to break through and begin growing. ) Sprinkle Scotts® EZ Seed® so it covers the area, but bare ground is still visible. You want each seed to come in contact with the soil. Water thoroughly right after applying. You'll want to continue to water daily while the seeds are getting established, even twice a day if your area is experiencing hot and windy conditions. If the Scotts® EZ Seed® begins to turn light brown, it's time to water. Continue watering this way until the seedlings reach at least 2 inches tall.

Remember, too, that your newly planted grass needs regular feeding in order to grow thick and green. About 2 to 4 weeks after planting, fertilize the newly planted spot with Scotts® Turf builder® Starter® Food for New Grass. Once your grass reaches the height of the surrounding turf, you can feed with Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food on the same schedule as the rest of your lawn.

You can begin mowing once the new grass gets to be about 2 to 3 inches tall—but be sure to hold off on using any weed control products until you've mowed your lawn 4 times.

One final note: Bare spots are different from thin spots in your lawn. While bare spots look like patches of dirt (sometimes topped by dead grass), thin spots are where the grass is growing, but it's sparse and you can see the ground in between the blades. To turn thicken those thin areas, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Thick'R Lawn™. It contains soil improver to encourage strong root development, premium grass seed to fill in gaps, and fertilizer to feed both new and existing grass to help it grow full and thick. Best of all, it's guaranteed to make your lawn up to 50 percent thicker.*

*Subject to proper care. Results may vary based on current condition of lawn.