Autumn Lawn Repair

Last updated on December 2nd, 2011

IF YOUR LAWN LOOKS LIKE MINE — a horrid mess of dried, brown patches caused by the summer drought — here’s a tip: take advantage of October’s cool weather and rainfall to repair this damage quickly. All you need is a bag of grass seed, a cultivator of some sort, and a quantity of straw to make things green again:

First, lightly cultivate the area you wish to repair. Grass rarely germinates, let alone thrives, in hard, compacted soil. For small patches, I roughen the soil with the claw-like hand-cultivator pictured up top. Larger areas are more easily worked with a sturdy metal rake.

Next, sprinkle on the grass seeds. And, be sure to use the right seed formula, particularly if the site is a shady one. Fescue-grass does well in both sun and shade; all other grasses require sun.

Last but by no means least, lightly cover the seeded area with straw. Straw keeps the seeds from blowing away; it will also mitigates wash-out during a downpour.

Now, when you reseed your lawn in October, rainfall and cool temperatures insure quick germination. There’s no need to add chemical fertilizers at this time (or any other time), despite the claims of Scott’s and other companies who sell synthetic, petrol-based nitrogen.

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