You probably have checked over your lawn for damage that occurred over the winter and have started mowing (in-between the raindrops, to be sure). Now you want to take care of those bare spots you've found.
I have always found the chore of reseeding a thankless one. It may work and it may not, depending upon what happens to the bare area after seeding. I haven't figured out what happens to my seed when it doesn't grow worth a darn. You can always blame pets, poor seed, or careless walking on it by somebody.
Anyway, reseeding is worth a try.
Once lawn seed is planted, it must be kept wet for at least two weeks to germinate. New seedlings will quickly die if they dry out.
Allow about a month for the entire process of preparation and germination.
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According to Maureen Gilmer in Easy Lawn and Garden Care, to prepare a seedbed in bare spots, first remove all rotted lawn residue. Even though the aboveground part of the dead grass is gone, the remaining root system can be very dense and prevent seedlings from rooting deeply. Dig up the ground in the bare area to at least 2 inches deep or more and remove any roots that might hinder new grass.
The soil will settle, so add humus, such as sterilized cow manure or fine compost and mix it in thoroughly. Then, smooth out the newly mixed soil and gently pat it down to ensure there are no hidden air pockets. Sprinkle the grass seed on top and cover it with ¼- to ½-inch of humus. Keep the area moist for two weeks.
You may prefer sodding to seeding for doing your patching. Keep in mind that the grade of the area to be sodded should be lower than the lawn around it. This is because sod comes with soil and roots attached, so you must take this into account.
Prepare the ground with humus as described for seeding and make sure it is well moistened but not soggy. Cut the sod patch to size and gently lay it on the soil bed. Press the sod down so it is firmly set unto the prepared soil and use additional humus or topsoil to cover the edges of the patch so the exposed roots won't dry out. Water thoroughly. Lightly press the patch back down afterward because sometimes sod will float if drainage is slow.
Once the bare spots on the spring lawn are repaired, keep them moist until well-established. If the lawn is too dry, the seedlings will wilt. If it is too wet, it becomes a perfect environment for disease that will thin the seedlings. Don't be afraid to mow when the grass is young because that encourages grass to spread horizontally and grow thicker. Mowing promotes deeper rooted plants that are less subject to damage from unexpected freezes or heat waves.
On a related subject, if you wonder what kind of soil you have, try the glass jar test.
First, fill a large glass jar two-thirds full of water. Add soil from your yard until the jar is almost full, then add a quarter teaspoon of liquid detergent. Screw on the lid and shake it thoroughly until all the clumps have dissolved. After a few minutes, you will see the largest soil particles settle; those particles are sand. Mark the sand level on the jar. After a few hours the silt particles will settle out on top of the sand.
The clay will remain suspended in the water for a few days, because clay particles are much smaller than sand or silt. Any organic matter will eventually float to the top. A final inspection after 48 hours or more will show the relative percentages of all three types of soil particles. If your soil sample turns out to be 40 percent sand, 20 percent clay, and 40 percent silt, you have an almost perfect loam. But if you are showing 70 percent clay, 20 percent silt, and 10 percent sand, your soil can be classified as heavy clay. A largely sandy and silty soil is classified in the same way. Once you have determined the structure of your soil, you can select the proper amendments (humus).
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Dorothy Collins is The Forum's garden columnist. Write to her by mail at The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo ND 58107, or e-mail her at dorothycollins@i29.net
