Repairing Your Lawn

Add Statesman Compost and a granular fertilizer such as Southern States Premium Lawn Food or Southern States CarpetMaker to the bare soil and work it in. You should prepare the soil just as you would for a new lawn or garden bed.

Using a garden rake, make the soil smooth and level. Its surface should be about an inch below the surface of the surrounding soil so that the new sod will be level with the rest of the lawn.

Cut a piece of sod to match the hole. Place it firmly onto the prepared soil making sure the edges fit snugly.

Walk on the patch to make sure it settles properly. Water well and often.

Patching with Seed

Prepare the repair site the same way you would for sod.

Sow the seed thickly. Use the same seed variety as the rest of the lawn if you know what it is. If not, choose a variety containing a mixture of grasses that will grow in your region.

Use a layer of straw or garden fabric over the repair site. This helps retain soil moisture and discourages birds. It will also help protect the new sprouts. Keep the site watered well. Good moisture is essential for the germination of your seed.

Mow the grass when it is three inches high to encourage root growth.

Over-seeding

Mow your existing grass as short as possible without damaging the crowns of the plants.

Rough up the soil in between the plants with a garden rake.

Using a spreader, sow the seed over the area at the rate recommended for new lawns. Some seed will land on the existing grass and fail to germinate, thus the higher rate.

Roll the area lightly to ensure good contact between the seed and the soil. You may want to top dress the repair site with Statesman Compost or Statesman Topsoil. Mow the grass when it is three inches tall. Water the area often to promote germination.