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GARDEN CLIPPINGS: Topsoil and grass seed blend can repair damaged lawns

Snow plough damage at the road. Grub damage. Mice or rodent trails. Fungus. A layer of leaves that smother the turf. Cavities caused by fallen limbs. Weak grass. 

Every spring I find it necessary to do a little lawn repair, a task I find less rewarding than planting, transplanting, pruning or anything more creative than grass work.   

GARDEN CLIPPINGS: Topsoil and grass seed blend can repair damaged lawns Back to video

The easiest way to deal with small patches of damaged turf is with a few bags of topsoil and a bag of grass seed blend. 

Rake a thin layer of topsoil over the damaged area, sow the seed, and scratch the rake over the seed bed one more time. If you’d like, lightly tamp the seed so it adheres to the soil.   

If the temperature is warm and if rainfall is cooperative, you should begin to see grass sprouting in two or three weeks. Wait another two or three weeks and you might be ready for the lawn mower.   

If large areas of the yard need repair, or if much of the lawn would benefit from rejuvenation, buying a cubic yard or two of topsoil will make more sense than using bagged soil. Be sure to use rich soil or compost that is screened and easy to work with.   

Using a garden rake, spread a thin layer of soil over the existing soil. As a guideline, one cubic yard of soil will cover about 1,000 square feet at quarter inch to half inch depth. (One cubic meter covers approximately 100 square meters). 

Rake the soil level to smooth out the bumps.   

Sow grass seed at the rate of one pound over 250 square feet (one kilogram on 50 square meters).  Lightly rake one more time to ensure the seed has spread evenly.   

Lawn repair requires patience. With luck, seeds will begin to sprout in two weeks and will be visibly green in three to four weeks. Don’t worry if the grass does not sprout evenly because the seed ingredients sprout at different times. 

Do not fret if your topsoil compost blend has a few sticks and small stones. Good topsoil will be screened to remove debris, leaving small pieces as organic matter. 

Do not be alarmed if a few foreign weeds sprout alongside the new sprouting grass. Rest assured, the weeds will disappear as soon as the grass is cut a few times.   

Adding water to the seed bed will enhance sprouting especially if grass repair is done in spring or summer when rainfall is unpredictable. Water lightly for 10 minutes each morning until seed has sprouted. If you are seeding in the fall, morning dew will provide adequate moisture for seed to sprout quickly. 

In next week’s Garden Clippings we will recommend grass seed blends for various applications.

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