Why Your Bare Lawn Patches Keep Coming Back

You need to fill those bare patches in your lawn or something else, namely weeds, will. But while filling those dirt patches on your lawn should be a part of your spring or fall regimen, you’re just wasting your time if you don’t do it right. Thousands of homeowners plant grass in bare patches only to see that dirt spot reemerge later. Here’s why that bare patch keeps coming back:

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1. Ignoring the Root Cause

Bare patches don’t just happen randomly. They’re often the result of problems, like grubs, pets, or fungal diseases. You can plant grass seed in this patch, but if you don’t address what the underlying issue is, it will just reappear again. 

2. Poor Seed-to-Soil Contact

You can’t just throw seed on bare dirt and expect it to grow. You need to prep that bare spot by raking and loosening up the soil while mixing in some compost, topsoil, or, better yet, a sterile seed starter like peat moss or coco coir that's free of weed seed and diseases.

3. Poor Watering Practices

Many homeowners either forget to water or overwater the bare patch. Missing just a couple of waterings in the first weeks will cause your seeds to dry out and never germinate. Some try to compensate by overwatering, which can wash the seed away or cause it to rot before it ever germinates. For best results, water the seed three times a day for five minutes for the first couple of weeks. 

4. Using the Wrong Seed Type

Pay careful attention to the seed you’re buying at the store. Using a shade loving seed in a sunny spot results in poor growth. Also avoid using mixes that contain “annual” ryegrass. This grass germinates quickly and looks great but it's designed to die when temperatures exceed 80°F, returning that patch to bare dirt. 

5. Applying Premergent

Many people make their spring preemergent application then follow up by seeding their bare spots. The problem is, most preemergent isn’t selective and will prevent grass seed and weed seed alike from germinating and growing. If you need to apply a preemergent, look for a selective treatment that contains mesotrione, such as Scott’s Built for Seeding, which allows grass to grow.

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6. Suffocating Seed with Straw

Adding a thin layer of straw over the grass seed can help keep the soil moist, but too thick a layer will deprive your seed of the sunlight it needs to germinate. Too much straw can also cause fungus to grow. Use a very thin layer of straw such that you can see 50% of the seed while standing over it. 

7. Mowing too Soon (or too late)

Mowing new grass before it’s established is a recipe for killing it. Wait until the grass is 4 inches tall (about an inch taller than your desired height) before the first mow. Then carefully mow it. Be careful as the suction created by the mower can pull entire grass seedlings out of the ground. You want to mow it such that the blades of grass tip slightly. This method, called “tillering,” encourages it to spread sideways, filling that bare spot with thick grass.