Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Treat a Sparse, Spotty Lawn
How to Treat a Sparse, Spotty Lawn. A spotty and sparse lawn isn't typically the look most homeowners long for. Rather, many want their grass to be lush, bright green and beautiful. Spotty lawns occur for a variety of reasons, including soil compaction. When the soil is compacted, the grass roots can't dig their way down and grow. Additionally, the...
A spotty and sparse lawn isn't typically the look most homeowners long for. Rather, many want their grass to be lush, bright green and beautiful. Spotty lawns occur for a variety of reasons, including soil compaction. When the soil is compacted, the grass roots can't dig their way down and grow. Additionally, the water can't get through the dirt to nourish the roots. Such an issue often happens when soil is heavy on the clay. Fortunately, resolving the matter isn't too difficult, with the help of the proper tools.
Things You'll Need
Hose
Aerator
Grass seed
Seeder
Water your lawn. Your lawn needs to receive about an inch of water to properly aerate the soil. Place a container, such as a bowl, in the grass and draw a mark where an inch occurs. You'll know you've watered the grass with an inch of water when the water hits the inch mark.
Check the soil two days after you've added the inch of water. Waiting two days allows the water to penetrate the soil and become moist, making aerating much easier. If your soil has dried out, spray it down again with water until it becomes moist.
Aerate the soil with an aerator. Sit the aerator on the ground, turn it on and walk back and forth in your yard to punch holes in the soil and remove the grass plugs. Aeration works best when performed in at least two different directions; therefore, push the aerator up and down your lawn, and then from side to side.
Pour the amount of seed you want to spread inside a seeder, immediately after aerating. Adjust the setting on the seeder for the rate the seeds disperse; look at the seed bag's label for instructions, as it varies per type of grass. Walk back and forth in your lawn to spread the seed. Use a slit-seeder in places that are extremely bare. These devices actually create holes in the soil for the seeds to drop into.
Water the seeds until the ground is moist. You'll need to water the seeds every few days or so, depending on the grass and your climate. Mow the grass once it begins to grow. If you don't, the old grass will grow taller than the new grass and block it from getting sunlight.
Tips & Warnings
Aerators are typically available for purchase or rent at hardware or home improvement stores.
