Experts reveal how to repair bald lawn patches after a summer of heat and drought – the simple steps to help your grass recover
Lawn looking patchy and unhappy? This is what the experts advise...
Wondering how to repair bald patches in a lawn? You're certainly not alone; after weeks of relentless sunshine and soaring temperatures, lawns up and down the country are looking extremely worse for wear.
Once lush green spaces have become patchy, brittle and dotted with bald spots where the grass has seemingly disappeared altogether. Even the best lawn care tips seem as if they can only do so much to help, even for those who have stuck to their lawn care calendar with an almost religious zeal over the past few months.
Still, there is good news: a lawn which looks beyond saving isn't necessarily dead! During prolonged dry spells, established grass often goes dormant to conserve energy, turning brown until cooler (and wetter!) conditions arrive. Still, while some areas may bounce back naturally after rainfall, genuine bare patches where the grass has completely died? Those will need a little extra attention.
How to repair bald patches in lawns, according to experts
If you want to figure out how to repair bald patches in lawns, the key is knowing when to act. Although it can be tempting to reach for grass seed and start overseeding as soon as you spot a bald patch, lawn experts say patience pays off.
In fact, waiting until temperatures drop and the soil regains some moisture will give new grass the best possible chance of establishing before winter. And, for areas where the grass has genuinely disappeared, however, autumn is the ideal time to repair them.
'Established grass can turn brown and appear dead during a drought, but the roots are most likely still alive,' says Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.
Morris Hankinson is the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd, the UK’s only specialist grower-retailer of hedging plants. He established the thriving business in 1992, shortly after graduating with a Commercial Horticulture Degree from Writtle College, Essex.
'The lawn should naturally revive when the rain returns, so trying to keep an established lawn green by watering it during a dry spell is a difficult and unnecessary task,' he adds.
When conditions improve, Morris recommends removing dead grass from the affected area, loosening any compacted soil with a garden fork, adding a light layer of topsoil or compost, then sowing a drought-tolerant grass seed mix (like Miracle-Gro's professional drought-tolerant lawn seed, £13 at Amazon) before gently raking it in.
'Water is essential for seed germination so it’s worth waiting until the weather is ideal,' Morris stresses. 'If you are subject to a hosepipe ban, follow the restrictions and tend to your plants rather than your lawn because established lawns usually survive some drought and recover when wetter weather returns.'
Bald lawn patch repair essentials
Sprinkle some topsoil over bald patches in your lawn before scattering seed mix.
Take care to remove old and dead grass before you set to work repairing your lawn.
It is always a good idea to aerate your lawn if the ground feels very compacted.
Matt J Adams, founder and lead gardener at The Relentless Gardener, agrees that preparing the area properly is just as important as the seed itself.
'Bald patches can quickly make an otherwise healthy lawn look tired, but they're usually straightforward to repair,' he says. 'Start by raking out the dead grass and lightly disturbing the soil, then mow the surrounding grass to around a minimum of 45mm so the new seed has plenty of light and space to establish.'
He adds that if the soil is particularly compacted, it's worth aerating the area before applying a light layer of topsoil. After sowing something like The Relentless Gardener Premium Shade Grass Seed, cover it with another thin layer of topsoil and gently tread or roll the area to improve seed-to-soil contact.
Once the new grass begins to establish, Matt advises against feeding only the repaired section. Instead, feed the entire lawn when it's next due so that all of the grass remains on the same feeding schedule, resulting in a healthier, more even lawn overall.
FAQs
Why has my lawn got bald patches?
Bald patches in a lawn can be caused by several things, including heavy foot traffic, drought, poor soil, shade, pests or lawn diseases. Even our pets can be the cause of a few bald patches, as anyone with a dog prone to zoomies will attest!
Grass can also become thin or die back if it has been cut too short, lacks nutrients, or has become compacted. And, of course, prolonged heat can dry out the soil and put grass under drought stress (although it should usually bound back when temperatures return to normal and rain levels improve).
Will a patchy lawn recover?
A patchy lawn will recover if the underlying cause is addressed and conditions are suitable for grass growth, thin areas can gradually fill in naturally. More severe or completely bare patches may need to be repaired by raking away dead grass, improving the soil and reseeding or laying new turf. Regular watering, appropriate mowing and feeding can then help the lawn establish strong, healthy growth.
It is more than understandable that, after a long and very hot summer like the one we have all just endured (and are still enduring!), a patchy lawn can look alarming. Still, there’s no need to give up on it just yet, as much of the damage may be temporary; established grass should be more than capable of recovering once cooler temperatures and regular rainfall return.
If you need to learn how to repair bare patches in lawns, though, be sure to wait until autumn before you set to work. By waiting for the world to get blissfully cooler and damper, and by taking the time to prepare the soil properly, you can give new grass the best chance of establishing before winter.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the summer months, essentially. Here's hoping, anyway! Good luck...
