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Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Dead spots can appear in nearly any lawn – caused by fungal disease, pet damage, failed irrigation or excessive foot traffic. The easiest solution is to reseed the damaged area.

Every lawn, eventually over time, will develop dead spots. Maybe the dog has grown a bit too fond of a certain corner, or your watering system just doesn’t reach a particular area with enough moisture. Possibly you’ve discovered just where your children have established home base for the T-ball crowd. Whatever the cause, dead, sparse or severely yellowed spots in an otherwise lush, green lawn are not pretty. Fortunately, there’s an easy remedy.

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Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Step 1: It may seem drastic, but begin by digging the entire dead spot out of the lawn with a shovel. The hole should be at least 12 inches deep, with straight, steep sides.

Reseeding small patches of damaged grass is a painless and inexpensive way to renovate trouble spots in your lawn. First, clip the lawn as low as possible in the dead spot or dig out the dead turf and roots.

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Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Step 2: Refill the hole, using fresh topsoil. While the replacement soil should be loam with good texture, it should have the same general characteristics as that of the rest of your lawn.

Rake the area clear of dead grass, weeds, pebbles and leaves. If the ground is compacted, dig up some of the soil and mix it with fresh topsoil and compost. Be wary of making the patch soil extremely fertile – you may end up with exceptional growth in that one spot, making the rest of your lawn look pale by comparison.