Repairing dead lawn...

[DitchPanda]

So we had a bad drought last year and lawns really took a beating. My lawn has come back pretty well but I do have a few big dead spots I need to take care of. I've never seeded so I'm wondering what is the right way to do it? What grass seed would you suggest? What prep work if any do I need to do before hand?

[The Bassman]

Just rake off the dead stuff then scratch up the soil so the seed has a place to root. Get a good bluegrass and tall fescue blend. Don't scatter it too thick. Lightly shake the dead stuff over the top of it to hold moisture and discourage birds. Keep it damp and stand back. You'll get a lot of weeds at first but don't spray them until you're able to mow a few times. You might have to hand weed until fall cause you don't want to use weed killer once the temp gets above 80 or so. Good luck.

[Deleted account]

32 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

Get a good bluegrass and tall fescue blend. 

I've heard that a blend of Kentucky bluegrass and sin semilla  will grow taller, or was it higher...

[gim]

I would buy a roll of sod and cut it up into patches that you need to replace on your lawn.  That is what I do.  I've never had great luck with seed because it takes so long.  Sod is an instant fix.  Just water the crap out of it and make sure its taken root before you mow it.  Obviously if its a really big area then sod isn't realistic.  Remove the old dead grass first and a scoop of potting soil that contains nutrients will really help it grow quick.

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, DitchPanda said:

My lawn has come back pretty well but I do have a few big dead spots I need to take care of. 

That's where the cornhole boards go

[Junger]

Mow the bare spots at the lowest setting you can, then take a weed whacker and scalp it down to expose the dirt. Till it, by hand works but at least use something to loosen up the soil. Use some seed (whatever mix you decide), some starter fertilizer, and then put some peat moss on it and lightly water it 2-3 times a day. Depending on the soil temps is how fast they germinate and sprout. If you water it and it's puddling on the peat moss, that's too much. Or go the sod route, but I prefer to see stuff grow.

[Dwight Hottle]

1 hour ago, Junger said:

Mow the bare spots at the lowest setting you can, then take a weed whacker and scalp it down to expose the dirt. Till it, by hand works but at least use something to loosen up the soil. Use some seed (whatever mix you decide), some starter fertilizer, and then put some peat moss on it and lightly water it 2-3 times a day. Depending on the soil temps is how fast they germinate and sprout. If you water it and it's puddling on the peat moss, that's too much. Or go the sod route, but I prefer to see stuff grow.

Good advice. Yes you need starter fertilizer to jump start the seed & watering. The peat moss helps hold the moisture in. 

[Way2slow]

At least yours are not dead spots because of believing what you read on the internet.  

Last year, I tilled and sodded half my backyard with Zenith Zoysia.  By the beginning of winter in November I had a nice thick green carpet lawn.  I was getting a good many weeds coming up in places during the winter, so while it was dormant in Jan, I read on the net, it was safe to spray Roundup on the weeds.  Since it only works through the leaves, the weed leaves were green and active, and the grass was brown and dormant, it wouldn't hurt the grass.  WRONG!!!  In March, when the Zoysia started turning green, the Roundup has killed the crap out of large patches of grass.  Now I've got to try buying some Zenith Zoysia seeds and see if I can get it back.  Which supposedly this is a hard grass to grow from seed, and the seeds are not cheap by no means, but the only way I can get sod is at a minimum of 500sq. ft. and I don't need a fourth of that.

In your case, I would check with the county extension agent or some landscaper's and see what's a good, drought tolerant grass that will give you the look you want. 

 

[DitchPanda]

Thank you for all the replies

[Biglittle8]

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

I would buy a roll of sod and cut it up into patches that you need to replace on your lawn.  That is what I do.  I've never had great luck with seed because it takes so long.  Sod is an instant fix.  Just water the crap out of it and make sure its taken root before you mow it.  Obviously if its a really big area then sod isn't realistic.  Remove the old dead grass first and a scoop of potting soil that contains nutrients will really help it grow quick.

☝️This! Lowes sells sod in our area. 

[TnRiver46]

12 hours ago, Way2slow said:

At least yours are not dead spots because of believing what you read on the internet.  

Last year, I tilled and sodded half my backyard with Zenith Zoysia.  By the beginning of winter in November I had a nice thick green carpet lawn.  I was getting a good many weeds coming up in places during the winter, so while it was dormant in Jan, I read on the net, it was safe to spray Roundup on the weeds.  Since it only works through the leaves, the weed leaves were green and active, and the grass was brown and dormant, it wouldn't hurt the grass.  WRONG!!!  In March, when the Zoysia started turning green, the Roundup has killed the crap out of large patches of grass.  Now I've got to try buying some Zenith Zoysia seeds and see if I can get it back.  Which supposedly this is a hard grass to grow from seed, and the seeds are not cheap by no means, but the only way I can get sod is at a minimum of 500sq. ft. and I don't need a fourth of that.

In your case, I would check with the county extension agent or some landscaper's and see what's a good, drought tolerant grass that will give you the look you want. 

 

I have zoysia, it’s beautiful from may-oct then super yellow the rest of the year. Once the grass gets going the weeds can’t compete. In early spring I have onions and nut sedge while the zoysia remains dormant 

 

here’s what it looked like Tuesday , starting to green up already but I guess may is close 

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

Where are you?  Ive done lawn repair and care etc for most of my life...

 

[DitchPanda]

32 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Where are you?  Ive done lawn repair and care etc for most of my life...

 

Northwest Iowa

[A-Jay]

I let Scott's do it.

?

A-Jay

[N Florida Mike]

9 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Northwest Iowa

I do consulting for that in florida. I dont know anything about grass in Iowa but it may be fescue. I would sod if you can instead of seeding. My son lived in Omaha for awhile, and it had a lot of clay and kind of rocky soil if I remember correctly. So if it’s like that where you are you definitely want to till it first, rake it level ,remove weeds, old grass, rocks, roots as you go. Then get an edge around the whole perimeter so the sod fits in when its layed and the roots are not exposed. All the sod in the interior fits together so the roots wont be exposed there if it’s level. 

[E-rude dude]

Have a very large tree that sheds an in believable amount of leaves. You can’t rake  them all before winters snow fall no matter how hard you try.

This results in some bare spots. I just use this. It works great. Seed, Mulch, fertilizer all in one. It grows fast.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/g--3188-amturf-ultra-lawn-patch-sun-and-shade-mix.html

Just get a good thatching rake and seed bare and thinning areas. Water, water, water.

[Chris at Tech]

There’s a few good YouTube channels for lawn care.  Find the one closest to you and watch a few vids.

[slonezp]

On 4/21/2021 at 2:06 PM, gimruis said:

I would buy a roll of sod and cut it up into patches that you need to replace on your lawn.  That is what I do.  I've never had great luck with seed because it takes so long.  Sod is an instant fix.  Just water the crap out of it and make sure its taken root before you mow it.  Obviously if its a really big area then sod isn't realistic.  Remove the old dead grass first and a scoop of potting soil that contains nutrients will really help it grow quick.

Unless you have dogs. Did this when I still had dogs and they decided the sod was a toy. They dragged the sod all over the yard and tore it up.

[Allen Der]

scotts EZ seed or pennington one step are good for bare spots.  very simple to use