Lawn Repair: How to get rid of larger gaps in the lawn?

Do you have unsightly gaps in your lawn that you want to fix as soon as possible? Then check out our lawn repair tips.

Holes in the lawn can have various causes, but the bare spots have one thing in common: They look ugly and invite weeds and wild grass to settle and spread. That is why it makes absolute sense to eliminate lawn damage promptly by repairing the lawn. We will show you what a lawn repair mixture can look like, what is important when it comes to grass seed for reseeding and how exactly one or the other hole in the lawn can be repaired.

When is lawn repair necessary?

A lawn repair is necessary if a lawn has large gaps, such as those caused by digging dogs, placing planters on the lawn or when weeds are cut out over a large area. Such large gaps entail the risk that weeds and grass weeds will establish themselves before the surrounding lawn can close the gap.

Your lawn may also have holes in it or be bare in large areas because "trails" lead across it. But dog urine on the lawn and the associated over-fertilization with nitrogen can also cause flat areas to appear. Sometimes a lawn repair is necessary even after extreme drought. In order to restore the beautiful appearance of your lawn and to give weeds no chance, a suitable lawn repair is also worthwhile and sensible in these cases.

Note: Lawn repair and lawn reseeding are not the same!
While lawn repairs are intended to quickly green up large gaps in the lawn, reseeding the lawn serves the purpose Supplementing the entire lawn area with grasses that are not or no longer present in the area for various reasons. With the help of lawn seeds for reseeding, the lawn becomes denser and more regeneration-friendly. So if you tend to have a number of small holes in your lawn, you might be more interested in reseeding the lawn.

Buy a lawn repair: That's what it comes down toto

The most important properties of a lawn repair are rapid germination and quick, dense coverage of the imperfections in the lawn. Because only through competitive and rapid growth can a quick optical effect be achieved on the one hand, and on the other hand the establishment of unwanted plants at this point is effectively prevented. But especially with large gaps in the lawn, a seed mixture for lawn repairs must not only consist of fast-growing grasses. Lawn grasses with good stamina and low demands on water and nutrient supply are also important in order to keep the gap green for a long time. This gives the rest of the lawn enough time to grow over the temporarily closed gap from the edge, so that the composition of the grass becomes uniform again over the entire area.
We at Plantura use German for our high-quality lawn repairs Ryegrass (Lolium perenne ′New Orleans′) and Red Fescue (Festuca rubra rubra). Due to the vigorous growth of perennial ryegrass, gaps in the lawn are closed promptly. Festuca rubra rubra contributes its undemanding nature and tolerance to diseases and adverse growing conditions. In order to achieve high quality and germination, we only use RSM-certified seeds, which are subject to stricter controls and achieve higher germination rates. The use of such high-quality seed is recommended, as it avoids seeding that is too dense or too thin and promotes an even emergence of he althy grasses.

Our Plantura lawn repair not only contains the right seed, but also a water-storing and light substrate made of granulated coconut fiber and of course our Plantura organic lawn fertilizer. This increases the grasses' chance of survival in the sensitive germination phase and stimulates growth in a natural way.

Note: Instead of repairing the lawn, it is theoretically also possible to use old seed from the lawn. High-quality seed (RSM) can easily be stored in a cool, dry and dark place for a year without losing its ability to germinate. However, if the seed is of poor quality or has been stored incorrectly, you should stop using it after a year. However, keep in mind that regular lawn seed mixes germinate less quickly than lawn repairs. This can make it easier for weeds and weeds to take root, which is why we recommend using a special lawn repair.

Mending the lawn: how to do it?

Between April and October loosen up the existing bald spot a little, apply the lawn repair, press down lightly and water extensively. If the lawn repair mixture is kept well moist, the first stalks will appear after 10 to 24 days.
To repair your lawn, use a special lawn repair mixture that mainly contains fast-germinating perennial ryegrass. Mixtures with a germination substrate and fertilizer such as our Plantura lawn repair optimize the result of lawn repairs.

The following are all the steps for repairing large gaps in the lawn:

1. In the best case, choose late spring or early fall for a lawn repair. In principle, the lawn can be repaired between April and October. The ground should be permanently warmer than 12 °C and damp weather is best.
2. Prepare the bare spot in the lawn by loosening the soil deeply and removing weeds, their roots and stones.
3. Now spread the lawn repair over the area. For example, from our Plantura lawn repair you need 150 g/m².
4. Now press the seed and soil, a wide footboard is well suited. This establishes contact between the seed and the soil, the water supply is secured and germination can begin.
5. Care for the newly seeded gaps by watering daily so the seed never dries out completely. After 10 to 24 days - depending on the weather - the first fresh stalks will appear.