Reseeding bare patches in the lawn
Difficulty: Easy · Time: approx. 30 minutes
Bare patches in a lawn come from drought, shade, dog urine or heavy use. Reseeding is easy – what matters is good seed-to-soil contact and steady moisture in the first few weeks.
The best time is spring (from ~10 °C soil temperature) or late summer/early autumn. In peak summer heat, fresh seed germinates poorly.
What you'll need
- Grass seed (overseeding mix)
- Rake
- Some fresh garden or lawn soil
- Watering can with a rose head or a hose
- Optional: a little starter fertiliser
Step by step
- 1
Prepare the spot
Remove moss, dead grass and weeds. Lightly scratch the soil surface with the rake so the seeds make contact with the soil.
- 2
Top up soil
For dips, add some fresh soil and level it so the spot sits at the height of the surrounding lawn.
- 3
Sow the seed
Spread the seed evenly (a little denser than the pack says) and rake it in very shallowly.
- 4
Press and water
Press the seed down lightly (tread it or use the back of the rake). Then water gently with a rose head without washing the seeds away.
- 5
Keep moist
Keep the spot evenly moist for 2–3 weeks – in dry weather water lightly every day. Only mow once the new grass is ~8–10 cm tall.
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Upload a photo →Frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to reseed?
- Spring (from about 10 °C soil temperature) or late summer/early autumn. It's then moist and mild enough to germinate – peak summer heat is unfavourable.
- Why won't my reseeding sprout?
- Usually too dry, seeds sat on top without soil contact, or it was too cold. A recently used weed killer can also block germination.