The Grass Doctor

Bare areas on lawn, need grass seeding I think.?

We have a few bare spots in our lawn due to equipment being operated and tore up the lawn somewhat. In another area, we have a red maple under which grass won't grow. Are there any tips for growing grass in these areas? The areas are not very big and too small for sodding I think.

Public Comments

1. Growing grass under heavy shade trees is taxing. You can improve the light coming in by removing lower branches and having the crown professionally thinned by a certified arborist. I wouldn't hire anyone else as "Joe Pickup Truck" could destroy a great tree. Other option is shade loving plants under the maple such as hostas. Or you can put down a nice mulch and forget about plants. As for the bare lawn, if you want to seed those areas that are torn up reseed with perennial ryegrasses because they germinate quickly and look like bluegrass or a thinleaf fescue. As for sodding, you can buy a single roll and repair quickly...remember to keep the patches moist until the roots move into the new area. Personally, I'd probably let the bluegrass (I'm assuming that's what you have) fill in the bare areas if they are truly not too large. Seeding, even small areas requires keeping the area moist and I'm not good at that at all.
2. check with your hardware store and get some of the seed that is for that