A lawn is most enjoyable when it is beautiful to look at and has no gaps. I'll show you 5 ways to fill gaps.
Barbecues with friends, setting up the porch swing in spring, hours of play with children and pets or uninvited visits from voles and moles - our lawn doesn't have it easy. At the end of the summer you often find that your lawn has suffered and has holes. Find out below how gaps in the lawn can be closed quickly and easily.
What causes gaps in the lawn?
- heavier wear than playing turf
- lack of care
- Burning from cutting the lawn too short or over-fertilizing
- Pest infestation
- Occurrence of moss and weeds
How to close gaps in the lawn?
- Grass Seeds
- Lawn Pavement
- Grass Pads
- Turf turf
- Grass turf
❖ Reseed the lawn
Gaps in the lawn can be overseed in the conventional way. So you put grass seed on the affected areas and wait a while until the grass grows back and the gap gradually closes. Lawn seed is preferably distributed in the months of March and September. In spring and early autumn there is enough rainfall and pleasant temperatures to allow the seeds to grow well.
Tip: If you use lawn seed in the spring, the seed has enough time to develop and form enough roots.
When overseeding, you should use appropriate seeds. A special overseeding, e.g. found here is designed specifically for this purpose and usually grows faster than conventional lawn seeds.
Preparing the lawn for reseeding
The bald spot can be closed better and faster if the substrate is first prepared accordingly. The subsoil is usually compacted and should first be loosened up well. If the bare spot has sunken and does not form a straight line with the rest of the lawn, the resulting hole is filled with soil. You can use conventional garden soil or use the gapclose the potting soil. This has the advantage of not containing any weeds, which you can inadvertently introduce into the lawn by using garden soil. If there is a gap in the lawn because the location is too shady, use special seed mixtures for shady lawns, such as those available here, or consider doing without grass completely in this unfavorable spot.
Tip: Use a scarifier or rake to remove weeds and debris from the old lawn.
Once the soil has been properly prepared, the seed can be distributed. Work the seed into the soil using a rake or scarifier.
Lawn on acid soil?
If there are larger gaps in the lawn and you cannot explain the cause, it could be the ground itself.
Note: Moss will grow on acidic soil instead of grass.
You should know the pH of the soil before taking any further action. The pH can be determined using simple test kits. These can be purchased for less than ten euros in almost every garden center. If you have determined a pH value that is below 6, the lawn cannot absorb enough nutrients from the soil. Before you close the gaps in the lawn, you should neutralize the acid in the lawn with the help of lawn lime. Please note the quantities on the packaging. A spreader can make your work easier on larger lawns.
Fertilize the lawn - do it right
Lawn seed and fertilizer will not become friends. If the soil is already sufficiently fertilized, the lawn seed will probably not form roots and you will wait in vain for the gap in the lawn to close. Some lawn seed manufacturers have thought along with this and are releasing seed mixtures that are enriched with fertilizer that only begins to take effect some time after planting.
Tip: Don't fertilize the lawn until at least six weeks after you have seeded it.
Organic fertilizer is an exception, this can already be applied during sowing.
The new lawn also needs sufficient moisture and must not dry out. If the sown lawn grows back, it should not be walked on for about six weeks. You should also exercise restraint with the lawnmower. Only when the stalks have reached a height of about ten centimeters are the blades of grass shortened to about six centimeters and after another six weeks to five centimetrestrimmed.
Closing larger gaps in the lawn
Grass seed is quickly strewn into a small gap, but what about larger lawns that have become patchy and unsightly? You should prepare the soil first. To do this, dig out about five centimeters of soil and mix the soil with sand, compost and humus. Once you have sufficiently secured the ground, you can spread the lawn seed over a large area. Press the seed well into the ground with a board or spade. The seed should then be moistened well.
Lawn pavement - better than lawn seed?
Lawn pavers offer an all-round solution and are also suitable for difficult soils. These special mixtures consist of lawn seeds, fertilizer and a special substrate that promotes germination even on difficult surfaces.
Apply lawn paving - step by step
- Loosen soil
- Remove weeds and grass clippings
- Apply lawn paving
- Water the soil
- Always provide substrate with sufficient moisture
The soil is first loosened up well. Remove weeds or the remains of dead grass. The lawn patch should be applied to all bald spots evenly and in a layer of about three millimeters. So that the lawn pavement starts to germinate quickly, it must be watered sufficiently. Pour carefully at first. If the germination substrate changes color, it can no longer absorb water and you can stop watering. If the substrate turns a lighter color, this is a sign that it needs moisture again.
Benefits of Lawn Paving vs. Lawn Seed
Lawn Pavement
- easy to use
- only one step necessary
- all components already included
- no preparatory work necessary
- germinates even on difficult soil
- no additional fertilizing
Lawnseed
- easy to use
- inexpensive
Close gaps in the lawn with a lawn pad
If there are only small gaps in your lawn, it's worth using the lawn pad. Here you will find the components of the lawn paving just described concentrated on one pad. The pads are simply placed on the affected area. This happens in a similar way to what is usual with a seed tape. Loosen up the subsoil and clean it sufficiently. The pad is pressed lightly so that it cannot slip.
Hint: ThatLawn pad must always be sufficiently moistened.
Turf turf for repairing larger damaged areas
If there are larger gaps, you won't get very far with a lawn pad. Laying turf is a welcome alternative here. In this way, large gaps in the lawn can be easily closed in a short time. As the name suggests, turf can be purchased on rolls. The product is grown in special lawn nurseries and sold in rolls of one square meter. Expect to pay between five and ten euros per square meter. Although turf is more expensive than lawn seeds, it is also extremely practical. The lawn is easy to lay and can be walked on after just a few hours.
Laying turf - step by step
What is required?
- Knife
- Grass peeler
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Tiller
A lawn peeler can be used to easily remove the old lawn. Loosen the soil sufficiently with a tiller. In order to be able to cut the turf properly, you need a knife that is as sharp as possible. You should have a shovel and wheelbarrow ready for disposal and removal of the old lawn.
Tip: Lawn peelers or tillers can be borrowed from the garden center.
Proceed as follows:
Start laying with a straight edge. To do this, choose the next bed boundary or curbs that have already been set. Unroll the sheets completely and apply to the lawn. The individual strips should lie close together but not overlap. If you need several strips, staggered laying is a good idea. This principle is also common when laying laminate.
Tip: Avoid gaps and overlaps when laying turf.
After laying the turf, water it thoroughly, but make sure that there are no puddles on the lawn. In the first few days, the turf needs more watering.
You can walk on your new lawn the evening after laying it. Be careful when doing this, because the lawn can only be fully used after about a month. You can mow the turf for the first time after just ten days.
Close gaps in the lawn with turf - the simple method
Small gaps in the lawn disappear quickly when you use sod. For this you need an unused piece of lawn, which may have gaps. thereCut out turf of the required size and plant it in the previously loosened soil of the gap in the lawn. Water the new lawn well. After a short time, the turf will have grown well in the lawn and the unwanted gaps will be closed quickly and easily.