How to Patch a Hole in Your Lawn the Right Way

Lawns are common and essential features of public landscapes, private gardens, and parks. They offer aesthetic pleasure and are ideal for sports and other outdoor recreational use. Having a well-maintained lawn can be beneficial for the environment in many ways, such as reducing wind and water erosion, helping with flood prevention, and providing a cooling effect during hot summer days.

But sometimes, holes and patches are inevitable, even in a well-maintained yard. Uneven lawns often stem from heavy foot traffic, wet soil, and kids & pet activities, among other factors. This creates a safety hazard for walking, mowing and playing.

Fortunately, there are various ways to fix holes in your lawn. Here’s a complete guide to patching a hole in your yard the right way.

1. Mow the Grass Around the Hole

Sometimes it may be difficult to spot a hole in your lawn because it’s covered with grass. This could create a safety hazard, especially if you have children playing in your yard. So, you’ll want to cut down the grass to make the hole(s) visible.

Additionally, mowing the grass around the hole will make the area less noticeable when the grass fills in. And while cutting down the grass around the edges of the hole, get rid of dead overgrowth, weeds, rocks, and other lawn debris.

2. Fill the Hole

How you feel the hole in your lawn will depend on how small or big it is. You’ll need to blend sand/compost with planting soil to patch the hole. You should blend the soil in equal parts to create a mix that will allow the new grass to root effectively into the existing soil. 

Sometimes you may need to contact your local garden center for recommendations on the best soil mix when patching a hole in your lawn.

Before patching the hole, you may need to dig the spot around 4 inches deep and remove the top layer of sod. This is important, especially if the gap stems from a collapsing rodent nest. Digging out the surface will help you locate and fill all the tunnels in and around the hole. 

Tamp the soil gently to fill the hole in your lawn to the brim. Ensure the area is leveled up and ready for seeding.

3. Plant the Right Sod or Seed

At this point, you’ve already filled the hole in your lawn. However, the area isn’t uniform with the rest of your yard. So, you’ll need to plant some sod or seeds around the area.

When buying the seeds, ensure they are of the same species as the grass in your area. This will give your lawn a uniform and consistent appearance in color and texture when patching a hole in your lawn. You can find the appropriate seeds at our Ellicott City and Columbia garden centers!

Seeding by hand doesn’t require any special equipment. You just need to shake or sling the seeds evenly around the area. Lightly sprinkle sand around the area to cover the seeds and prevent erosion and seed movement. Make sure the seeds are not deeper than ¼ inch. 

4. Water the Seed

After filling the hole and planting the seeds or sod, you want to make sure the area is well-saturated to stimulate growth. 

However, the area should be moist and not soaking wet. Depending on the weather, you’ll need to water the area around three times a day using a watering can or garden horse. Avoid mowing the grass until it’s about four to five inches tall. 

Contact Our Lawn Care Experts Today!