Sep 05 2008
Repairing Your Pool Ring Lawn
This last summer, I decided that I was going to buy one of those large inflatable pools. They are slightly bigger than a kiddie pool, with 2 and a half feet of water and my kids could go in, swim around and I didn’t have to worry about the water being over their head, of course I was always in the pool or beside the pool when they were in there.
When it was time to take the pool down, we were left with that horrible brown spot in the middle of our lawn (okay, not quite the middle because I had it off to the side). Still, the lawn looks awful and there is very little that I can do to fix it now.
Next year, however, I can ensure that my lawn comes back as green as the rest by just following a few simple steps.
- Find a grass seed that is similar to the grass in your yard. It doesn’t have to be the same seed, something that can be hard to find if you didn’t lay the original sod, but there are many varieties that will blend in.
- Before you apply the grass seed, get the space ready. Just like when you are aerating the yard, prick the soil with a rake or a fork. Don’t go too deep since this is just a brick and not a full aeration.
- As you work, remove any weeds, no sense leaving them there to choke the seeds you are putting down.
- Take a steel head rake and level the surface that is bald or brown. The rake will create a small furrows for your grass seed.
- Apply a thin layer of compost (about an inch) if you are not working with a bald space. You can also use a starter soil. Use the rake to create the small furrows.
- Add the grass seed across the space. Make sure it covers well.
- Take the rake and lightly draw it across the area in right angles. This will cover the furrows with a thin layer of the soil or compost.
- Finish off by stretching black cotton thread over the area and tying the thread down with some stakes. This will keep the birds from eating all the seeds.
- Finally, water and continue to water.
One final point to mention about repairing your lawn is to repair in October or early November at the latest. If it is too hot or dry, your grass seeds are not going to have a chance to grow and you will have wasted both the time and money it took to apply the seed.
All the best and goodluck with that green lawn.
Sirena Van Schaik
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