Zoysia grass: Patching Bare Spots

If the soil is too high, remove enough grass and soil to reduce the build up.

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Purchase and plant three or four individual plugs of sod.

Sod plugs can be purchased at your local nursery or garden center. Each plug should be roughly 3-4 inches in diameter and cut to a depth of 1 inch. Space the plugs 4-6 inches apart around the perimeter of the bare area.

Plant plugs 4 to 6 inches apart around the outside perimeter of the bare area.

When planting plugs, use a circular pattern and space the plugs 4 to 6 inches apart around the outside perimeter of the bare area. This will allow for rapid coverage, and provide a good base to begin filling in the center as new plants grow. Once you have planted your first row of plugs around the perimeter, start planting a second row inside the first one with 4 to 6 inches between plants. Fill in until there are no bare spots left in that section. Continue filling other areas with new rows of plugs at least 2 or 3 rows deep before coming back and beginning to fill in those areas. You can also plant your plugs in straight lines or other patterns such as grid patterns, triangular patterns or square patterns if you want them uniform when they are finished growing together.

Water each plug as it is placed in the ground and tamp soil in place.

The soil surrounding the plugs should be moist, but not soaking wet or bone dry. Water each plug as it is placed in the ground and tamp soil in place. Watering too much can result in root rot and watering too little leads to dehydration. Tamping the soil down helps form a tight seal with the soil and the plug, which prevents water from running off instead of penetrating into soil to provide moisture to the roots of your new grass plants.

Buy a bag of pre-mixed seed starter.

Don’t buy seed starter mix.

What? That’s crazy talk. I’ve spent the last few paragraphs sprinkling words of encouragement and helpful tips, only to tell you not to do the one thing that will make all your grass patching dreams come true?

Crazy, indeed. Or rather, crEazy.

CrEazy Seed PatchAide is a special mixture of seed and fertilizer that makes for a great starting point for patching a bare spot in your lawn. It contains everything you need: seeds and soil, plus fertilizer to help it grow quickly and for the long term.

There are other products like this on store shelves, but CrEazy Seed PatchAide has an extra advantage: it’s got slow-release fertilizer that will feed your newly planted seedlings as they grow into full-fledged grass plants.

Scatter the seed starter over the entire area lightly.

You will want to spread the seed starter evenly over the entire area. If too much seed starter is applied it can plug gaps in your zoysia lawn and prevent seeds from germinating or take root. Scatter the seed starter over the entire area lightly.

Place a thin layer of topsoil over all with a rake.

Once the seed has been spread, use a rake to gently distribute a thin layer of topsoil over all. What is “thin?” Well, it depends on the seed. A good rule of thumb: if you can’t see your hand through the soil when you hold it up in front of your face, then it’s too thick. Covering with topsoil will help keep the moisture at the surface until germination and establishment occur. Be sure to keep the area watered daily until they do so (usually within 14 days).

Zoysia can be grown from seeds, plugs or sprigs. There are two ways to reseed your lawn if you have just a few patches to fill in.

Although zoysia can be planted from seed, you must use certified weed-free seed and plant it heavily. The best results will come from planting sprigs or stolons (runners), which are available in spring or fall. If you have just a small area to fill, you can repair the bare spot by reseeding, either in spring or fall.

Spring: In spring, your patch will probably require watering two to three times every day until grass starts growing. After that, water it as often as needed so that the soil stays moist but not soggy for about one month. During this time apply starter fertilizer with nitrogen and phosphorus at least once. This is a good time to fill any additional bare spots in your lawn with grass seed
Fall: In fall, overseeding your lawn means sprinkling grass seeds over the existing turf and keeping the soil moist until germination occurs (seeds will germinate at temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Use 1/4 pound of seed per 1,000 square feet for cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and 2 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for warm-season varieties such as buffalograss and bermudagrass. To help prevent disease problems during establishment, avoid mowing when the grass is wet; also remove any matted clippings after mowing rather than leaving them on the lawn surface where they can trap moisture against the plants.