Turf Builder or New lawn seed

[steve]

Last fall I started a lawn from scratch. I live in Northern Jersey. After a couple applications last fall, and one more, this March, the lawn is looking half-way decent.

However, there are quite a bit of very large bald spots. Should I use Turf-Builder for these bald spots, or should I use new starter seed.

Also, what would be the best way to aerate this spots before setting down the seed. I'm a little concerned that I'll destroy my existing lawn if I scratch it with a rake.

Thanks for any advice.

[Kay Lancaster]

A little fertilizer, a little water, a little spot seeding. Most of the NE US turf grasses are species that spread, so they'll need a bit of time to fill in. But if you've got big bald spots, I'd reseed, either now (probably with something like buckwheat, by my preference), or wait till late summer/early fall and reseed the bald spots. With high night temperatures and high soil temperatures, Ky bluegrass and most of the fescues won't be germinating well -- they'll do better in the fall.

First question is, why the bald spots? Did you just not water there? Friendly neighborhood dog tore up the area? Something wrong with the growing conditions that you need to correct? You really shouldn't need to aerate, if the soil bed was in decent condition last fall. Just scratch up the surface, firm in the seed, toss some compost or mulch over it and keep it watered. But do try to figure out why the bald patches... and don't worry about scratching up the few sprigs of grass that might be there with a garden rake.

Kay

[Beecrofter]

Start with a soil test.

[steve]

Thanks for the advice.

I think the bald spots might be due to my dog, also I may not have seeded properly (I'm a roookie at this). I'm gonna take your advice and reseed the spots and see what happens.