Thin or bare spots in a lawn usually occur for a reason, and their cause should be investigated prior to repair. If the source of poor turf is a problem with the soil, such as heavy clay or rocky soil, soil amendments may be necessary prior to establishing turf. In many instances, buried objects such as rocks and tree stumps may be the reason for poor turf, and these objects should be removed prior to repair. If the bare areas are the result of damage from a single occurrence, such as construction, you should be able to repair the area easily. One of the simplest ways to repair small bare areas in a lawn is to sod it. Take pieces of sod from a low visibility area and install it in the high visibility bare spots. Be sure to cut pieces deep enough to get the roots and dig out the area where the sod will be installed to allow for a good, level fit. The area where the sod was removed can then be filled with soil, raked heavily, seeded, and watered. It is also important to keep the newly installed sod moist until it is well rooted.

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