Bermuda grass is a warm-season turf prized for its dense, deep-green appearance, but even this aggressively spreading grass can develop bare patches. These spots typically result from issues like soil compaction, chemical spills, or excessive shade, disrupting the grass’s network of stolons and rhizomes. Bermuda grass is a self-repairing turf that naturally spreads using these runners and stems. Repairing bare spots is a targeted process that leverages this vigorous growth habit to quickly restore a uniform lawn surface.
Preparing the Bare Area for Repair
Identify and eliminate the underlying cause of the bare spot, ensuring the new growth will not immediately fail. Bare areas often form due to concentrated stress, such as heavy foot traffic leading to soil compaction or localized chemical damage from a fertilizer spill or pet waste. If the area is overly shaded, no amount of repair will succeed, as Bermuda grass requires full, direct sun to thrive.
Once the cause is addressed, prepare the soil to create a receptive bed for new growth. Begin by removing all dead turf, debris, and weeds from the patch to expose the bare soil. Next, loosen the top few inches of soil using a rake, trowel, or a pitchfork to break up compaction and improve aeration. In areas of heavy clay or severe compaction, consider using a core aerator or a simple garden fork to punch holes several inches deep.
After loosening the soil, amend the area by adding a thin layer of topsoil or fine compost to the bare patch. This topdressing provides a nutrient-rich and level surface that encourages root establishment and helps the area blend seamlessly with the surrounding lawn. Rake the amended soil lightly to ensure it is level with the rest of the lawn, providing a smooth transition for the incoming runners or seeds.
Choosing the Right Repair Technique
The most effective repair method depends on the size of the bare patch and the speed at which you need the area to fill in. For small spots, utilize the existing runners from the healthy turf at the edge of the patch. Gently pull the longest stolons from the surrounding grass into the bare area, ensuring they remain attached to the mother plant.
These runners can be secured into the bare soil using U-shaped landscape pins or small wire pieces, a process sometimes called pegging. This action encourages the nodes along the stolon to make firm contact with the soil, promoting new root development and accelerating the lateral spread into the patch. By establishing roots at multiple points, the runner can quickly colonize the open space.
For medium-sized patches or quicker results, transplanting plugs or sprigs is highly effective. Plugs are small cylinders of established turf, typically removed from a healthy, inconspicuous area of the lawn using a specialized tool. Sprigs are individual stems and root fragments harvested from existing runners. Plant plugs or sprigs a few inches apart in the prepared soil, ensuring the top of the plug or sprig is level with the surrounding ground.
If the bare area is large, or if you are repairing multiple scattered patches, seeding is the most practical and economical choice. Bermuda grass seed requires warm soil temperatures, ideally between 65°F and 70°F, for successful germination, making late spring or early summer the optimal planting window. Use a quality hulled or coated Bermuda seed and spread it at a rate of approximately one to two pounds per 1,000 square feet. After broadcasting the seed, cover it lightly with a thin layer of soil (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep) by lightly raking or rolling the area to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
Accelerating Fill-In with Water and Nutrients
Once the repair material is in place, a specific watering regimen is necessary to encourage establishment and the aggressive lateral growth inherent to Bermuda grass. For both seeds and newly planted plugs or sprigs, the soil surface must be kept consistently moist for the first two to three weeks. This requires multiple, short watering cycles throughout the day to prevent the seeds from drying out, which can halt germination. As the new grass begins to emerge and establish a root system, gradually transition to a deeper, less frequent watering schedule.
After the new grass is visibly established and growing, which typically takes four to six weeks, the focus shifts to pushing its natural spreading mechanism. Bermuda grass thrives on nitrogen, which fuels the rapid growth of the stolons and rhizomes needed to fill in open ground. Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 to the repaired area and the surrounding turf. This application should deliver about one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet to maximize the horizontal expansion.
Maintaining a low mowing height is essential for accelerating the fill-in process. Bermuda grass is unique in that a short cut, typically between one and 1.5 inches, forces the plant to dedicate its energy to spreading horizontally rather than growing vertically. This low height encourages the formation of a dense turf mat and ensures the runners actively creep across the soil surface, quickly closing the remaining gaps.