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Find out why it's patchy
Patches usually come down to a handful of causes: compaction, poor drainage, shade, lawn pests, or simply wear and tear. Walking on a waterlogged or frosted lawn is a common culprit — the footprint takes weeks to recover.
Lawn Care6 min read
Fixing a patchy or mossy lawn
Bald patches and moss are fixable. Here's the straightforward sequence to restore a tired lawn.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
A lawn that's thinning, patchy or full of moss usually isn't beyond saving — it's just telling you what it needs. Diagnose the cause, fix the conditions, and a tired lawn can come back strong.
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Moss thrives in the conditions that weaken grass
Moss fills in where the grass is struggling — usually shade, damp, compacted soil or thin turf. Scarfifying moss out helps, but you also need to fix the underlying cause, or it simply returns.
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Aeration and feeding make the difference
Aerating compacted areas lets air, water and food down to the roots, and a balanced feed in the growing season strengthens the grass so it competes with moss and weeds. This is often the fix for a lawn that's quietly failing.
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Reseed bare patches properly
For genuinely bare areas, loosen the soil, scatter grass seed, firm it in and keep it consistently moist until it establishes. A little top dressing helps new seed hold where the old lawn struggles to recover on its own.
Need a hand with this in your own garden?
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