Lawns often have areas of thin grass or bare spots, which detract from the overall appearance. In most cases, the rest of the lawn is in good condition, and the homeowner doesn't want to tear it out and start over again. Provided there are no major external causes for the bare spots or thin areas, they can usually be easily repaired by reseeding.

Many people attempt to correct bare and thin patches merely by scattering seed over the spots. This is a waste of time and money. Follow these guidelines to reseed bare spots.

• First, clip the lawn low to get rid of as much existing vegetation as possible.
• Remove dead grass and leaves near the soil surface with a rake. The soil surface should be completely exposed.
• Fill low spots with good soil if necessary.
• Loosen the soil already present in bare spots.

Once you have exposed and loosened the soil, you can seed the spot. Pack or firm the soil lightly after seeding, and continue to clip low, until the new grass establishes itself. Keep the newly seeded areas moist until the grass is up. Weed-free straw or hay mulch helps conserve moisture.

In Minnesota, late summer or early fall, August 15 to September 15, is an excellent time of year to seed lawn grasses.

Introducing lower maintenance turf varieties into an existing lawn can be done through some type of overseeding practice. Selecting grass varieties adaptable to lower input levels is the first important step in making the transition to a lawn adaptable to lower inputs.

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