Dirt patches and bare spots in your yard are never a fun problem to deal with. Luckily, there are quite a few ways to fix this issue. From easy fixes to building lawn-enhancing features, here’s how to cover patches of dirt in your yard – 4 practical ways!
How To Cover Patches of Dirt in Your Yard
Once you own your own house, it’s hard not to care about the way your yard looks. Sure, it doesn’t have to be the best-looking one on the block, but you don’t want it to be hideous to look at, either. It’s normal to want to fix it up a bit, especially if there are several patches of dirt.
Spots where the grass isn’t growing never look good, but fortunately, this is a pretty easy problem to remedy. There are plenty of ways to cover patches of dirt in your yard, and we’re here to go over the best solutions for doing so that will help you to plan a strategy for getting rid of them (or covering them up!)
How To Cover Patches of Dirt in Your Yard – Plant New Grass
The most obvious solution to fixing dirt patches would be to fill them in with more grass. You can either plant some grass seeds or lay out some sods of grass. Regardless of your chosen method, you should never put in the new grass immediately.
Often, there’s no growth there for a reason, as the soil in the patchy area likely lacks nutrients. You’ll need to till the ground by digging at least five inches into the dirt and mixing the soil around, which will help aerate it. Follow this up by watering the area. Once you complete these steps, the new grass you put in will have a much better chance of surviving.
Additionally, and this is from experience, your soil may be too acidic compliments of pine needles falling into it. We actually had to add lime to our soil and then plant seed – worked like a charm! If you’re unsure of the type of soil you have, get it tested.
How To Cover Patches of Dirt in Your Yard – Create a Garden
If the dirt patches are near the edge of your house or a walkway, you could turn them into a little garden. Due to the potential lack of nutrients in the area, you’ll also need to till the dirt beforehand. You could also use a raised garden bed or box.
You can buy some flowers or possibly even try your hand at planting some vegetables. Turning your patches of dirt into a small garden area could be a new way to get outside and enjoy your yard.
How To Cover Patches of Dirt in Your Yard – Lay Out Mulch or Rocks
If there are still patches of dirt near your new garden or around some bushes or trees in your yard, another way to cover them could be to lay out some mulch or rocks.
Rocks are great because they come in various shapes and colors, making your yard more vibrant than ever before. However, mulch might be the better option for your space. While there are many benefits to adding mulch to your yard, the most important one is how it helps trap moisture in the ground below.
Since these dirt patches most likely came from a lack of nutrients, mulch can help the soil thrive again.
How To Cover Patches of Dirt in Your Yard – Build a Porch or Deck
The last option for covering up dirt patches is to build a porch or deck on top of them. While this might be the most time-consuming (and costly) option, it’s a great excuse for upgrading your backyard. If you’ve always wanted to entertain guests outside, you’ll need a place for them to gather, and porches and decks are perfect for that.