Newbie here! Please help with dead patch

[Oliver Buckle]

Here we get it bagged at nurseries, garden centers and Big Box stores. Simply labeled “Topper”; there are various brands.

Found that on the web, I had never heard of it, and I don't think there is anything sold like that over here. B&Q do something I thought might be it at first, but it appears to be top soil based and intended for filling dips and top dressing grass, don't think it would be very good for the job. I don't think there is an equivalent sold over here, probably the nearest would be something like Jack's Magic, a very good quality compost, maybe with a bit of fertiliser added, but I reckon my previous suggestions would probably work reasonably well. If you had a wood burner you could add a bit of wood ash, not too much, and you could sprinkle a bit of bone meal to help with fertility.

 

[Mr FootOfDavros]

We had this terrible bit of land at the back of our house when we moved in a couple of years ago - The previous owners had put a sauna out there, which took up most of the room next to the shed!

Once it was removed along with a couple of small trees, it was this barren patch with limited light, given the neighbouring hedge.

Anyway, I forked and removed as much roots / stones as I could, got some extra toil soil to level it out and then bought some shade tolerent gras mix from Amazon - GBW was the company and it was a Dwarf Amenity Ryegrass and Creeping Red Fescue mix.

Before sewing, I treated the area with Seed & Turf Lawn feed (again from Amazon - "Garden Lawncare Guy") maybe a week or so before.

Then I watered the area well, raked, sewed the seed in, raked again, walked it in, then watered heavily again. Then covered the entire area with a heavy duty clear plastic dust sheets we had left over from our stuff in storage.

Anyway, I never touched it again and left it under the sheets for at least a couple of weeks (the moisture gets trapped in, stopping the soil from drying out)...

It came out great and is still doing well a couple of years on now from initially being planted. About to do a small area at the front of our house soon and will be doing so following exactly the same method.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Then covered the entire area with a heavy duty clear plastic dust sheets we had left over from our stuff in storage.

This works well for getting things to germinate, I have used it for beetroot. It is a little bit warmer, the moisture is constant and there is a bit of humidity.

 

[rrrock99]

Sometimes a dead patch isn’t just about seed — it could be poor soil quality, compaction, or drainage issues underneath.

Here’s what I’d suggest before spending more:
Test the soil – Check pH and nutrient levels (cheap kits online).
Aerate the area – If the soil is compacted, even the best seed won’t take.
Topdress with compost or fresh topsoil before reseeding — this helps improve seed contact and gives it better conditions to grow.
Also, watering twice a day sounds good, but keep the topsoil moist, not soggy.
I work with landscaping supplies, and we often recommend a combo of good topsoil + proper prep before reseeding bare spots. Sometimes that makes all the difference.

 

[John miles]

Sometimes a dead patch isn’t just about seed — it could be poor soil quality, compaction, or drainage issues underneath.

Here’s what I’d suggest before spending more:
Test the soil – Check pH and nutrient levels (cheap kits online).
Aerate the area – If the soil is compacted, even the best seed won’t take.
Topdress with compost or fresh topsoil before reseeding — this helps improve seed contact and gives it better conditions to grow.
Also, watering twice a day sounds good, but keep the topsoil moist, not soggy.
I work with landscaping supplies, and we often recommend a combo of good topsoil + proper prep before reseeding bare spots. Sometimes that makes all the difference.

Great tips! I completely agree—sometimes the issue goes beyond just the seed. Testing the soil and checking for compaction is definitely a smart first step. Aerating makes a huge difference in allowing roots to penetrate deeper, and topdressing with compost or fresh soil helps a lot with seed establishment.

Watering is also key—keeping it moist but not too soggy is the sweet spot for germination. Your suggestion about prepping the area with quality topsoil is spot on; it can really improve seed-to-soil contact and boost growth.

I work in landscaping manassas va, and we often recommend a similar approach—proper prep with good topsoil and aeration makes all the difference for a healthy lawn. Thanks for the insight, it's always good to hear professional recommendations