Scarborough lawn, south facing but with a mix of sun and shade is patchy and not looking good. I usually overseed but seem to still face problems. What steps can I take to rehabilitate the lawn this spring? Kill weeds? Fertilize? Overseed? Top dress? I’ve started light raking to clean up after winter,
Thank you for your question. I can sense your frustration. Grass is a very difficult and expensive plant to maintain.
A patchy lawn in spring is very common as turf recovers from winter. Some patches may fill in naturally depending on the species of grass. Bare patches can be caused by any number of factors; soil quality and compaction, insects, animals, competing plants as well as mowing, fertilizing and maintenance practices.
A step-by-step guide and maintenance calendar for lawn care is available from Landscape Ontario.
https://landscapeontario.com/how-to-maintain-a-healthy-lawn
Maybe it’s time to consider an alternative that is more attractive with less care?
Alternate plants and ideas are in this fact sheet LAWN ALTERNATIVES AND ORGANIC CARE OF GROUNDCOVERS
Thanks again for asking A Master Gardener.