Question
Hi.

A truck ran over my lawn during a soggy day and left a 10 foot rut about 7 inches deep. I want to reseed the area. Do I have to dig up and remove the compacted grass at the bottom of the rut or can I leave it and just fill the rut in with soil and seed?

Thanks

Answer
Good morning Paul:
Unfortunately you did not give me your location so I will have to assume you reside in a cool season grass zone. Anytime a vehicle of any weight leaves ruts in the yard there will be a compaction problem. My suggestion would be to dig up the rut either with a garden fork or a power tiller. Refill the area with good organic soil until it is approximately 2 inches above the existing soil line. Let the soil in that area settle until next spring. Early next spring (late March or early April) re-dig to about 3 inches deep and plant a mixture of  Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye grass. The blue grass will be slow to germinate but it will have rhizomes that will fill in the rut area. The perennial ryegrass will germinate faster to hold the soil until the bluegrass takes over. For more immediate results you could use sod.

Good luck:
Floyd McMahon