Renovation Overseeding on thin or bare patches should be sown in the Autumn.  It should be done after scarification or spiking and before top dressing is applied, at a rate of 17g per m2 (1/2 oz per sq yard).  The golden rule is always to buy the best seed the budget will run to and buy the correct seed mixture.  Ryegrass mixtures are suitable for areas subjected to wear and tear and shade mixtures in the shady areas.

If you want a “show” lawn then oversow with a non Ryegrass mixture, but remember that the finer the grass the more attention it requires.  It will need cutting more often and a regular fertilising programme.  Finer grasses are also more susceptible to disease.