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Whether or not grass will fill in bare spots itself depends on the type of grass you have. For example, grass with rhizomes (e.g., Bermuda grass) and stolons (e.g., Saint Augustine grass) will naturally fill in bald spots as it spreads laterally. However, clump-forming grasses will not spread. 

Depending on the species, most fescue grasses thrive in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8, though some varieties can thrive as far as zone 10. While it’s a cool-season grass, it has the unique ability to adapt and thrive in many different types of climates. For this reason, you'll mostly find fescue grasses throughout the transitional temperature zones of the country.

If you apply too much fertilizer to your grass, it can take about three weeks to recover. If you still have dead patches after three weeks, it might be time to remove the dead grass and overseed the affected area. Since overfertilizing can also cause problems with fungus, leading to further damage to the grass, monitor your grass color and growth for one month after over fertilizing.

If you plan on laying new grass seed, try to wait eight weeks before stepping on it. You might need to wait an entire season to drive your car across the driveway. Sod establishes itself in the ground in about two weeks.