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Does It Really Do That: Patch Perfect

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― We had so many requests for this one. Patch Perfect. It sells for about twenty dollars plus nine dollars shipping and handling. Patch Perfect promises to grow grass just about anywhere...in the shade, on pet spots, even on concrete. The infomercial says you can just place Patch Perfect directly on top of concrete without dirt or mulch.

"It still grows, " the infomercial promises. "It's like grass seed on steroids.. It grows anywhere."

But does it really do that?

I asked Doug Oster, Garden Guru for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette to help us find out. Doug agrees to try to grow grass the Patch Perfect way..as long as he can also grow grass his way..what he says is the right way.

So we pick a shady spot where grass just doesn't want to grow. We test our grass seed side by side, both grass seed mixes contain rye, fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. We begin with Patch Perfect, but right off the bat, we find out it's not as easy as the infomercial promises.

Here's what the infomercial says. "just spread it and forget it".

Here's what the directions on the package say. First remove debris and dead grass from the area. Then rake the area, turning over one to two inches. Then it says to spread the seed with its special blue covering. That's what Patch Perfect calls its own eco system. Next step water and keep Patch Perfect moist for two weeks. That's hardly just spreading and forgetting, but a lot less work than the traditional way of planting grass.

For that, Doug uses a grass seed specially formulated for Pennsylvania. Doug digs his soil twice as deep, about three to four inches. He then improves the clay we are planting in with an organic soil and works it in a bit. Only then does Doug spread the seed mix. He works it down into the soil one more time. He wets the seed down, covers the entire area with straw to keep the area wet and wets it down again.

Doug admits his way is more work.

"This is definitely going to be much more difficult but my gut feeling tells me it's going to more effective."

We move on to those pet spots. Patch Perfect claims to neutralize the urine and grow there, too.

Now the boldest claim of all..growing grass on concrete. We pour some Patch Perfect seed on a stone wall and then on the concrete drive beside it.

We return in twelve days. How did our grass grow? Doug Oster admits he is surprised. Patch Perfect grew and grew well.

It's a rich green that matches the lawn perfectly. Doug's efforts paid off too. His grass grew well. We think it's a bit thicker than the Patch Perfect, but not as pretty a color of green.

The grass in the pet spot wasn't as impressive, but it is growing too. So far, Patch Perfect is doing the job.

Now on to that concrete. Did Patch Perfect grow on the concrete? No, of course not. Not one blade. Nothing.

And one more claim that Patch Perfect made that didn't pan out. It's supposed to cover one hundred square feet. That's a ten by ten area. It didn't even come close.

But in the end, did Patch Perfect really do that?

Doug Oster says yes, a definate thumbs upl.

"Not thinking about the price..telling you what it does.. The grass looked good," explains Oster. "If you don't want to do all that extra work..This is perfect really."

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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