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If an extreme dry season has taken its toll on your lawn and your lawn is like a fake tan gone wrong – brown and patchy – we can step you through what to do to get a lackluster lawn back to a healthy carpet of lush green.

When your lawn is patchy after a dry Winter

Spring is a great time for sowing grass seed as the soil temperature is high.  Seeds will germinate quickly and outgrow the weeds, filling in any gaps to create a thicker, lusher look.  Spring rains will help encourage growth.

When your lawn has been fried by the strong Summer sun

You can still sow seed if you are in a region with a mild Autumn. However, if the soil temperature is already too cold for seed to germinate quickly and roots to develop, feeding the lawn and cutting regularly to encourage the existing grass to spread may be the best method of revival.

If your lawn has gone brown, take stock and assess the damage. Some grass types will go dormant while keeping good root structure, ready to flourish when the rains arrive.  If you are able to find some green shoots amongst the brown, then the lawn is salvageable.

Clay Soils

If you have a heavy clay soil with poor drainage, you may need to apply liquid calcium clay breaker like Super Cal to boost water penetration and improve the soil structure.  Super Cal is fast acting and 1L is more effective than using 20kg of Gypsum. It is available as a convenient hose on spray or can be popped into a watering can for smaller areas.

 

THE REVIVAL PROCESS – If Using Seed

PREPARE:  Use a rake or spike roller to aerate the soil and get it ready for seeding. This is an important step as the seeds won’t grow if the ground is hard and cracked.  You may choose to add a light layer of topsoil if after raking the soil is still clumpy and hard.

APPLY SEED: Seed the patchy areas with grass seed using a spreader if you have one.  Use a roller or your feet to lightly press down the soil or use a rake to lightly scarify the surface of the soil.

WATERING: Once seeded, the lawn will need to be kept moist with regular light watering to ensure the lawn doesn’t dry out.  Heavy watering will result in washed out areas and patchy growth.   Once the seeds are 8 -10 weeks, move to watering deeply once  or twice a week to ensure the roots grow deep into the soil, helping to drought proof your lawn in future dry spells.

FERTILISE: Once the seed has sprouted, a liquid fertiliser like Super Growth Liquid or Neptune Seaweed will give the new shoots a boost.   An organic based pelletised fertiliser like Super Grass every 6 weeks will slowly release the nutrients needed to keep the lawn healthy, thick and green.  The balanced ingredients improve the soil at the same time as feeding the grass, meaning stronger roots and healthier grass.  Any fertiliser that contains organic matter will help build and improve the soil over time.  Organic matter helps with moisture retention and drought proofing the lawn as well as helping the soil retain nutrients.

MOWING: Mowing is a key part of reviving a tired and damaged lawn.  When seeding new patches of lawn, wait until the new grass reaches around 6cm before mowing.  Blunt blades tear at the grass, breaking roots and stressing the lawn, allowing pests and disease to take hold.  The ideal amount to remove when mowing is one-third of the height.  Weeds are competition when it comes to grass, stealing nutrients, sunlight and water from the growing lawn.  The most cost effective way to keep weeds out of your lawn is regular mowing.

 

THE REVIVAL PROCESS – Non Seeding

PREPARE: Use a rake, garden fork or spike roller to aerate the soil.  Cracked hard areas won’t grow grass, so to encourage your lawn to spread over cracked areas, you will need to break them apart.  Sometimes the lawn will benefit from a light top-dress of topsoil, especially on any patches that are hard and bare.

Watering: Keep the water up to the lawn during the revival process.  Lawns need sunlight, nutrients and water to grow so regular watering will help get things back on track.  A good soaking once or twice a week should be sufficient unless your soil is clay or sandy.   A deep soaking rather than daily watering will ensure the roots grow deep into the soil, helping to drought proof your lawn in future dry spells.

Fertilise: A liquid fertiliser like Super Growth Liquid or Neptune Seaweed will help bring any brown patches back to life and boost lawn health.   An organic based pelletised fertiliser like Super Grass every 6 weeks will slowly release the nutrients needed to keep the lawn healthy, thick and green.  If you have a hand spreader or a bucket, walk over the lawn broadcasting the fertiliser evenly over the lawn.  The balanced ingredients improve the soil at the same time as feeding the grass, meaning stronger roots and healthier grass.

Mowing: Mowing is a key part of reviving a tired lawn.  Blunt blades tear at the grass, breaking roots and stressing the lawn, allowing pests and disease to take hold.  The ideal amount to remove when mowing is one-third of the height.  Weeds are competition when it comes to grass, stealing nutrients, sunlight and water from the growing lawn.  The most cost effective way to keep weeds out of your lawn is regular mowing.

TIP: A fertiliser like Super Grass, based on composted poultry manure is full of live beneficial microbes and rich in plant available, slow release nutrients.