10 Steps To Fixing Your Lawn

Lawn Service
13June
adminmowingperth

A lawn can be hard to maintain and even those with the best intentions can end up with patches of yellow or thinning grass. Whether you’re trying to reinvigorate a neglected piece of lawn or fix problems caused by over-mowing or bad weather, 

 

We're going to share our wealth of experience from years of lawn mowing in Perth, Western Australia, here are some easy ways you can get back to having a healthy, green lawn.

 

1, Pinpoint the Issue

 

There could be many reasons behind your lawn problems and each one has its own solution. That’s why the first thing you should do is to try and work out exactly what the issue is. You can’t fix the problem until you know what it is, so getting the gist of what’s wrong is essential. 

 

2, Start Again 

 

Depending on your problem, the best solution may be to start again with a new lawn. You can judge this by how big the issue is. If it’s affecting more than half of your lawn then the best option could be to let the whole area re-establish itself. 

 

You can do this by using an herbicide spray to kill off all vegetation, allowing new turf to grow.

 

3, Keep Mowing

 

It might seem strange to keep mowing after applying the herbicide, but it’s important to the health of the soil to keep the lawn as low as you can. This not only helps prevent erosion but means dead plants won’t cast too much shade on the new grass when it grows.

 

4, Give It a Good Rake 

 

If you don’t already have one, you will need to get hold of a quality rake. Adjust the blades to leave around a ¼ inch cover on the ground, then rake off the rest and add to your compost or use around the garden. Next, sprinkle rich compost over the bare soil and dead grass stems and rake until there’s an even covering. 

5, Seed Time 

 

Once you’ve cultivated the soil, it’s time to start laying your new lawn. If you’re using seeds, make sure they’re properly distributed across the lawn area, so the grass grows thick and healthy. 

 

If it’s not, the lawn will be thin and you could have some bare patches where it won’t grow at all. Ensure that you spread the seeds in a uniform manner, distribute the seeds first lengthways then widthways. 

 

This technique should mean you avoid any large empty patches. 

 

6, Springs and Plugs 

 

If you’re going for springs or plugs, it’s a simple case of planting them in evenly spaced holes in the garden. Double-check the correct way to do this, though, as some plants will differ in how they like to be in the ground and how much space they will need. 

 

7, Get On Top of Weeds

 

When you’re re-growing your lawn, the last thing you need is for it to be overcome by weeds. To stop this happening apply a pre-emergence herbicide to your lawn before your lawn starts growing. 

 

This should kill off any unwanted growth, such as crabgrass, without affecting your lawn. 

 

8, Keep It Hydrated

 

After planting your lawn, it’s essential that you keep it as watered as possible. In the first week after planting you don’t want to let the soil get too dry so you may need to water your lawn several times a day. 

 

If you can’t do this, consider implementing a sprinkler system. Once the new grass begins to grow it’s a case of not letting it get too dry or too wet. 

 

Water it sporadically, but use your judgement as to how often this may be required. Consider the weather too; if it’s particularly warm it will dry the soil out quicker. 

 

9, Apply Fertilizer

 

Once your grass begins to grow, give it a boost by applying fertilizer. This should encourage your lawn to grow quicker but don’t do it too early as it could also kill off new shoots if applied too soon.

 

10, Start Mowing Again

 

Once your new lawn is around 3-inches, you can get the mower out again. This will help reduce weeds and encourage your grass to grow thick and healthy. 

 

Make sure the blades on your mower are clean and sharp as a dull blade could damage the new seedlings and stop them growing. By now you should see a huge improvement and your lawn should be almost as good as new. 

 

Make sure you keep a close eye on it for at least a year after regrowth as it will need high levels of upkeep to ensure it grows into a healthy, thick lawn that will last for years.