Autumn Lawn Renovation: Green Fingers Guide on How to Renovate Your Lawn in New Zealand

As autumn sets in, it's time to start thinking about renovating your lawn. A lawn renovation is the process of restoring your lawn to its full potential by addressing common problems like compaction, thatch buildup, and poor soil quality. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to complete a successful lawn renovation during autumn in New Zealand.

Step 1: Mow and Spray your Lawn with Foliar Fertiliser

Start by mowing your lawn as short as possible. This is known as scalping, and it helps to remove dead grass and debris. After mowing, spray your lawn with a high quality foliar fertiliser such as Green Fingers Lawn to boost growth and prepare the grass for dethatching.

Step 2: Remove Debris

Next, rake or use a leaf blower to remove all debris, including dead grass, leaves, and twigs. This will help ensure that the soil gets the attention it needs during the renovation process.

Step 3: Dethatching

Dethatching is the process of removing the layer of thatch that accumulates on your lawn over time. Thatch is a layer of dead grass, leaves, and other debris that accumulates between the soil and the living grass. Too much thatch can suffocate your lawn, preventing air, water, and nutrients from reaching the roots. Use a dethatching machine or a dethatching rake to remove the thatch from your lawn.

Step 4: Coring

Coring is a vital step in any lawn renovation process. This involves using a core aerator to remove small plugs of soil and thatch from your lawn. Coring helps to reduce compaction and allows air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the soil more easily. The plugs of soil left on the lawn can be mowed without a catcher which will help it break down over time, adding valuable organic matter back to the soil.

Step 5: Fertilise and Topdress

Now is the perfect time to feed the lawn with a high quality granular fertiliser such as Green Fingers Lawn Pro or Lawn Plus or even better Green Finger Lawn Rejuvenate which has been designed specifically to help lawns recover after a full reno. A premium granular fertiliser will help the lawn quickly overcome the stress of renovation and will also feed the lawn throughout the winter. Topdressing involves adding a thin layer of sand, sometimes mixed with soil or compost over the surface of your lawn. This step helps to improve soil structure and increase nutrient levels. Spread a 5-10mm layer of topdressing material over the lawn, then rake it evenly over the surface, ensuring the top dress fills in the holes created by coring. A light lawn roller can be used at this point, however it is not nessecary.

Step 6: Overseed

Once you've completed the previous steps, it's time to overseed your lawn. Generously spread lawn seed over your entire lawn while focusing on filling in any bare spots. Next use a rake to lightly rake the seed into the topdress and then give it a quick roll if a lawn roller is available.

Step 7: Water and Wait

Finally, water your lawn thoroughly and keep it moist for the next few weeks to encourage the new grass to grow. Avoid walking on your lawn as much as possible during this time to prevent damage to the new growth. With proper care and maintenance, your lawn will be lush and healthy in no time.

A lawn renovation is a significant undertaking, but it's essential to keep your lawn healthy and looking its best. By following these steps and using the best lawn fertiliser for your soil type, you can ensure that your lawn will be the envy of the neighbourhood. Remember to water regularly and avoid over-fertilising or over-seeding, and your lawn will reward you with vibrant, healthy growth. Show everyone you have Green Fingers!