How to Renovate a Lawn

Video Transcript

"I'm Bill Elzey with Showplace Lawns. Let's talk about how to renovate a lawn. Depending on the stage that the lawn is in, how bad it is, is going to determine the things that need to be done. Obviously you would like for the grass to fill in, grow and become thick. So what we would do would be to depending on the time of the year, but not necessarily that's important, we'd need to aerate the surface really well. Aerate the soil. Suggest then coming back with a good compost and top dressing over the area. A good watering program to get the grass growing and to fill in. And as we top dress, I would mix some good soil like garden soil with the compost to put across and level it out really good and then begin a watering program. I would water depending on the grass and the climate is going to indicate how much to water. Once the grass starts showing some growth, would start mowing the grass on a weekly basis to get it into a growing cycle along with the watering. You cut it or mow it you water it and get that cycle going. Fertilizer is a very key part of this. You do want to use a fertilizer with a low nitrogen. What I mean by that is on your bag where your numbers are, you do not want to go any higher than a 9. Fertilize, continue to water and mow it in. If you started this project in the summer or in the early fall, you would aerate it again the following spring. In fact aerations of lawns is something you would want to do once a year anyway. Once this happens, you can keep the soil loose to where the grass will breathe, water and nutrients get down to the root system a lot easier. As you get into that following spring having started this renovation program, what you would want to do is top dress it again, this time mainly with a good compost, not a mix like you did the first time. Work this compost in over a period of a couple of months. Come back and aerate again, this time aerating through your top dressing. Follow a good watering program, a good mowing program and a fertilizer program. For our part of the world, which is south central Texas, three times a year to fertilize. April, June and October. Get on a plan. Renovation is not like a one time thing, its not like going to renovate a house and its done. Its a series of events that you need to do and then a practice that you need to follow to not only bring the lawn, but then to keep it in a very good growing state and thicken the grass up. So aerations, top dressings, a good watering program, but now remember watering does not mean everyday. Do not drown it because we're not talking about a rice field, we're talking about some grass. Infrequent waterings for longer periods of time will serve you really well. Continue to mow it, water it, fertilize it when scheduled. Top dressings and aerations. All very key things that are part of a lawn renovation program."