Are you just getting started on your lawn care journey and feeling a bit unsure about whether to repair or replace your grass? Sometimes, a little TLC is enough to get things back in good shape. Other times, starting fresh is a simpler way to save time and get the results you want a little sooner.
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Should I Repair or Replace My Lawn?
When deciding whether to repair or replace your lawn, we recommend asking yourself two questions:
How Much of Your Preferred Grass is Present?
When assessing your current lawn, one of the most important factors is how much of your preferred grass type is growing.
If a fair amount of your preferred lawn type is already growing, repairing your existing grass is a viable option.
However, if there are large bare areas, or grass coverage is very minimal, or if the majority of the yard is covered with weeds with little to no grass, your best option in most cases will be to returf your lawn.
What Is Your Timeframe for Getting Your Lawn in Better Shape?
If you only have a short timeframe to work with and need to get your lawn looking good quickly, returfing will be the best option if extensive damage is present. However, if you have a longer timeframe to work with, repairing your lawn remains a great option.
How Do I Install a New Lawn?
When looking to install a new lawn, there are a few simple steps to follow to ensure you get the best results:
- Remove all plant material with a non-selective herbicide like Roundup or Zero. Repeated applications may be needed.
- Give the area a low mow with a catcher on to pick up and remove dead plant material. Turn over the soil base with a rotary hoe to help loosen up the soil profile.
- Bring in a quality sandy loam (80% sand, 20% loam) of around 100mm and level with a rake or lawn leveller.
- Just before you roll out your new lawn, apply a starter fertiliser like Lawn Launcher to help give your new lawn an extra boost.
- Roll out your new lawn!
When choosing your new lawn type, consider who will be using the lawn, how much sunlight it will receive, and how much lawn maintenance you wish to do. For more information on choosing the best grass for you, have a chat with your local Lawn Solutions Member.
Lawn Solutions Australia offers a wide range of turf types to suit every home and budget. You can check out our extensive range of premium turf options here.
For a more in-depth guide on how to install your new lawn, check out our Laying Turf page.
How to Repair an Existing Lawn?
If you are planning on repairing your existing lawn, we recommend the following:
Assess Your Soil
Before getting started on the lawn itself, you will need to ensure the grass has the right foundation to thrive. Some factors to consider include:
- Is the soil hard or compacted? If so, aerate your soil. This will help ensure the roots of your lawn can spread back over the soil more easily.
- When watering the area, does it absorb down into the profile or pool at the surface? If water pools at the surface, consider aeration and applying a soil wetter like Lawn Soaker to help water penetrate.
- Is my soil’s pH within its ideal range? For more information on ideal pH ranges, checking, and correcting soil pH, check out our Soil pH blog.
Check out our Healthy Soil blog for more information on how to improve your soil health.
Remove Weeds and Unwanted Grasses
Your next step will be to remove any weeds or unwanted grasses. If there are only a handful of weeds growing, the best and easiest way to remove them is usually by hand. However, if there are too many to pull, an herbicide may be required.
For removing common broadleaf weeds like Clover, Bindii, Oxalis, All Purpose Weed Control and Estate Herbicide are ideal options. For more information on how to remove other weed types, please check out our Ultimate Weed Guide for weed identification and treatment tips.
When it comes to removing invasive grasses, hand removal is usually the best option. However, for grasses with a bulb in the soil, such as Nutgrass, Onion Weed and Mullumbimby Couch, an herbicide is required. Please check out our Invasive Grasses blog for the best way to tackle invasive grasses in your lawn.
Encourage New Growth
Now that the weeds are gone, it’s time to focus on recovery. Keep in mind that during winter, you may not experience as much growth and repair as you would in the warmer months of the year.
If your grass hasn’t had any fertiliser applied over the last few months, now is a great time to do so.
For spring, summer and autumn applications, we recommend using a granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This contains a great combination of fast- and slow-release granules, giving the lawn a good up-front boost and continuing to feed it over a longer period.
In winter, it is best to stick to a liquid fertiliser like Exceed, which is absorbed by the grass’s leaves for more effective nutrient uptake.
Follow Up with Regular Mowing
Moving forward, the most important thing you can do is mow your lawn regularly. By doing so, you will help encourage new and consistent lateral growth. Regular mowing also reduces plant stress by avoiding excessive leaf blade removal.
This entire process of getting your lawn back into better shape will take some time. However, with some perseverance and regular, ongoing maintenance, you will see improvement in your lawn’s health and appearance.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
