Why renovate a lawn? If you are happy with your lawn and it seems healthy, it probably doesn't need renovation. But if the grass doesn't look the way you want it to or if it is struggling to stay healthy, renovation may be in order. Renovation is the process of repairing and improving an existing lawn without completely starting over. Some of the signs that a lawn may need renovation include thatch accumulation, excessive numbers of weeds, disease or insect problems, simple wear and tear, winter or drought injury, soil compaction or drainage problems. The best time for a lawn renovation project in our area is early fall. Seeding can also be done in spring, but other renovation practices such as dethatching and aerating should only be done in fall. It is essential to understand that the underlying causes for the lawn renovation must be changed as well, or it will be back in the same condition in a year or two.
Evaluate the Condition of a Lawn How thick is the thatch buildup? Thatch is the layer of debris below the blades of grass but above the soil. In a healthy lawn, thatch is digested by the lawn at about the same rate it is created. In an unhealthy lawn, thatch will accumulate causing thinning and disease problems. The thatch layer should be about a half inch thick. When the layer is thicker, the lawn probably needs to be dethatched and/or aerated and lawn maintenance practices need to be changed to avoid future buildup. A thatch layer that is too thin leaves the crowns of the turf grasses more susceptible to heat and drought stress.
Are there areas that are compacted? This isn't always easy to determine. Grass does not grow well where the soil is highly compacted. Compacted soil does not allow good root growth, adequate air in the soil or good drainage. You can get a basic idea how compacted your soil is without any fancy equipment. Looking at the lawn, are there definite pathways that are worn? They are probably compacted. Areas that drain very slowly after a rain are also compacted. A few days after a good rain, take a sharp shovel out into the lawn, pick a spot and try to sink it into the turf. If you have to jump up and down on it to get the shovel an inch or two into the soil, it is compacted. If you can sink the shovel without a tremendous amount of effort, your soil is o.k. You can also take a scoop of soil and look at it - does it look solid? Are the grass roots reaching down several inches? Is it hard to crumble the soil? There are tools that measure how much pressure it takes to penetrate the soil, but they aren't really necessary. If you determine your soil is compacted, there are mechanical aerators (avoid those spiked shoes or rollers) that can help alleviate the problem.
Is there really a problem with weeds? Take an honest look at the weed problem and take into account that every lawn has some weeds - it is the overall appearance that matters. Low levels of weeds can be handled by changing cultural practices, using herbicides or weeding. When you can honestly say you have as many weeds as you do grass, then renovation might be an answer. The problem is, renovation practices often bring fresh weed seeds to the surface of the lawn where they are likely to germinate along with the grass seed. When the weeds have truly won control of the lawn, it is probably better to look at establishing a new lawn, not a renovation. If there are limited areas with weed problems, such as an area along a sidewalk or under a tree, then steps such as dethatching, aerating and reseeding will help.
Is the grass just too thin? Grass thins for several reasons such as excess thatch, soil compaction and lack of nutrition. If the grass seems healthy but isn't as thick as you would like, it can be thickened by dethatching and aerating if needed and then reseeding. This has to be followed by good maintenance practices.
Are there areas where the grass just won't grow? In an area like this, you have to figure out why the grass won't grow and change those conditions (if possible) before reworking that area. The most common causes grass won't grow are too little sun, poor drainage and soil compaction. Even the most shade-tolerant grass needs very high light. Grass will not thrive in heavy shade no matter how hard you try. In fact, in shady areas, the more care you give it, the more likely the grass will struggle. If the area regularly stays wet, the area probably sits lower than the surrounding soil and is compacted. Again, this isn't a good place to try to grow turf grass. In areas such as these (shady, wet and/or compacted), consider planting something else more suited to those conditions.
Are there dead or damaged areas in the lawn? These are most often caused by lawn diseases or winter damage. Some grasses are hardier and some are more resistant to diseases. Even a hardy variety of grass can sustain winter damage if we do not have adequate snow cover or if we get a late, killing frost in spring. Maintenance practices can also encourage or discourage disease problems. Lawns that are fertilized heavily with nitrogen in the summer are much more susceptible to hot weather patch diseases. If the patches are small, they will probably fill back in on their own.
Is there a need to improve the variety of turf grass? Lawns are often renovated to incorporate a better varieties of grass for the situation (hardier, more wear resistant, more shade tolerant, etc.). This is done by over-seeding (in addition to dethatching and/or aerating if needed).
Steps to Renovate a Lawn
• If the thatch is too deep, consider dethatching with a vertical mower. (See Dethatching and Aerating Lawns)
• If the soil is compacted, consider aerating with a core or plug aerator. (See Dethatching and Aerating Lawns)
• If there are small weedy areas, prepare the soil in those areas and reseed. (See Lawn Seeding)
• If there are major weedy areas, consider killing all the vegetation in those areas with an herbicide such as Roundup and then reseeding. (See Lawn Weeds)
• If the grass it too thin, consider trying to build up the turf with careful fertilizing and mowing. Alternatively, try over-seeding either by hand or with a power seeder. (See Lawn Seeding)
• If you want to improve the variety of grass, consider over-seeding. (See Lawn Seeding)
• To repair patchy areas in the lawn, follow the steps for seeding the lawn. (See Lawn Seeding)
Maintenance Practices That Will Keep Your Lawn Healthy
If you want to avoid having to renovate the lawn on a regular basis, take the time to determine what caused the lawn to need renovation and what lawn maintenance practices will help avoid that problem in the future. For instance, if there was an excessive thatch buildup, read up on what causes thatch and adjust your watering/fertilizing/mowing practices. Find out what fertilizing, watering and mowing program is best for the health of your lawn. While we cannot stop problems such as winterkill, we can minimize most lawn problems by adjusting the way we water, fertilize and mow.
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