If your lawn looks a little tired, it may be time for a facelift. A few changes will help you get a turf that will be healthier for the spring and summer. With a few steps, you can revitalize your yard. Before you break out the shovels, there are a few things that you can do for a successful fall lawn renovation.
Remove That Weed and Thatch Buildup
At the surface of your soil, you might notice some undecomposed roots and stems. This debris is called thatch, and you will need to remove it from your lawn. You can take a shovel and dig up about several inches of turf. Dethatching should be done in the spring or fall. At this time, your lawn is healthy and can handle this removal process. If your yard has any weeds, you want to apply a herbicide to remove them from the turf. You want to remove all those unwanted elements from the surface of your grass.
Fill Those Depressions
Many things can cause bumps or depressions in your lawn. As you start the dethatching process, this is the perfect time to check for those uneven spots. If you are looking to save some time, make sure to spray the area with paint. When it comes time to fill in those spots, you will have no problem finding them again.
To fill in a depression, you can apply a combination of compost and topsoil. Once that is applied, you need a landscaping rake to level out the surface. For those large surfaces with sod, you may want to use a mix of fertilizer, soil, and humus to even out your space. You can gently lift the sod and fill in the depression. During this stage, you want to moisten all the sod. If the sod dries out, the edges could turn brown and die.
For those bumps in your yard, you can lift the grass with a sharp spade. You only want to remove a small section of the turf, or the grass will end up drying out. When the soil is exposed, you should mix in fertilizer and compost. It is important to soak the area with a hose and place the turf back into its original place.
Test Your Soil’s pH Levels
Your lawn needs the right pH level to stay lush and healthy. If you want to get the best pH levels for your space, then you might want to have professional service complete the test. For those lawns with high or low pH levels, some amendments might be needed for your yard. With this information, you can correct the level of your soil’s pH.
Add Some Nutrients
For those nutrient-starved lawns, you may need to use a slow-release fertilizer. You want to avoid putting down excessive amounts of fertilizer. If you add too much nitrogen, it can affect the cell walls of the grass. In turn, your turf will be more susceptible to diseases. You also want to avoid excess fertilizer since it can leach into your local waterways. This stage is the perfect time to increase the organic matter and microbes in your soil. You need to have a certain percentage of organic material in your lawn for a healthy space.
Start Aerating Your Compacted Lawns
When you aerate your lawn, you must penetrate the soil to allow the organic matter and fertilizer to reach the roots. However, you never want to aerate your lawn during the summer. At this time, the turf is already stressed, and it may get damaged. For those lawns with weeds, aeration can also create a ripe environment for a more widespread weed infestation.
Overseed Your Surface
Before you start your project, you want to overseed your lawn. Depending on your area and lawn species, you can use several tools to spread the seeds. Slit-seeders will cut slits into the turf and allow you to sow seeds throughout your yard. These machines can also help remove any thatch from your lawn. You want to plant seeds in those bare spots. Once that is done, you can cover the seed with a mix of topsoil and compost.
For the most part, overseeding should be done in the late summer or early fall. Fall gives your seeds a better chance to germinate and establish robust roots. In addition to that, your seedlings can store up food that will last throughout the winter.
Protect Those Young Seedlings
Finally, you want to take special care of those young grass seedlings. If you have new seedlings, they need more water than other areas in your yard. You want the soil to stay moist. When the soil dries out, the young seedlings will wither and die.
If you are planning on sowing seeds, then you need to soak your lawn. Your soil should be moistened to a 1-inch depth. You want to keep up this watering schedule until the grass reaches a height of 2 inches. It is recommended that you water the lawn for a few minutes in the morning and evening. While some species grow faster, you can expect to be on this schedule for about four to six weeks.
Once you have planted seeds, it is important to stay off those areas. You might want to add more fertilizer at this stage. However, if the grass is close to going dormant, you can hold off on fertilizer. When it is time to mow the grass, make sure to use a sharp blade for the job. If you cut the young grass with dull blades, then it can damage those seedlings.
We Can Help With Lawn Renovations
If you want a professional team to handle your lawn renovations, we are ready for the job. We can help you boost the health of your yard. You don’t have to fuss with fertilizer, aeration, or overseeding. We will take care of all those hard jobs, such as mowing, tree trimming, and snow removal. To schedule a consultation with Charlestown Landscaping, please take a few minutes to fill out the contact form.