1. Revive Tired Grass
Use a method called
overseeding. Mow
the grass to 20mm high, raking to remove
clippings, old grass and
thatch. Pull out weeds,
rough up the soil with
a rake and sprinkle on
10mm of topsoil or
compost. Level the surface, rough it lightly to accept the
seed, sowing over the area by hand. Water lightly, keepingthe lawn moist until seeds germinate.
2. Condition the Soil
Top-dress the lawn to condition the soil, encourage
earthworm activity and release nutrients. Sprinkle
a 10mm layer of screened, dry compost or well-rotted
manure over the grass, spreading with the back of
a rake and watering thoroughly.
3. Mowing for Growth
Leave the grass to grow to its optimum height and cut
no more than a third of the blade at a time as the lawn
scorches in the sun if it’s too short. Leave grass in shaded
areas to grow slightly longer, and avoid mowing when
wet. Let the clippings fall back into the lawn to encourage
soil organisms to recycle it into nutrients.
3. Fertilising
Grass should be
fertilised once or twice
a year. A slow, steady
supply of fertiliser with
nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium
encourages top growth,
root development and disease resistance. Organic fertilisers
encourage breakdown of organic matter in the soil and
won’t burn blades or make grass go brown with overdose.
