19/10/2026
Thinking of doing a lawn reno? 🌱
Spring is the time to give your lawn a fresh start.
Wait until your grass is growing steadily and needs mowing regularly, rather than jumping in after the first warm day. Then follow these 7 steps. It’s also worth checking the extended forecast for any cold snaps before you begin.
Remove w**ds before you scalp or dethatch. If there are only a few, pulling them out by hand is the easiest way. For larger areas, a targeted w**d killer does the job.
Before you start, know what type of lawn you have.
Kikuyu and couch have strong underground rhizomes, so they can be scalped harder and still repair. Buffalo and zoysia need a lighter touch.
Buffalo grows mainly from its runners above ground, and zoysia is a slow grower.
Rake or scarify out the layer of dead thatch.
Couch and kikuyu can handle a firm going-over. With buffalo and zoysia, go lightly and leave the runners above the ground in place, because that’s what the lawn repairs from.
Aerating brings air, water and nutrients back into your soil.
Drive a garden fork or tyne aerator into the soil about 10cm apart across the lawn. With a fork, give it a good wiggle to loosen the soil around it. A tyne aerator should push small plugs of soil up to the surface. For bigger areas, a motorised aerator saves a lot of time.
Keep it light. The tips of the leaves should still poke through, because smothering the grass cuts off its sunlight and oxygen.
To level out dips, use washed or screened river sand. To improve your soil, a sandy loam (80% sand, 20% loam) is ideal.
A lawn leveling rake will help you work quickly and evenly.
Your lawn is working hard to repair itself, so give it a feed.
A granular lawn fertiliser spread evenly and watered in gives new growth what it needs to thicken back up. It’s also a good time to think about prevention: a pre-emergent stops summer w**ds like crab grass and crowsfoot before they start, and a preventative grub treatment helps protect against lawn pests over the warmer months.
Water deeply and regularly over the next few weeks while your lawn fills back in. A good soak after fertilising and top dressing helps everything settle in.
Enjoy
