How to improve my lawn?

[ewenmc]

Hey,

Recently moved into a new place and wanted to spruce up the lawn a bit. There are some weeds around which I need to remove, and the some lower spots I was planning on sorting out by top dressing a bit. Is it worth scarifying or detaching it at all? Grass near the hedge on the right is mostly shaded so I'm not expecting great things there.

I think the grass is buffalo, but I'm not 100% - if anyone can tell that would be great.

 

 

  

Any tips would be most welcome.

[Jason]

Hi @ewenmc,

Let me extend a very warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. 

Could you please let us know where you are based? It might help our members to recommend the best treatment for your lawn.

Thanks,

Jason

[ewenmc]

Thanks! Based in Sydney, on the coast.

[EricL]

Hello @ewenmc 

Based on your photos and your Sydney coastal location, the grass appears to be a type of buffalo, most likely Sir Walter or a similar soft-leaf buffalo variety. The wide leaf blades with a coarse texture and the way the grass grows via stolons (surface runners) are tell-tale signs. This variety is popular in your region due to its drought tolerance and shade performance, although, as you’ve noticed, it will still struggle in persistently shaded spots like near the hedge on the right-hand side.

Given the condition of your lawn, scarifying or dethatching may be worthwhile if there's a noticeable build-up of spongy thatch, which is common in buffalo lawns. You can check this by digging a small wedge of turf out and measuring the thatch layer between the soil and the green surface, anything more than about 1.5 cm indicates that dethatching would be beneficial. Scarifying in late spring or early summer is ideal, especially before top dressing, as it helps open up the canopy and improve penetration of soil, water, and nutrients.

Top dressing is a smart move for evening out the lawn and supporting recovery, particularly if you're using a sandy loam mix. Just make sure to mow fairly low before applying it, and keep the layer thin enough (around 10 mm) so the grass blades can still poke through. Removing weeds beforehand will also help reduce competition, and consider applying a pre-emergent herbicide afterwards to prevent new weeds from establishing.

The shaded area will always be a challenge, but you can give it the best chance by raising the mower height slightly, reducing foot traffic, and keeping it well-fed with a slow-release fertiliser in early spring and again in summer. If the lawn continues to thin out there, you might consider underplanting with shade-tolerant ground covers as a complementary solution.

Here are some handy guides that will help:

• How to detect lawn problems by @Adam_W
   
• How to repair a lawn by @Adam_W 
   
• Lawn renovation by @homeinmelbourne 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[ewenmc]

Thanks so much @EricL. Can any of that be done now in the winter or is it best to wait till spring? Keen to get started so it's ready for summer!

[JacobZ]

Hi @ewenmc,

Dethatching and scarifying are fairly destructive, and they rely on active growth to restore the lawn. In winter, your lawn is not usually actively growing, so it is best to wait until the weather starts to heat up in spring.

Have a look at How To Care for Your Lawn In Winter for some ideas on what can be done now.

The main things you can focus on to have your lawn ready for the temperature change are to remove any weeds and apply fertiliser. You have a buffalo lawn, so any products you use need to be buffalo-friendly. I'd suggest manually removing any large broad leaf weeds using a weeder or your hand, and then an application of BuffaloPro Weed 'N' Feed Hose On Weed Killer. This will add nutrients to the soil and help combat a variety of common weeds.

Once the weather starts to heat up, you should have a good foundation to move into a more aggressive lawn renovation.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob