Can I Rescue My Lawn? Your Expert Step-By-Step Guide

If your lawn is on the brink of extinction, you may wonder if there’s anything you can do to revive it to its former glory. Tired of seeing dry patches or weeds taking over? Don’t worry if you’re not a gardening enthusiast or expert. To get the most out of your lawn, we’ve got everything you need right here in our expert-written step-by-step guide.  

You may think that your lawn is past the point of no return. But, with the right tricks (and products) you can nurse even the thirstiest-looking lawn back to life.  

Level, even, green and healthy-looking grass coverage are the typical tick boxes we think about when visualising the perfect lawn. These are all achievable - you just need to know what your grass needs.

Identify The Problem

Diagnose and assess the situation first. Then, you can choose the best course of action. If your grass is suffering from a particular disease, for instance, this could require a very specific treatment. Regular maintenance and fertiliser can help with this. It’s important to get it right. You want to solve rather than worsen the issue. So, a little detective work might be in order.  

Common lawn problems include: 

• Moss or weed growth 
• Dry, pale patches 
• Thin grass coverage 

Time to Declutter 

Everything from unwanted garden furniture and pet toys to twigs and dead leaves should be removed. Make this your first port of call and this will help give you greater insight into the state of your lawn and make further improvements a little easier.  

While some weeds can be dug out by hand, if you have a substantial weed problem, you may want to invest in some weed control to make the process a little quicker (and less taxing on your back).

Scarify & Aerate

Scarifying is one of the best ways to remove dead or excess organic material that’s clinging to your grass. This material could include weeds, moss and thatch. Unfortunately, a build-up of these materials can affect the ability of your grass to grow healthily.  

This may expose the true extent of your unsightly lawn problems, but it’s a big step on the road to recovery.  

Next, you could consider aerating your lawn. This is the process of adding small holes to the soil, which boosts air circulation and oxygen intake. This in turn enhances the water and nutrient consumption of your grass while helping the ecosystem thrive. The results? Healthier, stronger grassroots! 

Thatch produces a waxy layer on the surface of the soil, which can cause hydrophobia, resulting in dry patches and reduced water penetration to the roots. While aeration can help with this, you can also use a hydrate wetting agent that breaks down the waxy layer and holds moisture at the roots to keep them hydrated. 

Autumn and spring are considered the best times to aerate your lawn.  

Fix Bare Patches

Bare patches are not just unsightly, they can also be a sign of nutrient deficiency or even disease, such as snow mould or red thread disease. If your dry patch is the result of a fungal disease, such as red thread, you may need to apply chemical treatments.  

To minimise the risk of developing future dry patches, it’s advised that you apply nitrogen-rich fertiliser. 

Another method to fix bare patches, is to overseed. This is the process of sowing new seeds to your existing lawn. Make sure you choose the right seed and follow our guide to overseeding.