Lawn Renovation Guide

Lawn Renovation Guide

The big fix

How to renovate your lawn

Bring a tired, patchy lawn back to life without ripping it up and starting again. Four steps, 22 videos, done in the right order.

See the 4 steps
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What it is

What is lawn renovation?

Renovation brings a tired, patchy lawn back without ripping it up and re-turfing. Four jobs: scarify, aerate, overseed, feed.

I've spent more than 30 years working with grass, including 20 as a professional greenkeeper. These are the same techniques, just scaled down for your garden.

When to renovate your lawn

Best time: autumn (late August to October) when the soil is warm, rainfall is more reliable, and weeds are less aggressive. Second best: spring (late March to early May), but you'll need to water more and watch for weeds. Avoid summer heat and winter cold when grass growth slows down.

Step by step

The 4 steps to a renovated lawn

Scarify and aerate in whichever order suits you, there's no wrong way round. Then overseed, then feed. Each step has its own set of free video guides.

Scarifying a lawn to remove thatch
1Clear the thatch

Scarifying

Remove the layer of thatch, moss and dead material that's suffocating your lawn. It's the most dramatic step, and the lawn will look worse before it looks better, but it lets air, water and nutrients reach the soil.

6 videos Watch the scarifying guides Aerating a lawn to relieve compaction
2Relieve compaction

Aeration

Create holes in the soil to relieve compaction and let oxygen, water and nutrients get deep into the root zone. Especially important if your lawn gets heavy foot traffic or sits on clay. Plenty of people do this one before scarifying, and that's grand too.

4 videos Watch the aeration guides New grass seed spread on a lawn for overseeding
3Fill the gaps

Overseeding

Spread new grass seed over the existing lawn to fill bare patches, thicken thin areas and bring in stronger grass varieties. After the heavy work above you've created the perfect seed-to-soil contact.

8 videos Watch the overseeding guides A thick green lawn after renovation
4Feed and grow

Thicken up

Support the new grass with Seed & Establish Pro and Seaweed, and keep the watering steady. This last step is what turns a decent renovation into a thick lawn that holds up all year.

4 videos Watch the thickening guides
The kit

Get the products for the job

These are the bundles we recommend for a renovation, and every one saves you a few quid.

Save £5.00 Seeding Success Duo, Seed and Establish Pro with Seaweed Lawn Booster For overseeding

Seeding Success Duo

Seed & Establish Pro and Seaweed together. The pairing that gives new grass seed the best possible start.

£44.98 £49.98 2.5kg for small lawns · 8kg £62.98 £69.98 for big ones See the duo Save £4.99 The Greenkeeper's Secret Formula, Green Shot Iron with Seaweed Lawn Booster Iron and Seaweed

The Greenkeeper's Secret Formula

Green Shot Iron and Seaweed in one bundle. Deep colour and a soil boost while the new grass comes through.

£42.99 £47.98 See the bundle Save 10% iGrow Carpet seasonal Power Pack, seasonal feed with Seaweed Lawn Booster This season's feed

Seasonal Power Packs

The season's feed plus Seaweed, and each pack saves you money. Pick the one for the season you're in.

From £44.98 Spring, summer and autumn packs See the Power Packs

Is this week any good?

Pop your postcode in and I'll check the next 7 days for renovation weather.

How much seed do you need?

Work it out in 30 seconds. Pop in your lawn size and the free seed calculator gives you the exact amount for overseeding. Seed calculator

Levelling while you're at it?

Work out how much dressing to order. The free topdressing calculator does the maths for your lawn size and depth. Topdressing calculator
Good to know

Common renovation questions

When is the best time to renovate a lawn in the UK?

Autumn (late August to October), when the soil is still warm from summer, rainfall is more reliable, and weed competition is lower. Spring (March to early May) is your second-best option, but you'll need to water more often and stay on top of weeds.

What order should I do the jobs in?

Mow first. Then scarify and aerate, in either order, there's no right or wrong between those two. After that, overseed, then feed. The seed always goes down after the heavy work so it gets the best soil contact.

How long until I see results?

New grass seedlings typically emerge within 7 to 14 days. The lawn will look noticeably better within 4 to 6 weeks. For the new grass to fully establish and blend in with the existing lawn, expect 2 to 3 months.

Can I renovate my lawn myself?

Absolutely. Most people can do a renovation themselves with the right guidance. Scarifiers and aerators can be hired from tool shops, and quality grass seed is readily available (check out our friends over at Boston Seeds). The video guides above walk you through each step.

Ready?

Start your renovation

Scarify or aerate first, it's your call, there's no wrong way round. Pick your starting step and get stuck in while the soil's still warm.

Pick your first step
Ready to renovate?
See the 4 steps