Lawn is usually re-sown in autumn, but sometimes it cannot be avoided to renew the lawn in summer.
Too many weeds , holes, brown spots and stains or moss make the lawn not look good? Then it may be time to completely replace the lawn. At first, this sounds like an immense amount of work, but digging is not a mandatory requirement for renewing your own lawn.
Whether the new lawn should be created with or without digging, we give all interested readers a few practical tips on how to replace old lawns and replace them with fresh, lush green.
When digging is a must
Digging is a must, especially when the ground is very uneven. Because then the lawn must not only be renewed superficially, but also underground, so that a better basis for an even, flat lawn is created.
Even if the lawn is covered with many old tree roots or heavily under weeds, hobby gardeners should not be afraid of the digging effort that should not be underestimated. If the previous lawn type is no longer appealing, for example due to the appearance of the grasses, the lawn area should also be dug up before reseeding.
The digging also creates the best conditions for the later laying of turf , but this is not an absolute must. At the latest when the lawn replacement without digging has failed twice, a third attempt without digging is not recommended under any circumstances.
You should also know that autumn is the best time to dig the lawn, not summer. If the decision for digging has been made for one of the reasons mentioned, the new lawn should therefore be postponed to late summer or, even better, to early autumn.
Refresh the lawn in summer - the preparations
The gentler method, which does not require extensive digging, means that turf renewal is uninterrupted. This work can also be carried out from May to around September. It is only important that the lawn renewal has been completed before longer periods of rain can be expected in a row.
Although the lawn does not have to be completely dug up, the necessary preparations must still be made so that the new lawn finds the most favorable conditions so that it can grow as well as possible. All hobby gardeners should take these steps first:
- Mow the lawn as short as your own lawnmower allows - possibly rely on the help of a specialist and commission a horticultural company once to do this to really mow the lawn extremely short.
- Collect and dispose of the entire clippings.
- The aim of these measures is to deplete the existing lawn as much as possible.
- Carefully scarify the entire lawn in all directions several times until the soil between the remaining blades of grass is clearly visible. To do this, either buy a device, borrow a special device from the garden center or rely on the help of a professional gardening company at this point
Weed killer - yes or no?
As all readers can easily see, the preparation of the gentler form of lawn renewal is associated with a certain effort. In addition, there is also the question of the extent to which a weed killer should be used. Specialized products are available from specialist retailers that not only remove weed residues, but also the blades of grass that are still standing. These are so-called total herbicides.
These funds are ideal in that the area can be completely freed from the existing plants. If animals or children will later move on the lawn, one should think about possible health risks.
It is therefore important to weigh up how sensible this step is in individual cases. In addition, such potent agents, which do not fail to work if the specified exposure time is adhered to, can also weaken the local ecosystem.
After all, a lawn is also home to many tiny organisms that have an important task to perform in the ecosystem. These little helpers will also be eliminated. This raises the question of what is the value that is given to a perfect lawn. Radical weed killers therefore do not necessarily have to be used in lawn renewal.
Eliminate unevenness
If the lawn has been prepared in this way, the next step is to remove other bumps - such as underground rabbit or mouse passages that may have already broken in, or molehills. Wherever earth has been heaped up as compensation, it should be treaded on. This process is repeated several days before sowing. Because then the earth has sagged a bit, so that further bumps may appear that can now be removed.
Renewing the lawn in summer - tips for sowing
For lawn sowing, a spreader wagon is absolutely necessary for large lawns, which can be borrowed from specialist dealers or purchased cheaply. Before sowing by hand or with such a trolley, the area should be covered with phosphorus fertilizer. This provides the necessary nutrients so that the new lawn can grow well.
»Expert tip: If you spread the seeds across and the fertilizer length-ways, you can assume that the lawn will grow better.
Choose the right lawn seed
The choice of seeds also plays an important role. Because depending on the local climate and other environmental conditions, different types of lawn are recommended. Detailed advice from a competent expert makes sense at this point. This way it can be ensured that the seeds fit perfectly to the local conditions. This is important so that the lawn does not have to be renewed for as long as possible with good care and sufficient watering.
Water the seed regularly
After sowing, a thin layer of peat protects the area. However, lawn is a light germ. Therefore, the peat layer must not be more than half a centimetre thick. The peat layer also shows when the new lawn should be watered. All hobby gardeners should keep in mind that the seed must always be moist in the coming month.
If there is not enough rain, the lawn sprinkler must provide artificial rain for ten minutes at a time - around five times a day. The sprinkler intensity should be adjusted accordingly so that the seeds remain in place and are not washed away. A light peat color indicates the need for watering. Then it is important to wet the freshly sown lawn with water immediately.
Fertilize new lawn
Six weeks after sowing should fertilizer used. This long-term fertilization is a must, so that the new, young lawn can continue to develop splendidly, form more leaf mass and condense lush green.
Then the lawn is to be maintained regularly. Even if turf renewal involves a certain amount of work in summer, it is still cheaper than turf. If the ambient conditions are right, the new lawn grows very quickly, so that it does not take too long for the entire area to shine again in a rich shade of green - usually in the same summer.