Completely renovating an old lawn should be thought of like renovating a house – it’s a drastic, but sometimes necessary thing to do to help your curb appeal and improve your investment. Just like there are many ways to improve a home without such drastic measures, there are also ways to revive a lawn without doing a complete renovation.
What Is a Lawn Restoration?
Lawn restoration is a groundskeeping process that helps replenish and restore dry or damaged grass and eliminates weed growth. Specific lawn care procedures and treatments can vary depending on the condition of your lawn, grass type and climate. Some common lawn care restoration steps include:
- Overseeding. Overseeding involves planting new grass seed into existing grass. This procedure can help encourage new growth in bare areas for improved density
- Core aeration. Core aeration is a lawn care procedure in which small cores of soil are physically removed from the damaged lawn to improve water drainage and minimize soil compaction.
Do You Need a Complete Lawn Renovation?
Generally speaking, you would want to consider a full lawn restoration if the problem areas total about 40% or more on your lawn. This is especially true if the problem goes deeper than grass into your soil. If it is less than that, you can most likely resolve your problems without an entire yard renovation.
Other reasons that you may need to consider a full yard renovation:
- Your grass is the wrong choice for your climate or yard.
If you have a cool-season grass in a warm-season climate, it’s best to just do a complete lawn restoration, instead of having severe growing problems year after year. Or if your yard does not get much sunlight, you should pick a grass that can thrive without needing a lot of sunlight.
- Your lawn is severely affected by disease or weeds.
In these cases, you will need to treat the underlying causes as well, to make sure that it doesn’t happen again when your new lawn comes in.
- There are drainage issues that are causing problems.
Your drainage problems will need to be fixed before the new lawn is installed.
When To Do Lawn Restoration
You want to start your lawn restoration late summer or early fall, although it can technically be done at other times of the year as well, with the exception of during a cold winter. The idea is to find the peak growing season for grass in your area, so the grass will grow quicker.
Steps for Lawn Restoration
When working with you on your yard renovation, your local Lawn Doctor technician will walk you through the steps that will need to be taken to complete your lawn restoration.
Some of these steps include:
Kill or Dig Up Existing Grass
Our technicians can either apply products to kill everything on the existing lawn, or we can physically remove it via tilling. We will also rake the area to clear it of any thatch and debris.
Resolve Underlying Issues
For example, if weeds have stopped the lawn from growing, we would treat the underlying weed problem as part of the lawn restoration. We would also fix any drainage issues that caused the problems and install an irrigation system for you as well.
Choose the Correct Grass Species
At Lawn Doctor, we have decades of experience in knowing what treatments are best for your type of grass, and because our franchises are locally owned and operated, we know what type of treatment is just right for your area. We can also help you find a lawn that is less resistant to drought if your area is facing severe water restrictions.
Prepare the Soil
Preparations can include treatments such as additional raking or soil aeration. We may also wet the soil to have it more malleable for the new seeds. In some cases, our technicians will put fertilizer in the soil, or further treat it to make sure weeds stay away. This depends on your individual situation.
Plant and Fertilize the Seeds
If needed your local Lawn Doctor technician can put in grass sod instead of the seeds. It is important to be gentle with your lawn at this stage. We will be careful not to over-fertilize or over-saturate your lawn, as it would be counterproductive.
Add Landscaping
Adding plants, flowers and other greenery will create an attractive aesthetic while preventing issues like weed growth. However, while certain plants can naturally prevent weeds, other species may actually encourage weed growth. We’ll help you make the correct landscaping choices for your particular climate and grass type, resulting in a healthy, thriving lawn.
Keep Up With Maintenance
Similar to an automobile or appliance, periodic maintenance is essential to ensure your lawn remains healthy and functional. Keeping up with maintenance will also help preserve your lawn’s lush, green appearance and prevent recurring issues such as overgrowth and dehydration. Ask us about routine maintenance programs to ensure your new lawn is taken care of.
Restore Your Lawn Today With Lawn Doctor
Lawn restoration is a great way to beautify your home’s exterior and enhance curb appeal. If you’re interested in revamping your lawn, Lawn Doctor is at your service. We offer a wide range of lawn care services, including restoration and maintenance. Plus, all of our services come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Contact the Lawn Doctor team today to schedule lawn restoration and maintenance services.
