Lawn Repair and Renovation - Spring Results!
Spring isn't our preferred time for major renovations. The soil can sometimes lack warmth as we emerge from the winter, and late-spring doesn't offer us dependable rainfall. However where are customers are both willing to be patient and looking after their investment (via the hosepipe) we can still achieve brilliant results in the first half of the year.
It has been a record spring season for us as it hasn't all been about those big turnarounds, but 'maintenance' level scarification and aerations, along with our Lawn Care Treatment Programme visits. This article is a look-back at a couple of projects, along with a look forward to the perfect time for lawn repair and renovation work - where our availability is already running thin!
What is Aeration and Scarification?
Before diving into this article, I wanted to provide an entry level guide to what aeration and scarification is. These two lawn care operations are vital within lawn repairs. Carrying out these mechanical operations before overseeding makes for a much higher likelihood of germination success. See the two infographics below to learn more.
If you want further information still, then look upwards to our 'Lawn Treatments Library' for dedicated webpages on each operation!
Lawn Repair and Renovation Services in Lichfield
This rear lawn in Lichfield had a thick thatch layer. It was only because there is such a great customer behind it that we contemplated this as a spring job with a lot of fibrous debris to remove from the lawn before we could be confidence that the seed would germinate happily.
Following a cut on the lowest possible setting from the customer, I personally scarified this one in a total of 6 directions to make the beautiful mess within these images. It can be seen how a professional scarifier fitted with metal blades has the capabilities to cut deep into the soil - not only removing thatch but starting the process of creating a fresh seed-bed.
(This is why on sports pitches you often see seed coming through in lines to start with!)
With a lot of fluffy, non-soil matter cleared off this lawn (with a couple of April showers in the mix too!) the heaviest of the work was now behind me. The next stage was to aerate the lawn, getting as many holes through the soil as possible. Not only does this oxygenate the soil, but the surface air pockets would later become home to grass seed, and the deeper air pockets become home to new grass roots.
The bit that is too often skipped to too soon is next - overseeding. We commonly use a premium lawn mix which is 50% ryegrass, 50% creeping fescue. This provides lawns with the drought and wear tolerance we are looking for from a functional lawn, but also the shade tolerance, ground cover and atheistic qualities we want in a lawn. When lawns have little existing grass to work with, we will overseeding at a rate as high a 50, even 60 grams per square metre.
A gentle brush was required to help the seed into the ground - we need seed to soil contact for the best chance of germination. With this Lichfield lawn being in an area of lighter soil (along with being raised like this) I also made an application of our Stress Buster treatment to conserve water as best possible that was either going to fall from the sky and / or be applied by our customer!
This Lichfield lawn was still taking shape as spring renovations are always a little slower to get going than we'd always like, but we're really happy with how it has come along given the hard-core work that went into it!
Scarification and Aeration in Sutton Coldfield
It's not all total carnage with our mechanical work - sometimes there is no need to dig into the soil and reseed. In some instances, lighter mechanical work is kinder on our lawns, our machines, our bodies(!) and the pocket of our customers.
This lovely front lawn in Sutton Coldfield benefits from our 'Thatch Control' - maintenance level scarification and aeration carried out on an annual basis. As you can see, with professional machinery this removes a great deal of moss and thatch, but without disfiguration of the lawn for more than a few days or weeks. Often, we have customers comment that the lawn actually looks better following this work with so much dead matter combed out of the lawn!
Left: An image during mechanical work. Right: An image straight after mechanical work for this front lawn in Sutton Coldfield. It looked even better a couple of weeks later following a spring fertiliser application!
Lawn Repair and Renovation Coventry
I can't resist a third and final example!
This lawn has been renovated by ourselves in two stages at the request of the customer, and on reflection made the job a bit more manageable for us too given the size of these lawns!
This turned out to be a before and after in real time, with the lawn area in excellent health was renovated in autumn '23, with the spring work now coming good. I'll let the images speak for themselves!
Lawn Repair and Renovation - Early-Autumn Programme
The best time of year for lawn repair and renovation is from mid-August through to early October. Mid-October is still OK and better than the risk of spring dependent on the job and location.
We see our best and fastest turnarounds for customers when:
- They get in touch with us during June or July
- They benefit from a first treatment visit being a summer fertiliser and weed control application with a complementary lawn survey
- They have us carry out mechanical work as our next visit in early-autumn
- They see results this year, and better results still next year with our Lawn Care Treatment Programme
However...
As you may have gathered these can be labour intensive lawn repair calls. With that:
- Their cost is typically 3 or 4 figures dependent on lawn size (usually 3 - £XXX!)
- We will be fully booked for these if not by the end of July, but the start of August - seed and top soils will need ordering shortly!
I love this scarifier. A great lawn and customer in Coventry too!
If we can help, move quickly to avoid disappointment!
Our instant estimate tool below will be able to generate a typical quotation for a lawn care treatment programme, but with renovation work considered, you may prefer to call us on 01827 826123 to discuss the needs of your lawn over the phone.
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