Renovating an Existing Lawn
The best time of year to renovate your lawn is spring or fall. Generally lawns with less than 50% weeds can be renovated without tearing up the existing lawn and starting all over. The following is the recommended procedure for renovating your lawn:

• Selecting & Purchasing Seed


• Preparation For Planting


• Testing the Soil


• Removing Thatch & Weeds


• Fertilizing


• Seeding


• Watering


• Mowing


• Fertilizing


• Weed Control

Preparation For Planting
If your lawn area is badly damaged by gophers, moles, ground squirrels, dogs or simply uneven do to the wear and tear of family use, it should be leveled again prior to planting. To achieve this you will need both a sod cutter and a rototiller. Both items are commonly available through rental outlets.

The first step is to apply a non-selective herbicide (such as Round -Up) to your unmowed lawn. The grass blades or weed leaves are the vehicle by which the chemical travels to the root system, killing the entire plant, likewise your entire lawn. Wait a minimum of 10-14 days. For tough perennial grasses, such as Bermuda, second application is best. Adjust the height on your mower to it's lowest setting and closely mow the dead area. Remove the dead turf with a sod cutter. Cut as thin as possible to reduce weight for easier removal. Till to a depth of 4-6 inches, adding amendments as necessary. Additional topsoil may be required for severely damaged lawns. Level and roll as preparing for a new lawn.

Testing the Soil
A soil test will help to determine what nutrients, and the proper amounts, required for your lawn. A soil test will also indicated whether or not the soil pH (acidity or alkalinity) needs to be adjusted.

Soil testing kits are available at most lawn & garden centers, nurseries or hardware stores. In most areas of the country soil testing information and services are available through private testing companies or Local County Extension offices.

When having soil tested, ask the testing service to provide fertilizer and organic/mineral amendment recommendations for your lawn.

Removing Thatch & Weeds
For lawns with severe weed problems or large areas of undesirable grasses, apply a non-selective herbicide (such as Round Up) to your unmowed lawn as recommended above in the "Preparation for Planting" section. When the lawn is completely dead and if the area is level, adjust the height on your mower to it's lowest setting. Closely mow the area to be renovated then use a power rake or lawn renovator to remove the dead weeds
and thatch. If you are not concerned with weed control and only want to improve varieties to your lawn, you may begin immediately to renovate the lawn area.

Renovation is a process that requires several passes over the area in different directions. Rake off the debris. In doing so, it exposes the necessary soil surface between the grass plants that will allow the desired seed soil contact.

Now you are ready to aerate the lawn area. Aeration opens holes in the soil, reduces compaction and creates a better environment for young plants and new roots. Soil cores from the aerator may either be removed or pulverized with future mowing. If aerators are not a common rental item in your area of the country, aeration is a service that is frequently offered by lawn maintenance companies. If not available, you may skip this step.

Fertilizing
The soil test will help determine what nutrients are needed. In the absence of a soil test, use a slow release starter fertilizer with an N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus), and K (potassium) ratio of 4-5-1 or 3-5-2. After aeration, apply the fertilizer with a rotary/cyclone spreader. This type of spreader is available at your local home & garden center or hardware store, and allows for easier and more even seed distribution.

Seeding
Select the best quality seed available using improved varieties, mixtures or blends recommended for your area. Purity and germination percentages should be high. Only a small percentage of non-perennial grasses should be present and no noxious weeds should be named on the label. Click here for tips about "Reading a Seed Label".

It is important to renovate with new varieties that are more insect and disease resistant, greater traffic and heat tolerant and offer an increased growing vitality to crowd out weeds. In the long run, investing in these varieties will cost less to maintain when you follow recommended mowing, watering and fertilizing practices.

Using the recommended pounds per 1,000 sq. ft., sow the seed with a drop or rotary/cyclone spreader (rotary/cyclone spreaders allow for quicker and more even seed distribution) uniformly across the prepared planting area.

For improved seed to soil contact a drill seeder may be used. This type of seeder peels back the soil, drops the seed and then covers the seed back up with soil. Drill seeders are not a common rental item, but this is a service lawn maintenance companies frequently offer that.

Watering
It is extremely important that a newly renovated lawn be kept moist but NOT SATURATED, until the seeds begin to grow.

After the seeds have germinated and have begun to establish a root system, reduce the frequency of watering. Applying too much water will only inhibit germination and promote disease. As you reduce the watering frequency you should also increase the amount of water applied each time.

6-8 weeks after planting treat your lawn like an established lawn.

Deep, infrequent watering is typically best for most lawns. On average, a lawn needs about 1 inch of water a week during the growing season, either from rain or irrigation. This 1-inch of water normally soaks the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches, which allows the water to reach deep into the root system.

You must determine the rate of application of your sprinkler system to set up any irrigation program. An easy way to determine the rate of your sprinkler system is to set out a series of equal sized containers (cans, bowls, etc.) if you use a single sprinkler. Run the system for 30 minutes and then measure the amount of water in the can and adjust your watering time to reach the desired level. With this little "can test" and a little simple math you can determine the length of time it takes to apply 1 inch of water.

Watch for runoff during the watering period. It is very possible that your lawn will not be able to soak up the water as fast as your sprinkler is putting it on the lawn. If this occurs shut off the sprinkler for an hour and then turn it on again. If you have an automatic system, have it cycle through the stations again.

Also, remember that sloped areas will have more tendencies for runoff. The best times to water your lawn is in the early morning or early evening when there is generally less wind and heat. The least desirable times are in the heat of the afternoon, when water evaporates too quickly and very late in the evening, which can cause the lawn to stay wet all night. This may encourage disease development.

As each lawn area is unique, there are no formulas or automatics for determining a watering schedule. Keep in mind that fenced lawn areas and shaded turf generally requires less water than do lawns in full sun. The best schedules are those determined by observing the appearance of your lawn.

Lawns that are watered sufficiently generally are healthy and uniform in color and growth. Whereas lawns that are under watered will typically be uneven, with areas of poor or little growth. Often a poorly designed irrigation system or plugged or damaged sprinkler heads causes this condition. These problems are frequently identified when a "can test" is conducted.

There are several easy methods to help determine your lawns need for water. Push a soil probe or old screwdriver into the soil in areas that look dry and also into areas that look lush and healthy. With soil that has ample moisture, it is generally very easy to push a probe or screwdriver into the soil, whereas soil that is dry is typically very difficult to push into the ground. Turf that is moisture deficient will also not spring back up after walking on it.

Once you have identified and corrected sprinkler coverage problems, you are now in a position to set a watering schedule. Remember deep watering is typically best for most lawns throughout the year. Observing your lawn is the key to adequate watering. After a series of long watering, stop. Each day check your lawn for signs of water stress. Areas of blue-gray color and thin, curled leaves are the most common early signs of water stress. When these "hot spots" first appear, you will know that your lawn should have had a deep watering the day before.

This is a basic guide for setting up the intervals between watering. Keep in mind that this interval will change with the season, with the shorter intervals coming in the summer heat. Also be mindful of weather changes; be they summer rains, hot, dry winds or unusually long dry spells. Be ready to respond with changes in your watering program. You'll have a healthier, more beautiful lawn, and be conserving water at the same time.

Mowing
Make sure that your lawn mower has a newly sharpened blade. You can sharpen a lawn mower blade at home by simply using a grinding stone or file. Lawn mower stores that provide sales & service will sharpen your mower blade for a nominal fee.

Proper mowing will also increase your lawn's density, attractiveness and reduce lawn care problems. Blues, ryes and fescues may be mowed with either a rotary or reel mower. Bermudas and zoysias may be mowed with a rotary mower but will look their best when mowed with a power reel mower. Adjust the mower to the recommended height for your grass seed variety.


Increase the mowing height ½ inch (but not more than 3 inches total) for shady areas, immediately following a drought period or when insect injury or high traffic has weakened the grass.

An important rule of thumb is to mow on a regular schedule and avoid removing more than 1/3 of the top growth. Top growth, or cutting height, refers to the length of the grass blades above the soil. Cutting below the optimum height can impede root development which is key to having a dense, healthy lawn.

When mowing on a frequent regular schedule you may leave the clippings if desired. Clippings decompose quickly and help put valuable nutrients back in the soil. For a more groomed appearance or during times of rapid growth, clippings are best removed.

Fertilizing
When the renovated lawn is 6-8 weeks old, it is time to reapply an application of fertilizer. Most fertilizers are more easily and uniformly applied with rotary/cyclone spreaders. The goal of any fertilization program is to provide your lawn with nutrients it needs for optimum growth. Refer to your soil test results for component deficiency, or if a soil test was not conducted, follow these general fertilizer guidelines.

Most lawn experts agree that the fertilizer with N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium) analysis ratios of 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 are acceptable for use on any lawn. Examples on the fertilizer bag that fit these ratios are 12-4-8, 21-7-14, 16-4-8 and 20-5-10. The fertilizer should also have at least 1/2 of its nitrogen (N) in a slow soluble/slow-release form. Lawns fertilized with these forms of nitrogen (N) tend to have better color, thickness and reduced leaf growth. If the lawn still has good color in 6-8 weeks and is growing well at the end of this period, then delay the next fertilizer application a little longer.

Fertilizer application rates should be as low as possible and still produce a high quality lawn. If the amount of nitrogen (N) - (the first number of the analysis listed on the bag) is between 5 and 12, than the application rate should be 10 lbs. for every 1,000-sq. ft. of lawn. If the number is between 12 and 18 the application rate should be 6 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. Anything over 19 should be applied at 4-5 lbs. per 1,000-sq. ft. of lawn. These ratios are guidelines but always apply the fertilizer at the recommended rate listed on the bag.

The best time to fertilize your lawn is when it is actively growing and in need of nutrients. For Southern lawns, this means beginning the program just after spring green-up and stopping about two months before the average frost date in the fall. For Northern lawns, begin the program as the lawn begins to grow and green-up in the spring, then reduce applications as the weather gets hotter. When the cool weather returns in the fall, the lawn can again be fertilized. A late fall application, after the first frost, has been shown to increase lawn quality the following spring.

Once again, leaving your clippings on the lawn, you are fertilizing the lawn almost on a continuous basis, possibly extending the time period between commercially manufactured fertilizer applications. Lawn fertilization is truly the case of a little occasionally is good, but a lot at one time may cause problems.

Weed Control
Even with good weed control practices prior to planting, and the use of quality seed, a certain amount of weeds are inevitable with a newly renovated lawn. When possible, hand weeding is best. However with large lawns, the use of herbicides may be the best solution. Check with your local nursery and ask for recommendations based on your new lawn and season. Remember to follow all label instructions for applications and apply only to a lawn that is healthy and actively growing.