7 Steps to Renovating Your Lawn - Turf Shed Style

Time to get your lawn ready for a full makeover? As soon as those days heat up consistently (think late September to early October in SE Queensland), it’s the perfect time to give your well-established grass the TLC it deserves. Keep in mind, this is for lawns that have had time to mature. If you’ve got a new lawn, you can do a light touch-up - but best to check in with a pro before you go too hard.
Here’s how you go from tired turf to backyard beauty:
Step 1 - Weed Patrol
Get rid of those pesky weeds first! You can go manual and yank them out by hand, or give them a zap with some targeted herbicide. Make sure they're gone before you move on to step 2 - otherwise, they'll muscle their way back in.
Step 2 - Time to Scalp (or Low Mow)
Drop your mower down to its lowest setting and give your lawn a proper buzz cut. For Couch grass, don’t be afraid to go hard - even down to the dirt. Zoysia’s a slow grower so go to dirt if you’re happy to have no grass for a while, or go light if you want it to be back sooner. If you've got Buffalo, be careful. Keep it light and make sure not to slice through the stolons (those runners that hold everything together) - cut those, and you'll be saying goodbye to your lawn.
Step 3 - Scarify (Couch and Zoysia Only)
Scarifying sounds fancy, but it’s really just a way to rip out all that dead thatch sitting under the surface. Couch and Zoysia love this, but steer clear if you’ve got Buffalo - it’ll do more harm than good. If you’re not keen on hiring extra equipment or your lawn isn’t too thatch-heavy, you can skip this step.
Step 4 - Core Aeration
It’s time to let your lawn breathe! Grab a pitchfork or a core aerator (handheld or machine) and punch some holes into the ground. This lets water, air, and nutrients work their way in, giving your grass a serious boost. Then mow over the plugs to tidy up.
Step 5 - Add the Good Stuff
Now it’s time to feed your lawn! Toss on a good granular fertiliser (like LawnPride Turf Maxx), and don’t forget the pre-emergent herbicide (Barricade or Spartan) to keep weeds at bay. If you're worried about pests, chuck on some pre-emergent pesticide too (Acelepryn GR works a treat).
Step 6 - Top Dress Like a Pro
Spread a nice even layer of sandy loam or washed sand over your lawn. Keep it light if you’re keen to see your grass bounce back quickly, or go a bit heavier if you’ve got bumps and dips to level out.
Step 7 - Water Away!
Finish strong with a good drink of water. This helps all those goodies sink into the soil and sets your lawn up for success. After that, return to your usual watering schedule.
And there you have it - seven steps to turn your lawn into the envy of the neighbourhood (without using those words, of course). Enjoy!