An established lawn can become thin, mossy or compacted after years of wear. Rather than starting again, a renovation in autumn or spring usually brings it back. This guide covers a full renovation, which goes further than caring for a new lawn.
Step by step
Work out what is wrong
Look closely at the lawn. Moss often points to shade, poor drainage or compaction, bare patches to heavy wear, and yellow patches to dog urine or dry soil. Fixing the cause matters as much as fixing the grass.
Choose the right time
Renovate in early autumn, when the soil is warm and moist, or in spring as the grass starts growing. Avoid hot, dry spells and frosty or waterlogged conditions.
Mow and scarify
Mow the lawn fairly short, then rake it vigorously with a spring-tine rake or scarifier to pull out moss and dead thatch. The lawn will look worse at first; this is normal.
Aerate compacted areas
Push a garden fork or hollow-tine aerator into the lawn at regular intervals, especially in heavily walked areas, and wiggle it to open up the soil. Brush sharp sand or a sandy top dressing into the holes on heavy soils.
Overseed and top dress
Scatter grass seed suited to your conditions, such as a shade or hard-wearing mix, evenly over thin areas. Lightly cover it with top dressing and keep it moist until the new grass is established.
Change how you mow
Once the new grass is growing well, mow on a higher setting and never remove more than about a third of the grass height at once. Keep mower blades sharp for a clean cut.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Mower with adjustable height
- Spring-tine rake or scarifier
- Garden fork or hollow-tine aerator
- Grass seed suited to your lawn
- Top dressing or sharp sand
- Watering can or sprinkler
- Gloves
Practical tips
- Keep people and pets off newly seeded areas for a few weeks.
- In deep shade, consider replacing grass with shade-loving plants or bark.
- Rake the moss you remove into a bag rather than your compost if a moss treatment has been used.
Common problems
Birds keep eating the new seed. What can I do?
Cover the seeded area lightly with top dressing or temporary netting, and sow a little extra seed to allow for losses.
The moss came back within a year. Why?
The underlying causes, such as shade, poor drainage or low mowing, were not fixed. Improve drainage, raise the mowing height and reduce shade where possible.
The new grass is patchy and uneven. Should I start again?
Not usually. Overseed thin patches again when conditions are right and keep them moist. Lawns often thicken up over a full season.