How to Revive Tired Grass and a Thinning Lawn (page 3 of 3)

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Step by Step Photos and Instructions 1 - 5

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1. Make two passes across the lawn perpendicular to each other with a power core aerator so that the aeration holes are spaced 2 to 3 in. apart. Set the spoon penetration by turning the depth control knob to the deepest setting. For operation on hills and uneven terrain, load or remove one or both onboard weights to increase stability.

2. Run the aerator in the morning when the turf is cool and moist (but not soggy). You want the aerator’s hollow spoons to easily penetrate 1-3/4 in. to 2-1/4 in. into the soil and pull out full-length dirt plugs. If a large, straight-slot screwdriver can’t easily penetrate 3 to 4 in. into the soil, the soil is too dry. The day before aerating, water the soil till it passes the screwdriver test. Mow your lawn just before watering and aerating it.

Click image to enlarge.

3. Prepare soil for reseeding using a power rake. Its solid tines slash through any thatch mat and score the surface of the soil. Power-rake only after aeration and in the afternoon, after the morning dew has dried—so the dead grass and roots lift out loosely without clumping. Make two opposing passes with the power rake, each 45 degrees across the pattern used by the power aerator.

Click image to enlarge.
4. Between passes with the power rake, always use a hand rake to loosen dead grass and lawn debris to ensure that new seed or fertilizer will contact the soil. If you reseed your lawn, make two passes with a rotary spreader. Each pass should contain half the recommended lawn seed for your square footage of lawn. Run it after each time you hand-rake in the same direction the power rake slit the soil so more seed can drop into the core holes and slits without being raked off.

5. Feed the soil and accelerate thatch breakdown with a rotary spreader loaded with thatch decomposter mix. We set our spreader at No. 15-16 to broadcast the decomposter mix at a rate to cover 2,000 sq. ft. of yard. If you’ve reseeded your lawn, apply decomposter mix and a 9-13-7 new-lawn fertilizer that contains slow-release nitrogen. After reseeding, water the lawn twice on that first day, 1/4 in. each time.