PREPERATION

WEED CONTROL: While not essential for every lawn renovation, starting with weed control can significantly improve the outcome. For our care plan clients, this step is already part of ongoing maintenance. For new clients, we recommend beginning weed control towards the end of winter or early spring to give your lawn the best chance to thrive and your renovation the best outcome. By addressing weeds early, we create a cleaner slate for renovation, allowing grass to establish more effectively and minimising competition for nutrients.

SCALPING: Scalping involves cutting the grass down to its lowest recommended height, significantly reducing blade length. While it may sound drastic, this process is a powerful way to reset your lawn and prepare it for renovation. By lowering the height of cut (HOC), we effectively thin out the dense, overgrown layer of grass, allowing better access to the soil surface, creating an easier access for subsequent renovation treatments, such as aeration, scarification, and top dressing.

The end HOC will vary for each variety of turf. Grasses such as buffalo that grow from stolons (above ground root system) cannot be taken as low as grasses like Kikuyu or Couch that grow from rhizomes (below ground root systems)

SCARIFYING / DETHATCHING: Scarifying is the process of vertically cutting into the turf to remove the thick layer of thatch that has built up. Thatch buildup — a dense layer of dead grass and roots between the soil and living turf — can block water and nutrients from reaching the roots, leading to weak, shallow growth. Scalping helps to break down this layer, improving soil access to moisture and nutrients and promoting deeper, healthier root development.

The end height of scarification will, just like scalping, depend on the turf variety. Grasses such as buffalo that grow from stolons (above ground root system) cannot be scarified as intensely as grasses like Kikuyu or Couch that grow from rhizomes (below ground root systems)

AERATING: Over time, soil can become compacted from many factors such as lack of watering, over watering, heavy foot traffic, machinery/vehicles or loss of organic matter. This compaction restricts the flow of air, water, and nutrients to the roots, stunting grass growth and leading to a thin, struggling lawn. Aeration relieves compaction by creating small holes in the soil, allowing oxygen, moisture, and nutrients to penetrate deeply. This process encourages stronger root development, improves drainage, and promotes a thicker, healthier lawn that’s more resistant to drought, pests, and disease.

TOP-DRESSING: Top dressing is a vital lawn care practice that enhances both the health and appearance of your lawn. It involves spreading a thin layer of soil, sand, or compost (depending on your soil profile) over the surface to level out uneven areas, improve soil structure, and promote healthy root development. This process also helps to break down thatch, encourage new grass growth, and improve moisture retention. The result? A smoother, more resilient lawn that’s better equipped to withstand stress, pests, and disease.
 

FERTILISING: Fertilising during a lawn renovation provides essential nutrients that support new grass growth and recovery. It helps strengthen the existing turf and promotes deeper root development. By delivering a targeted nutrient boost, fertilising ensures the lawn can quickly establish itself, fill in bare patches, and maintain a lush, vibrant appearance throughout the renovation process.

AMENDMENTS: While not essential to every lawn renovation, at Crafted Greens, we believe in going the extra mile to give your lawn the best possible start. When you’re investing time and effort into revitalising your lawn, we’re committed to matching that dedication with care and attention to every detail — thats why when we do lawn renovations, we include a few extras. 

Soil wetting agents are products designed to improve water penetration and distribution in soil. Over time, soil can become hydrophobic (repelling water), especially in sandy or compacted areas, causing water to pool or run off rather than soaking in. Wetting agents reduce the surface tension of water, allowing it to spread more evenly and reach the root zone more effectively.

Soil bio-stimulants are natural or synthetic (we use organic) substances that promote plant growth and improve soil health by enhancing the biological activity within the soil. Unlike traditional fertilisers that provide nutrients directly, bio-stimulants work by stimulating the natural processes in plants and soil to increase nutrient uptake, improve stress tolerance, and foster healthier root systems.

WATERING: The last step of any lawn renovation (well, almost last) is watering — a crucial but often overlooked step. Proper watering practices after renovation help settle the top dressing, reduce soil compaction, and ensure nutrients from fertilisers penetrate deeply to support root development and recovery. Ultimately, it’s the key to making plants grow.

Once your lawn renovation is complete, the job doesn’t end there. Many clients choose to leave the mowing to us to ensure optimal results, but even if you don’t, we’ll still be checking in. About a month after the renovation, we return to apply another round of soil wetting agents and bio-stimulants, reinforcing the initial treatment and giving your lawn the best chance to thrive.