Typically in Raymore, MO a lawn renovation is done starting in September, after the long dry hot summer has ruined your once BEAUTIFUL lawn.

There are several different methods used to (renovate) your lawn this fall. The most common practice used is core aeration, this is when you take 1″ – 2″ plugs from the soil. This maximizes soil particle space and there for reduces “soil compaction”.It also helps with nutrient absorption and photosynthesis. If you are seeding with a cool season turf (blue grass, fescue, perennial rye, etc..) do not over seed after core aeration. This will create plugs of grass and is not the correct method of soil preparation for cool season turf.

A second method to renovate your lawn is verticutting. This cuts straight grooves with in the soil, this should be done at least 2 different directions to form a grid pattern. This is the best method to prepare the soil for over seeding with a cool season turf.

Power raking is a third form used to renovate your lawn. This is primarily used to thin out the thatch layer, it can also puts grooves in the soil. You will be surprised how much dead thatch will come to the surface.

Now that you’ve chosen the right method for your lawn, it’s very important to pick the right seed. Most seed can contain fillers and weeds within the bag of seed that you bought. Blue grass is beautiful but does not with stand heat or drought very well. Fescue is still a great looking grass and has more tolerance for the heat and drought. But Home owners should stay away from k31 fescue. Perennial rye is the fasted germinating of all the cool season turf and great when fast coverage is needed…

Now that you have picked the right seed for your renovated lawn, now you need to finish with a starter fertilizer. Last make sure you water water water water until at least the first freeze then you kick back relax and wait for spring.

Tips: Make sure all weeds are killed before starting the lawn renovation process. Don’t wait to long to do your lawn renovation a hard freeze can damage the new grass.