Turf Tips: Repairing patches
With lots of turf groups on social media, we are seeing people get wonderful results bringing tired lawns back to life. While we have seen some amazing resurrections, some patches just won’t come back no matter much TLC you give them. This week’s turf tip breaks down repairing patches for the areas that need more than just some love.
Love and patience
The first option for repairing patches is a little love and patience. Our Sir Walter DNA Certified is such a wonderful turf when it comes to regrowing. With a little love and attention a bare patch, will self-heal in a Sir Walter lawn. A plant tonic like Charly Carp or Seasol will give the plant a little boost, powering the runners that will fill in the patch.
To keep the lawn surface level first fill the hole in the lawn with washed sand. Then give your lawn some love and wait for the runners to do their work. This process can take some time, so if you want instant results try our next tip.
Repairing patches with a turf transplant
To get that instant result you can patch in a fresh slab of turf to cover the bare patch. Just like laying a new lawn, the biggest key to repairing patches is to take your time and prepare the area properly.
First, you need to cut a nice square area around the bare patch. Do not worry about cutting into some existing grass, as the new patch will replace it all. By cutting the area back to a square, you get a much cleaner patch.
Make the now square area nice and flat, digging away any uneven areas giving a good base for the new patch. Carefully measure the now bare area and purchase new turf slabs to cover the area. You can buy small numbers of slabs from our sales office or your local Bunnings store.
Getting the patch in
When repairing patches you will want to treat the patch just like a new lawn. First, apply a pre-turf fertiliser to promote healthy growth. Cut your slabs to fit snugly into the patch and then roll them down to get good contact with the soil.
Then water the new patch well for several weeks to ensure it establishes well. We see turf as slabs, but each slab is actually hundreds of individual plants. This means your new patch will soon just become part of your lawn and you will never remember it was there.
Avoiding future patches
To avoid future bare patches ensure you move garden furniture and play equipment such as trampolines regularly. Not enough sun in one area is the most common cause of patches. Also, be aware of high traffic areas, especially with pets. Give high traffic areas extra love year round, and where possible give them a break by keeping people and pets off them for periods.
To get more advice on repairing patches; call our team on (07) 3114 8230. If you want to pop in and order in person, our office is located at 1/243 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge; and is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 12pm.
For more great turf, tips keep an eye on our website and all our social media channels.
