Is your lawn looking tired after winter? Spring is the perfect time for a Sydney lawn renovation. With the right approach, you can restore your turf to a lush, healthy green space that thrives through summer. Here’s your complete guide to renovating your lawn in Sydney, with expert tips to get professional-quality results.
Step 1: Remove Weeds Before You Start
Before you begin your renovation, it’s best to remove any weeds from your lawn. This helps prevent them from competing with your grass once it starts to recover. If you only have a few weeds, you can pull them out by hand. For larger infestations, use a targeted herbicide that’s safe for your turf variety. Common broadleaf weeds like clover, bindii and oxalis can be controlled with a broadleaf herbicide such as All Purpose Weed Control. This helps ensure your new growth has the best possible start.
Step 2: Choose the Right Time for Lawn Renovation in Sydney
In Sydney, it’s best to wait until temperatures are consistently warm before starting your lawn renovation. While the first warm day in spring might be tempting, hold off until your lawn is actively growing and needs mowing regularly. This ensures your turf can recover quickly after dethatching or scalping. Always check the Sydney weather forecast before starting to avoid cold snaps or extended dry spells during recovery.
Step 3: Dethatching and Scalping Your Lawn
How aggressively you dethatch or scalp depends on your grass type. Kikuyu and Couch lawns can be scalped and dethatched more heavily — these fast-growing varieties have strong underground rhizomes that help them recover. Zoysia lawns should be treated more gently. A light dethatch or scarify is best since Zoysia grows slower. Buffalo lawns mainly grow from above-ground runners, so only lightly dethatch to avoid removing too much leaf or stolon material. Always make sure there’s still green growth visible so the lawn can repair itself effectively.
Step 4: Aerate the Lawn to Improve Soil Health
Aeration helps improve airflow, water absorption, and nutrient movement in your soil — all essential for strong turf roots. You can use aerator sandals, a garden fork, or a tyne aerator. For larger lawns, consider hiring a motorised aerator. Push the fork or aerator into the soil around 10 cm deep, and if using a fork, give it a wiggle to relieve compaction. Work across the entire lawn in a grid pattern for even results.
Step 5: Top Dressing for Level and Health
Top dressing is a great way to smooth out uneven patches and improve soil quality. The key is not to cover the grass completely — the leaf tips should still be visible to allow photosynthesis. To level out your lawn, use a washed or screened river sand. To improve the soil profile, use a sandy loam mix with around 80% sand and 20% loam. Spread the top dressing evenly and water it in well.
Step 6: Fertilise and Protect Against Weeds and Pests
Once your renovation work is done, give your lawn the nutrients it needs to recover and thrive. A premium granular fertiliser such as Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is ideal to boost new growth. Spring in Sydney is also the perfect time to apply preventative treatments. Use Oxafert or Oxafert Plus to prevent summer weeds like Crab Grass, Summer Grass, and Crowsfoot. Apply Grub Guard Ultimate (powered by Acelepryn) to prevent lawn pests such as Armyworm, African Black Beetle, and Argentine Stem Weevil. Regular watering is essential after renovation — especially if Sydney experiences a run of hot days. This helps your turf recover quickly and evenly.
Final Tips for a Healthy Sydney Lawn
Renovating your lawn each spring helps rejuvenate the soil, strengthen roots, and create a thick, weed-resistant lawn. By following these steps, your Sydney turf will stay greener, stronger, and more resilient all year long. For more Sydney lawn care tips, product advice, and seasonal guides, check out our other blogs.
What Is the Best Lawn Grass for Small Spaces in Sydney?