Patchy, weedy lawns are a common problem in Kiwi backyards.
And it's because we don't take care of them like we should.
But it's not too hard to get your lawn back in shape.
I'll show you some easy ways to maintain it
so it stays looking good.
Whether you're sowing a new lawn or patching an existing lawn,
the techniques I'm going to show you are the same for both.
As you can see, I've already sprayed this lawn
with some Roundup.
It was covered in weeds and dead patches.
It's also quite uneven and needs to be leveled out.
So we're going to start this from scratch.
OK, I'm going to start from the corner of my yard
and just work all the way right across the whole section.
Now because my ground is so dry and hard here,
I decided to loosen it up with a fork,
and then I'm going to scratch it all out with a rake,
and then skim the top off with a spade.
Now preparations are key to a good job
no matter what you're doing.
So now's the time to pay particular attention
to any lumpy bits that might be in the lawn.
And we just want to get out any of these old roots, any weeds.
And we want to try and level it out as much as we can.
We are going to come over with quite a bit of soil soon,
but we just want to make our job as easy as we can.
So let's just try and get it as flat as we can.
OK, it's all looking pretty good.
Earth's nicely scored.
Now it's time to put on our lawn prep mix.
Now pour on your lawn pre-mix.
And it's a good idea to use gloves and a face mask.
Using a rake, spread the lawn prep out evenly
at a 50 millimeter depth all over the lawn.
Something with a big, long, straight edge,
like this level I'm using, is a good way
of getting everything nice and flat.
So everything's looking tickety-boo.
Before we put on our grass seed, I just
want to give this lawn a nice soaking.
Now, after you finish watering, if you
find there's a few little hollows in there,
now is the time to stamp them down, before you sow your seed.
OK, so I got my lawn seed.
We want about a handful per square meter.
And we want to go east west, and then
sort of north south fashion, so we're well covered on the lawn.
It's a little bit like feeding the chooks,
throwing out the old seed.
Now, just making sure that all the grass seed
has good contact with the soil.
I've got all my grass seeds sown.
Now I want to give this a water at least once a day,
twice a day on a hot day like today whilst it's germinating.
The lawn needs to stay moist so the seed can germinate,
but make sure that no pooling occurs as this
can encourage uneven growth.
And there you go, Easy As.
A great new lawn, ready to enjoy.
Now I'm going to give you a few tips about lawn maintenance.
For one reason or another, you may
find that you have a few areas that you
need to bring back to life.
And here's how to do that.
First, remove all the dead grass,
moss, or weeds with a rake.
Then spread a layer of lawn prep over the bare patches.
Dampen it down.
Now sow your seeds.
Give it a good water, and keep it well watered
while the seed is germinating.
Something else you need to keep on top of are weeds.
There are three common types of weeds you'll find on your lawn:
broadleaf weeds, prickle weeds, and hydrocotyle weeks.
Each different type needs a different type of weed killer.
So once you've identified what type of weed you've got,
just pop in the store, and ask the staff
what's best for your problem.
But to avoid getting weeds in the first place,
there are a few things you can do.
A lot of people think that a short lawn is good.
But it's actually better to keep your lawn longer.
This means the weeds won't be able to reach the light
and grow.
A well-fed, regularly fertilized,
and well-watered lawn as also less likely to get weeds.
And if you keep your lawn nice and thick,
again the weeds won't be able to reach the light,
and they won't have the space to grow.
So follow these tips, and your lawn
is more likely to stay weed free.
So with a little bit of care and regular maintenance,
you can have a lawn that looks great and will last.