Patchy To Perfect: How I Transformed A New Build Lawn

Lawn Renovation In Minerva Heights, Chichester

I first visited Mr & Mrs H, a lovely retired couple with a beautiful small garden full of colour and interest in Chichester, back in April, they were very happy with the way they had transformed their outdoor space, with lots of pots large and small, but the one part they weren’t happy with was their lawn. It was full of ant nests, the grass was patch and pale in colour with weeds starting to take hold. They explained that they wanted a lush, vibrant lawn to be proud of and wanted to know if I could get it to that condition and keep it looking good throughout the year, I rose to the challenge!

1. The Challenge

First thing I had to do was establish just what the customers wanted to achieve with my service; they were very clear, they wanted a lush weed free lawn, with no ants or weeds and an ongoing maintenance program to keep it looking good with ongoing advice on watering and mowing. The issues with the lawn were:

• Infested with ants
• weeds
• Sparse, thin growth in parts of the lawn
• pale and weak patchy looking grass

2. The Approach

I started with a full lawn assessment to understand soil condition and drainage, this was pretty good as it had been re-turfed with new topsoil a year or so before. Before I started my work the customer applied Nematodes for Ants on my suggestion, while these won’t kill ants (they’re fairly bomb proof and there are no professional pesticides for them). The first treatment included scarification to remove thatch and create a clean seed bed, followed by hollow-tine aeration to relieve compaction. I then applied a pre-seed fertiliser and overseeded with a luxury fescue blend to thicken coverage, this was then covered with a specialised lawn dressing to aid germination ( the customer later admitted he was worried as it looked awful). I then provided Mr & Mrs H with a document on watering best practice.

“I always try to match the seed with the customers needs and wants, the sunlight levels and shade conditions.”

3. The Results

As you can see from the photos in the gallery below, the result was very satisfying! The May renovation pics took place on the 3rd, and the June photo was just 5 weeks later on the 9th, after taking that photo I gave the lawn a Summer feed, two weeks after this I applied herbicide to finish off remaining weeds. The August photos show a very healthy lawn, lush, deep green colour, helped with regular watering, mowing and the feed applied. When it was clear that the lawn was recovering well I advised the customer to mow regularly, 2-3 times per week if possible, this helps to thicken the lawn, and because you are no longer mowing large amounts off it once a week, those nutrients are saved and sent down into the rootzone instead.

In mid September I gave the lawn an Autumn feed to prepare the grass for the long, cold months ahead.

4. Key Takeaways

• Prevention is always better than cure
• Even a tired lawn can be revived to look beautiful
• Regular lawn aeration is critical to a healthy lawn
• A tailored lawn care plan to your needs is possible

“If your lawn is looking a little tired, thin, patchy or compacted, or even if it’s new but you want it to stay that way we’d love to help. Call us for a no-obligation lawn assessment — let’s bring your garden back to life.”

5. Quick Facts

1. Lawn Renovation Location: Chichester, West Sussex.
2. Lawn Size: 30m²
3. Services used: Scarification, aeration, overseeding, topdressing, herbicide, seasonal feeding.

“If your lawn’s looking tired or patchy, we’d love to help. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation lawn assessment — let’s bring your garden back to life, contact us here.”

Thanks for reading, come back for more, Paul