Restoring a neglected grass lawn

Regular mowing keeps grass growing thickly and prevents weeds from getting established. To rescue an overgrown lawn colonized by weeds, cut back the long grass in either spring or autumn using a line trimmer or a rotary lawnmower with blades set high, at 5-8cm. For a large area, hire a powered scythe or get in a contractor for the first cut. Then feed the neglected lawn with a lawn fertilizer.

Mow regularly, deciding what height you want your lawn and mowing each time it grows 1-2 cm more than this. By cutting the lawn by less than 2 cm, you won't need a grass catcher, because these short trimmings will sink into the lawn quickly, returning nutrients to the soil. Longer trimmings will tend to stay on the surface longer and look messy, although they won't do any real harm unless piled thickly. In early autumn, use a lawn rake to remove dead stems and moss, aerate with a spiker to allow air into the soil for better root growth, and apply a lawn fertilizer.

Weeds
Regular mowing kills upright weeds. Flat, rosette-forming or creeping weeds such as chickweed, clover, dandelions, bindii and paspalum, go unharmed under the mower. The fastest remedy is to apply a combined liquid weedkiller and lawn food in spring. Remove individual rosette-forming weeds by applying a spot weedkiller for lawns, or dig out by hand, ensuring you pull up all the roots.

Moss
When moss or algae appear in a lawn it's usually a sign that the soil has become waterlogged and, if there are trees nearby, the area may also have become too shady. There are products you can apply that will kill the moss or algae, but they will reappear unless you address the underlying problems in the affected area. In shade, thin out the branches of overhanging trees or replace the lawn with shade-tolerant ground-cover plants. For waterlogged soils, correct poor drainage if possible. In boggy, old or heavily used lawns, scarify and aerate the turf in autumn, then brush in two bucketfuls of river sand per square meter without burying the grass. This treatment may need repeating every few years.

Bare patches
On poor, thin grass or a lawn that gets heavy wear, apply a ration of lawn food in spring and another in early autumn. Repair any bare patches in spring or autumn. Prick the soil with a fork to loosen it and sprinkle on seeds of the same type of grass, or returf the area.

Other lawn problems
Your lawn may have slimy patches or areas that look like overlapping green platelets: this is liverwort, which you control in spring with a liquid moss killer. For dollar spot - small, dead patches in grass - spray promptly with a lawn fungicide.