How to improve my Kikuyu lawn?

[ashleasmith]

Hi everyone,

Hoping for some tips on how to improve the condition of my small Kikuyu lawn at the front of my house.

In some areas it is great, but in others it is very thick and spongy, and in some spots it’s brown. It’s difficult to push the mower along in the spongy areas.

There are also areas (shown in photos) where it feels as though the turf isn’t actually attached to the ground?

I try to mow consistently and not let it get too long - over summer I’ll likely mow it every weekend.

Just unsure on how to make it look any better!

[ashleasmith]

attaching an overall photo of the lawn 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @ashleasmith,

The sponginess in your Kikuyu lawn is likely due to a build-up of thatch, which is dead organic material. Aerating the lawn and using a  Cyclone Timber Handle Long Thatching Rake to remove some of that material will help improve airflow and water penetration. This should make the lawn easier to mow and healthier overall.

For the brown patches, I’d recommend checking your watering and fertilising routine. Kikuyu thrives with regular watering but doesn’t like to be waterlogged, so make sure the lawn is getting consistent but not excessive moisture. A lawn fertiliser like Scotts Lawn Builder 4kg All Lawn Types Lawn Food can help promote growth and colour, especially if it’s been a while since the last feed.

As for the turf that feels detached, it might be a sign that the roots haven’t properly established in those areas. This could be due to compacted soil, so aerating the lawn will also help here. You could follow up by lightly top-dressing the lawn with lawn soil to encourage better root contact with the soil and improve overall health. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[ashleasmith]

Hi Mitchell,

Thanks so much for your in-depth reply!

I have purchased aerating sandals and actually bought that timber handle thatching rake yesterday! But didn't use them just yet as I wanted to make sure this would actually be the right way to go. 
Prior to using the thatching rake, should I mow the lawn? And if yes, should I mow it any lower than usual or just keep it at the standard height? Not sure if I'll be able to get all the dethatching done thoroughly in one day, so would it be okay for me to do this over several weekends?

Re: the watering schedule, we're just coming out of winter and we're up in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne, so it's been quite chilly and wet.

I haven't stuck to a regular watering schedule over winter, and have just let the regular rain do its thing with the lawn. Now that it's starting to warm up, I will try to keep on top of this better without overwatering.

I will go ahead and purchase some lawn fertiliser to help it along a bit, and will also add some top-soil in the areas that feel a bit detached.

You'll note that we've put top-soil in the centre of the lawn to try to even it out a bit after removal of a small tree.

Will eagerly await your response on some of my questions above re: thatching.

Thanks!

[MitchellMc]

Glad to hear you've got the aerating sandals and the thatching rake ready to go @ashleasmith. 

Yes, it's a great idea to mow the lawn before you start dethatching. I’d recommend mowing it slightly lower than usual, but not too short. This helps expose the thatch layer, making it easier to rake up. Be careful not to scalp the lawn; you still want green grass blades exposed.

It’s perfectly fine to tackle dethatching over a few weekends. Doing small sections at a time is actually quite common, especially since the process can be labour-intensive. Just try to avoid leaving too much thatch lying on the lawn for long periods—it can block sunlight and water from getting through to the grass. Rake up and dispose of what you can each time.

Regarding your watering, it's wise to ease into a more consistent schedule as the weather warms up. Keep an eye on the soil moisture and avoid overwatering—once or twice a week should be fine as long as the lawn isn't drying out too quickly. I have some concerns that the lawn is staying too moist and water is not draining away quickly enough. After you've watered, wait four days, and then pull back the grass and stick your finger deep into the soil. If it's still wet after that many days, you have a drainage issue that needs addressing.

Adding topsoil to areas that feel detached is a good move, and it's excellent that you're levelling out after tree removal. Lawn fertiliser will definitely give it a boost as well.

Mitchell

[ashleasmith]

Hi Mitchell,

Thank you for that - I'll make a start this week and hopefully we'll see improvements soon!

Re: potential drainage issues - what could I do to help solve this? I don't have the funds to get someone in to fix this for me at the moment, so would definitely need to be a DIY job.

Ta,

[MitchellMc]

Let's come to that road when we cross it, @ashleasmith. Check those moisture levels, and we can devise a plan. For the moment, work on the de-thatching. 

Ultimately, it would be best to install a draincoil under the surface to remove moisture, or we can look at adding sand to the lawn to help drain water away from the root zone. It just really depends on how wet the soil is staying. However there might not actually be a problem at all. 

Mitchell

[ashleasmith]

Good plan, Mitchell!
I'll try these few approaches first, monitor it over the coming weeks/months and come back to you with an update