How to revive patchy Buffalo lawn?

[LinL]

My buffalo lawn is not doing well. I’ve neglected it. Lots of bare and dry spots. Areas under shade is doing better. Wondering if it can be revived with lots of love and care or should I start again and returf my lawn? If I can revive it, please let me know what to do. There’s some weeds and there’s a patch of a different type of grass growing in some spots, one with a finer leaf. Thanks

Fine leaf grass

[BlakeD]

Hi Jacob,

im going to aerate and top dress.

does it matter what season i do it in? As in could i do it now?

Can you recommend what I should top dress with and then what should I fertilise with?

thanks again,

Blake 

[EricL]

Hello @BlakeD 

Buffalo lawns are tough and low-maintenance, but they really benefit from aeration and top dressing during their active growing season, which is spring through early autumn. If you’re still getting some warm weather and your lawn is actively growing (green, not going dormant), it’s totally fine to do it now. Just avoid doing it too close to winter if the temperatures are starting to drop off where you are, since the lawn won’t recover as quickly.

For top dressing, Scotts Lawn Builder 25L Organic Lawn Soil Topdress & Underlay from Bunnings is a great choice. It’s a sandy loam mix that helps level the surface and improve soil quality without smothering the Buffalo blades, which don’t love being buried too deeply. Apply a thin layer and spread it evenly with a rake or leveller, then give it a good watering.

After top dressing, follow up with Scotts Lawn Builder Buffalo Slow Release Lawn Fertiliser. This one’s made specifically for Buffalo lawns—it’s gentle on the leaf and root system, promotes strong growth, and won’t burn the lawn. It also doesn’t require immediate watering, which is handy if you're juggling timing or don't have a lot of time on your hands.

A quick tip: after aerating, watering your lawn lightly before applying the top dress helps it settle better into the soil plugs. And if you’ve got any thatch build-up, Buffalo does better when it’s cleared out in spring, so maybe hold off on heavy dethatching for now if it's getting cooler.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[MYC]

Good morning.  Time to aerate my buffalo lawn.   Not sure if I should pull out the spots of  dead brown lawn (see photos) or just aerate and fertilize, will the brown patch revives??

For many years I managed to revive but now after so many years not sure if need doing differently.  I understand Buffalo  self repairing grass?

 

 

I do look after my lawn, aerate, fertilize in Sumner, Autumn, Spring but ease back in Winter.  Deep watering once a week f no rain for more than 5 plus days. 

Should I pull brown dead bit and top dressing? Or buy Buffalo seeds to put on top of top dressing??

Please help.    Many thanks

Miriam

Myc

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @MYC,

Thank you for your question about your buffalo lawn.

The brown dead patches you are seeing are called thatch, and they are essentially dead material that has not broken down and been absorbed by the soil beneath. It can build up over time, which will make your lawn spongy and can cause drainage issues.

It would certainly be worth dethatching your lawn, although it may not be the best time to do it, as it will significantly thin out your lawn, and we are coming into the colder months, where your lawn's growth will slow. As it doesn't look too bad, I would simply aerate and fertilise, then add a dethatch to your plans for Spring or early Summer next year when your lawn is actively growing.

Check out How To Dethatch Your Lawn for some guidance on the process and recommendations for products.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[MYC]

Thanks for your prompt reply.  Just completed aerating now.  Is it okay to top dressing now? I have some lawn top dressing used from last year.

Will fertilize after or before top dressing?

Thanks

[JacobZ]

Hi @MYC,

You will be fine to top dress the lawn, but I wouldn't apply too thick a layer as the growth before winter will be limited. Make sure it is spread well so that the top of the leafs are not smothered.

Fertilise after top dressing and then water it in well.

Let me know how you go.

Jacob

[akshunk]

 

  

 

 

Hi,

im a newbie to all things gardening and I need help with my buffalo lawn. Long story short it’s been neglected a bit since it was laid in Dec 2024. We had the first cut done in May and it’s taking some time to recover.

problem 1 - The guy we hired to mow it left a lot of grass clippings on that I later raked and realised it was smothering a lot of the grass underneath. And I’m not sure if it is recovering in certain patches. I did apply some buffalo weed n feed about 3 weeks after mowing and it’s been 2 weeks since then. Some areas seem to be growing well. How can I repair this or does it need any repair at this point? 

problem 2- the lawn floor is very uneven and bumpy. There are parts on the edges that have sunken. How can I fix and level this? 

[JacobZ]

Hi @akshunk,

Considering the time frame from installation to first mow, I am not seeing anything that wouldn't be expected. Regular mowing is part of training your lawn. If it were left to grow for around 5 months before its first mow, then a lot of leaves would be removed in that first cut, which will shock the lawn and cause some issues. It's not dead and it should recover just fine, but in future, more frequent mowing during the peak growing months is important. 

Since it's the start of winter, your buffalo lawn is naturally slowing down and entering dormancy. Patchy recovery after mowing and applying weed and feed is normal this time of year. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn may have smothered some areas, but raking them off and applying a buffalo-safe product was the right move. Don’t apply more fertiliser now, as the grass won’t take it up efficiently until spring. Hold off on mowing unless necessary and keep the height high to avoid further stress. Bare patches likely won’t recover until soil temperatures rise in spring, so be patient.

For the uneven or sunken areas, now isn’t the right time to level or lift turf, as buffalo won’t grow enough in winter to repair itself. In spring, when your lawn is actively growing, you can topdress with sand to bring up the low spots. Gradual levelling over a few seasons is common with new lawns. Check out How To Topdress Your Lawn for some guidance on this process.

For now, your best approach is to maintain gently and plan to rejuvenate the lawn once growth returns in spring.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[akshunk]

Thank you @JacobZ ! Good to know it’s not a lost cause yet. 
so all I need to do this winter is water it and wait till spring? 
And just to confirm, we can resume mowing and fertilising in spring as well? 

[JacobZ]

Hi @akshunk,

More or less. There will still be some minor growth, but not enough for reparative works. Water your lawn when needed, and mow it if it grows too long. 

Once spring rolls around, you can resume mowing and fertilising and take any reparative actions such as topdressing and aerating your lawn.

Check out How To Care For Your Lawn In Spring for what to do in spring.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob