Moving Out? Quick Lawn & Garden Fixes When Your Lease is Up

Lawn repair is one of the most common problems when people are moving out of a rented house. Perhaps it was the dog that may have done some digging in the lawn, the kids created a well-worn cricket pitch, or tall trees or shrubs created shady areas where the lawn didn't thrive, but patchy grass can really stand out come inspection time.

As soon as you know you have to move out it's time to act. Here are the simple steps to help repair a lawn patch:

STEP 1

Using a small garden fork or metal rake, gently cultivate the soil in the bare patch to create a nice soft crumbly surface.

STEP 2

If the bare patch is also lower than the surrounding soil, it will help to fill the spot with a bag of lawn top dressing. Holes or divots in the lawn can really stand out so it's worthwhile filling them up and creating a more level surface.

STEP 3

Scatter some Munns Professional Quick Fix Premium Seed Blend over the patch and then gently rake into the surface. Munns Professional Quick Fix seed is coated with an advanced germination booster to provide germination within 5-7 days (depending on soil temperature and moisture).

STEP 4

Gently water the patch and keep the top centimetre of soil consistently moist while the new grass seedlings establish.

STEP 5

Once the new grass seedlings are 5 - 6 cm high they can be mown, the aim being to cut just the top 2 cm off the top of the leaves.

STEP 6

These new grass seedlings will help to fill and repair the bare patch.

You can also help repair and thicken up the entire lawn if it's thin and patchy by oversowing with lawn seed. Mow the lawn quite low and then rake the lawn thoroughly with a stiff rake, removing any dead grass and exposing the soil surface in the barest areas. Spread Munns Professional Quick Fix Premium Seed Blend over the lawn and then water gently, but thoroughly. This also helps move the lawn seed down to the soil surface. Keep the top centimetre of soil consistently moist as the lawn seed germinates and the new grass seedlings establish.

A green lawn will look much nicer come inspection day, but it's important to use a fast-acting lawn fertiliser for speedy greening results. Yates Lawn Fertiliser contains a blend of fast acting nutrients, including nitrogen and iron, to promote quick greening and comes in an easy to use hose-on applicator. Simply plug the adaptor into your click-on hose and then walk and spray the lawn at a steady pace while sweeping the spray back and forth. The 2 L bottle of Yates Lawn Fertiliser will help green up and feed 150 m² of lawn.

Crisp lawn edges look nice and neat and create a much better impression than grass runners creeping over paths, paving and garden borders. Trim the edges with a line trimmer, manual lawn edger or sharp spade and sweep up any grass cuttings.

Then give the lawn a light mow. Don't be tempted to mow too low, as this can scalp the grass and leave bare patches. Just take the top few centimetres off. If the lawn has grown quite long, it's best to mow a few times, taking only a third off the grass height at each mowing by gradually lowering the mower each time. These mows can be done over several days or over several weeks, with the final cut a few days before inspection.   

Shrubs that have developed wayward growth can be lightly trimmed. Only prune off the untidy stems or stems with spent flowers and don't prune into the woody centre of shrubs, which often won't develop new leafy growth and will look bare and sparse on moving day.

If your rental has hedges, they can be given a trim too, as cleanly cut hedges can help the garden look wonderfully tidy. Only take a few centimetres of growth off, just enough to provide nice even surfaces. Don't forget to rake up the trimmings after you're done, as well as any other fallen leaves, twigs or branches around the lawn or garden.

Remove Weeds

Weeds can really detract from the look of the garden, making it look messy and uncared for. Remove weeds by hand or spray with Yates Nature's Way Organic Weed Killer. Based on acetic acid and clove oil, it gives fast visual burn-down of both grass and broadleaf weeds, which is just what you need when you need to get the garden spick and span in a short amount of time.

Invest in a few bags of mulch, such as pine bark chips or eucalyptus mulch, from your local hardware store or garden centre. Spreading this mulch around and in between shrubs and other plants in garden beds helps unify the look of the garden and results in a much tidier look. Humble mulch really does work wonders.

Grimy or algae covered paths, pavers, driveways, or decks can easily spoil the look of outdoor areas. Use a high-pressure washer to remove the dirt or use a stiff broom and warm soapy water to scrub surfaces clean.

Particularly if the weather has been warm and dry, give the garden and lawn some deep and thorough waterings a few times each week before you move out. Thirsty plants and grass will look tired, pale, and sad, whereas well-watered garden beds and lawns will look greener and fresher. For some extra TLC, apply some Yates Thrive Natural All Purpose Hose-on Liquid Plant Food over the garden. It comes in a quick and easy to use hose-on applicator and provides the garden with fast acting nutrients to promote healthy green growth, as well as natural ingredients to help nurture the soil.