How to Revive a Brown Lawn

In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook breathes new life into a dead lawn.

Steps:

1. Loosen and remove dead grass from lawn with garden rake.

2. Use walk-behind broadcast spreader to apply starter fertilizer to the lawn.

3. Broadcast grass seed by hand over all bare spots in lawn.

4. Work grass seed into soil with the backside of a leaf rake.

5. Use a shovel to spread ¼-inch of compost over the seeded areas.

6. Lightly mist the area with a garden hose. Keep the area moist to ensure healthy growth.

7. In late-fall, cut lawn for last time as short as possible. And don’t fertilize until the following spring.