Story: Top Dress vs Levelling Mix
Episode: 13
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 30 May 2026

Trevor tackles post-summer lawn damage and shows how timely autumn repairs can bring tired turf back to life.

• Extreme summer conditions, from heatwaves to heavy rainfall, can leave lawns stressed, patchy and compacted heading into autumn.
• Buffalo lawns often develop uneven bare patches due to their spreading surface runners, making top dressing essential for fast recovery and levelling.
• Autumn provides a critical 4–8 week window to repair damaged lawns before winter slows growth and weeds begin invading exposed areas.
• Scotts’ specialised lawn top dress mix combines composted organic material, fertiliser and wetting agents to encourage rapid turf recovery and strong runner growth.
• Compacted kikuyu lawns caused by vehicle traffic benefit from aeration with a fork or corer, helping air, moisture and nutrients reach struggling roots.
• Applying a fine layer of top dress across both damaged patches and surrounding lawn areas stimulates regrowth while improving soil structure and moisture penetration.
• Acting quickly in autumn can dramatically improve lawn recovery before winter, with further repairs in spring helping achieve a dense, healthy lawn year-round.

For more information, head to:
lovethegarden.com