https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/ae07faa8-e6d5-4db1-8017-842b486cb4d2 Breathing new life into an old lawn with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. (See below for a shopping list and tools.) SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse Roger Cook traveled to Oregon to help a homeowner with a lawn that had many bare spots and weeds. To improve the lawn, Roger started by mowing the entire lawn very short, using a bag to gather the clippings. Next, he used a power "dethatcher" to remove thatch and help loosen up the top layer of soil. Then Roger used a "core aerator" to remove 3" plugs of soil, allowing water, air and fertilizer get down to the lawn's roots. Next, Roger spread a layer of compost over the top of the entire lawn to improve the soil and help with drainage. With the compost raked in, Roger used the results of the soil test to determine what type of fertilizer to use and how often to apply it. With fertilizer applied over the entire lawn, Roger applied a blend of new grass seed and raked it in. This will help fill in the bare spots, crowd out weeds, and improve the overall appearance of the lawn. Soil testing is a critical part of gardening and landscaping. Many state universities have county extension programs that offer soil testing and analysis for a small fee. Technical assistance for this project was provided by: DeSantis Landscapes www.desantislandscapes.com Soil analysis was provided by Oregon State University (cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/services) and The University of Georgia (aesl.ces.uga.edu). Power dethatching and aerating machines are available for rent at many rental centers, home centers and hardware stores. Compost, seed and fertilizer are available at garden centers, nurseries and home centers. Shopping List for How to Rejuvenate a Lawn: Compost, Soil test kit, Grass seed, Tools for How to Rejuvenate a Lawn: Lawn mower, De-thatcher, Leaf rake, Core aerator, Broadcast spreader, Shovel, Wheelbarrow, About This Old House TV: This Old House is the No. 1 multimedia home enthusiast brand, offering trusted information and expert advice through award-winning television, a highly regarded magazine, and an information-driven website. This Old House and Ask This Old House are produced by This Old House Ventures, LLC and are presented on PBS by WETA Washington, DC. Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter http://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG http://bit.ly/AskTOHIG Tumblr: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite How to Rejuvenate a Lawn | This Old House https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:23:12 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/ae07faa8-e6d5-4db1-8017-842b486cb4d2 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.