November Lawn Care Guide

Tips to Help You Prepare for a Lush Summer Lawn

As the weather warms, lawns compete for moisture and nutrients, while weeds and fungus take advantage of the same conditions. This November lawn care guide is designed to help you stay ahead of that shift — protecting the progress you’ve made through spring and building resilience for the hotter months ahead. Whether you’re following a complete lawn maintenance plan or simply ticking off seasonal priorities, these simple steps and quick tips will help you keep your lawn dense, vibrant, and healthy right through summer.

How to Know Your Lawn Is Ready

Before adjusting your routine, have a quick check of your lawn. If you notice these signs, it’s the right time for pre-summer lawn care:

• Rapid, steady growth — if you’re mowing weekly, the soil’s warm enough for fertiliser and herbicide to work well.
• Colour fading — a sign the grass has used up spring nutrients and is due for a light feed.
• An uplift in weeds — broadleaf weeds such as dandelion and clover emerge quickly once soil temperatures exceed 12°C.
• Firm soil underfoot — not sticky or compacted, showing good structure for top dressing conditions.

If most of these sound familiar, your lawn is entering its active maintenance phase — time to shift focus from recovery to protection.

1. Control Weeds Before They Spread

By late spring, weeds take off, competing with your lawn for space, light, and nutrients. Deal with weeds early — it keeps your lawn neat and stops them taking over in summer.

What to do:

• Apply a selective herbicide on a calm, dry day.
  • LAWNZ Cleanse is ideal for mature lawns (6 months+), targeting broadleaf weeds like clover and plantain.
  • LAWNZ Preserve suits newer or younger lawns (4 weeks+), offering gentle control without damaging tender grass.
  • LAWNZ Guardian can be used on Fine Fescue lawns to control persistent grass weeds such as poa annua and summer grass.
• Delay mowing for two days before and after spraying to ensure full leaf absorption.
• Avoid watering or rainfall for at least six hours after application (check the label for specifics).

Regional Tips

• North Island: Warm, humid conditions accelerate weed spread. Plan weed spraying early in the month and monitor weekly for regrowth.
• South Island: Mid- to late November offers ideal soil temperatures for spraying. Target weeds before they seed and take advantage of calmer, drier weather.

2. Sharpen and Refine Your Mowing Routine

Consistent mowing is central to a healthy lawn. Sharp blades mean cleaner cuts, less stress, and fewer problems — and regular mowing helps your lawn grow thick and strong.

What to do:

• Sharpen or replace blades before the summer rush; torn blades leave brown tips and uneven texture.
• Mow regularly and avoid cutting off more than one-third of the grass each time to keep roots strong.
• Gradually raise your mower height to shade soil and conserve moisture.

Regional Mowing Tips

• North Island: You’ll likely be mowing about once a week now. Keep blades a little higher to help the lawn cope with humidity and avoid scalping.
• South Island: Growth is picking up but still steady. Increase mowing as the soil warms, keeping height even and blades sharp.

3. Top-Dress and Feed Lightly

As growth peaks, nutrient demand outpaces supply. Light feeding and minor levelling now will strengthen the turf before the summer heat sets in. It helps level the lawn and encourages deeper, stronger roots.

What to do:

• Use a sand and soil mix to fill low spots and improve drainage. Spread evenly across the surface using a shovel or spreader, then work it gently into the canopy with a rake or broom.
• If your lawn is thin, now is a good time to apply lawn seed such as LAWNZ Eclipse, Exceed, Redefined or Grand to thicken it up.
• Apply a balanced lawn fertiliser such as LAWNZ Amplify to maintain colour and density.
• Water well afterwards to help the soil settle and nutrients soak in.

Regional Advice

• North Island: Feed early in the month before humidity increases. Go for a balanced fertiliser to keep growth steady and stop fungus from taking hold.
• South Island: Mid-November is ideal once the soil stays warm throughout the day. Combine top-dressing with seeding to repair any bare spots left from winter.

💡 Tip: If colour dulls quickly, supplement with a foliar spray such as LAWNZ Spark or Soil Boost for instant colour and lasting soil health.

4. Water Smarter, Not Harder

By late November, rainfall becomes less predictable. Smart watering keeps your soil healthy and your lawn growing strong.

• Water early in the morning to reduce evaporation and fungal risk.
• Water deeply instead of often — it trains roots to grow down and stay strong through dry weather.
• If water use is limited, focus on newly seeded or top-dressed areas first.

💡 Tip: Use a small spade or soil probe after watering — if moisture reaches 10 cm deep, you’ve hit the ideal level.

Key Lawn Care Jobs for November

As you prepare for summer, think of November as the reinforcement phase of your spring lawn care routine. Each simple action at the right time strengthens your lawn’s ability to handle stress later.

In Short

Lawn care in November focuses on steady growth and reducing stress on your lawn. Feed lightly, mow regularly, and stay ahead of weeds, small, simple actions that add up to big results.