The direct answer: renovation happens in the May-to-July window, and the seasonal guidance is explicit that it is arranged in May — booked, with materials ordered — not improvised in June. June is the main window for the disruptive work; July completes it and nurses establishment; August returns the pitch to match condition. Miss the sequence and the new grass meets pre-season boots half-grown.
May: book it or lose it
- Decide the scope honestly: full renovation, or targeted repair of goalmouths and worn channels.
- Book contractors or hire machinery for the May–July window now — the guidance pins the arranging to May because everyone else’s window is the same.
- Order materials (seed, dressing) in time to be on site when work starts.
- Test irrigation before you depend on it over new seed.
June: the main window
June, in the guidance, is when the work that cannot happen in season happens: goal inspection and repair with the goals down, targeted repairs and overseeding of worn areas, and soil and drainage improvement work that disrupts the surface. The renovation machines — scarifiers, overseeders, topdressing kit — are the classic hire-or-contract families on the equipment checklist: high cost, one short window a year.
July: finish and nurse
- Complete seeding and surface work early enough for establishment before pre-season.
- Check germination and coverage weekly; re-seed misses promptly.
- Water new growth deliberately in heat — and let longer grass (the source’s 45–50 mm summer band) shade the soil.
- Keep traffic off: a renovation trodden flat in July was money burned in June.
August: back to match condition
The final month steps the pitch back to work: cutting height reduced gradually toward the 25–35 mm match band, goalmouths reinforced, hazards cleared, drainage tested and the line-marking equipment serviced. The full checklist for that month is in the maintenance calendar.
When to stop and escalate
- Renovation involving drainage design or major levelling — surveyed contractor work, not a volunteer weekend.
- No budget for proper materials — a County FA pitch advisor can help scope what matters most before anything is bought; funding routes are covered here.
- No irrigation and a dry forecast — establishment may fail; get advice on timing before seeding anyway.
Printable summary
Print this page in April and the four-month sequence becomes the club’s renovation planning sheet, sources included.