Anthony, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

Author: Anthony

Revive your lawn before winter

Posted on by Anthony
  • A few key things attended to now can improve your lawn’s appearance through winter
  • Don’t attempt too many drastic actions – scarifying or topdressing at this time of the year.
  • A last fertilise for the season and even a pigment treatment like ColourGuard can work wonders

Winter Dormancy

During cooler seasons, lawns will generally be at their most vulnerable and unable to repair or maintain good health as well as they can in warmer seasons. Most Australian lawns are what are known as warm-season grasses. Kikuyu, Couch, Zoysia and Soft Leaf Buffalo lawns are the most common types and fit into this category. As the name ‘warm-season’ suggests; that’s the time when these grasses are actively growing and during the cooler months they slow down and can go dormant; shutting down and discolouring over winter. This is a protection method that lawn grasses use to withstand freezing temperatures and frost with the grass leaves thinning and drying out and the plant’s energy being stored in the lower parts of the grass stem and root areas.

  • Increase your mower height
  • Trim your trees and bushes
  • Address any weed issues

As the weather starts to cool down, so does lawn care with the grass not growing as vigorously as it did a few weeks ago in most cases. As daylight hours decrease, so does photosynthesis, so by increasing mower heights and leaving more leaf, it helps to increase the food supply to the grass. Pruning is a great way to plan ahead for winter conditions, as overgrown trees and bushes may increase their shade levels, and by the time we notice that our lawn has started dying in certain areas, it can be too late to repair the damage. Use this period as an opportunity to fertilise your lawn, and go for an all-round or pre-winter fertiliser that contains higher levels of iron, which is essential for good lawn health throughout these cooler conditions and also gives a quick colour boost to your lawn. It is important to address any weed issues before winter, as conditions for their survival improve, while at the same time the lawn’s ability to fight against them decreases. Winter weeds, such as poa annua (winter grass), could potentially inhabit your lawn.

Pre-Emergent Herbicide

Treating weeds before they spread is the best thing to do and although not as common a practice in Australia, it’s a good idea to try a pre-emergent like Lawn Solutions Australia’s Oxafert Pre-emergent Herbicide / fertiliser mix for a pre-winter boost and to help prevent germination of any winter weeds. Patching up any bare or dry spots will help prevent issues during the cooler months, and will keep your lawn looking good – you can square-up any areas with a mattock or spade and fit new turf sections straight onto your lawn. Talk to your turf grower about the turf roll or slab size and you can patch areas fit. As air and soil temperatures decrease, over-watering during cooler temperatures can increase the possibility of lawn diseases or rotting of the thatch layer. Aerating your lawn during autumn is considered a good time to do so as the plants are busy enhancing their root zones in preparation for winter and the soil is usually a bit softer than at the height of summer. Use a garden fork and work to break up the soil or hire an aerator that will make quick work of the job. You’ll be amazed at the results – just check out any golf course and see how often they are aerating or coring to get more airspace into the soil profile.

Mowing Height

Getting the mowing height right is probably one of the most important things now and it’s a good idea with the next few mows to increase the height and then you can gradually lower it over winter – not taking much leaf but more of a tidy-up. You’ll see this on many footy fields around the country as most sports-turf curators start to lift the mower-height at this time of the year to get a more healthy and robust cushion of turf in readiness for damaging winter sports. Another tip from the experts is to look at a colourant at this time of year as well as fertiliser. A natural, organic-based-colourant like Colourguard from Lawn Solutions Australia will give you an instant green-up that offers a natural-looking colour and at the same time extend your lawns growing period by a few weeks as it increases its light-absorption ability heading into winter.

Lawn care doesn’t need to be difficult and simple hints from Lawn Solutions Australia and their network of member turf growers and Lawn Solutions Centres Australia-wide can help with products to keep your lawn in top condition this autumn.

5 Expert tips to get your lawn in shape after summer

Posted on by Anthony
  • Expert Turfgrowers agree that Autumn is the easiest time of year to have your lawn looking its best
  • Some simple maintenance things now can set your lawn up well for winter
  • There’s only a few weeks of the growing-season left now for many Aussie lawns

The average Aussie lawn can be just hanging on at this time of year after a long-hot-summer; especially the one experienced by much of the country this year. Heatwave after heatwave, more time outdoors, family barbeques, backyard games with sprinklers, slip ‘n’ slides, cricket . . . and inadequate watering and maintenance, can all have effects on compaction, soil health and fertility and ultimately your lawn’s vigour and appearance at the end of summer. Many of Lawn Solutions Australia Turfgrowers say that autumn is about the best time of the year for them to more easily achieve peak condition in their turf, with lower temperatures, the grass still growing and the plant having all that stored energy from summer. Much of the work to keep it looking good right through to winter starts now and in the following tips we’ll explain how:

  1. Get stuck into your thatch

If you’ve got a thatch issue going on, it’s a great time now to get in a couple of low-mows in before your growth slows to a stop and if you miss the opportunity now, the other best time of year is at the end of spring. A study carried out by the University of Western Australia a few years’ ago, compared different types of renovation for turf and they found that the results from a ‘hard-mow’ or ‘scalping’ was just as good as scarifying, coring, or grooming when it came to dethatching a lawn. This should only be done a couple of times a year and works only for warm-season grasses (Buffalo, Kikuyu, Couch and Zoysia) and should be avoided for cool-season types – fescue and the likes as this practice will probably spell the end of your lawn. If your law feels ‘spongy’ to walk on then it may be time for such drastic action, but keep in mind that for much of the country you’ve only got a few weeks to ‘get-stuck-into-it’ before it starts to cool off and your lawn doesn’t grow.  Attempt it too late and your lawn won’t recover over winter, so if you’re unsure, seek some good advice from your local Lawn Solutions Centre or similar.

  1. Check the soil profile by trying the screwdriver test

After a demanding summer, many lawns have lost some condition, become compacted through wear, especially with pets and kids and may look a bit worse-for-wear following summer weed infestation. To see how your soil is holding up and whether compaction is a problem, grab a long screwdriver and plunge it into the ground in a few places to see how far it will penetrate (minding any irrigation or electrical cabling). You should be able to easily push it in for up to 100 to 150mm (4-6 inches) without too much resistance and if not it would serve your lawn well to look at aeration to remedy the problem.

  1. Rid your lawn of weeds

The trick here is to try and clean-up any weeds before they go to seed and create problems again for you down the track. One of the best way to reduce weeds is to have a healthy lawn so it literally smothers them out so look at the basics before you turn to the spray bottle. Check your soil, aerate and topdress if necessary, mow regularly and fertilise to keep your lawn healthy and if weeds are still an issue either hand-weed or look at a selective herbicide that’s safe for your lawn – Lawn Solutions Australia has a number of weed killers suited to a range of weed types.

  1. Get the mowing height right

The end of summer is the perfect time to start lifting your mower height. Contrary to much information bandied about, a lower-leaf-height over summer is actually more water-efficient for your lawn than a longer leaf that is often recommended, as recent research has found that the shorter leaf offers less surface area for evaporation and reduces sun-damage to the grass leaf. It is this time however that you can start to increase the height of your lawn in order to encourage a healthy deep thatch and matt area and long luscious leaf. You’ll see this on many footy fields around the country as mast sports-turf curators start to lift the mower-height at this time of the year to get a more healthy and robust cushion of turf in readiness for damaging winter sports.

  1. A last round of fertiliser before winter

Sometimes it may seem easier not to worry about a round of fertiliser after summer, but it’s the time of the year your lawn will do well with it and keep it in better health on the way into winter. Look at a balanced fertiliser with micro-nutrients and trace elements that will replace some of the things lost over summer. Another tip from the experts is to look at a colourant at this time of year as well as fertiliser. A natural, organic-based-colourant like Colourguard from Lawn Solutions Australia will give you an instant green-up that offers a natural-looking colour and at the same time extend your lawns growing period by a few weeks heading into winter.   Lawncare doesn’t need to be difficult and simple hints from Lawn Solutions Australia and their network of member turf growers and Lawn Solutions Centres Australia-wide can help with products to keep your lawn in top condition this autumn.

Choosing Kikuyu Grass – 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid

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Avoid: Using Kikuyu grass in shady areas

Although a well maintained Kikuyu grass lawn could look good in areas of full sun, it doesn’t stand up to shade-affected areas and quite often becomes patchy and dies off. This is particularly crucial when choosing Kikuyu grass for newly planted gardens as initially you may have plenty of sun, but as plants grow, more shade is inevitable. As the shade starts to limit the amount of sun that lands on your lawn it will slowly start to become patchy.

Avoid: Laying Kikuyu grass near garden beds

Due to its vigorous growth patterns, Kikuyu is a very invasive grass and doesn’t tend to want to stay put in its designated area. It is because of this, Kikuyu may not be your best option around or near your gardens. Due to its strong vertical and sub-surface growth habits, your average Kikuyu lawn can easily invade and spread throughout your garden, and becomes very difficult to control as this is mainly occurring beneath the surface. This can be difficult to control especially if you have low shrubs growing in your garden as the Kikuyu and the shrubs tend to become interlocked and the plants ultimately suffer.

Avoid: Higher lawn maintenance effort and cost

Although a Kikuyu lawn’s initial cost is lower than that of a soft-leaf buffalo lawn, the long-term maintenance and upkeep costs are much higher. Kikuyu is highly susceptible to both weeds and pests, and as its growth is vigorous, you will be spending a lot more time pushing your mower around. A higher initial investment in a superior lawn variety will save you time, effort and money over the long run, not to mention you will have a better looking lawn for it! Not sure which grass type is right for you? We can help you choose.

Turf Installation & Laying Services

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Turf installation – the easy way to get a new lawn

Whilst some people find turf installation to be a straightforward job – especially with our easy-to-follow Laying Turf how to guides and videos – others just don’t have the time. If you want a new lawn without the hassles of all the measuring, preparing the ground, spreading underlay and laying turf, Lawn Solutions Australia can help. Depending on where you live, our fully accredited turf growers can take care of everything for you:

  • Measure your garden
  • Advise on the right grass type for your location and your garden’s particular conditions
  • Provide a quote for turf, plus premium quality turf underlay if required
  • Organise delivery for a day that suits you
  • Spread the turf underlay and a water-saving starter fertiliser
  • Lay the turf
  • Cut the turf exactly to the shape of your lawn and around your garden beds
  • Advise you on immediate and long term aftercare
  • Provide a 10 Year Lawn Warranty – the only of its kind in Australia. This is only offered on purchases from accredited Lawn Solutions Australia turf suppliers.

Talk to your local grower about their turf laying services

If that sounds like the lawn solution for you, get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia grower to ask about their turf installation and laying services in your area, and look forward to a lush new lawn without the hassle! With 40+ leading turf growers across Australia, our expert lawn professionals are only a phone call or email away.

Types of Grass – Which Is Best For You?

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Different grasses behave differently in varying climates and soil types, which type of grass is best for you?

  • Some are more drought or frost tolerant.
  • Others handle shade better.
  • Or more acidic soils.

What this means to the consumer is that there is no one perfect grass type for every lawn, and if you want to ensure a healthy, thriving lawn, you need to start with the best turf for your conditions and needs.

Finding the best lawn for your situation can mean making trade-offs.

  • Take into consideration the look and feel of the lawn you want.
  • What characteristics are important to you.
  • and what the lawn might be used for.

We can then help you find out what grass types are appropriate for your climate and growing conditions.

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfo_md1fixA&t=1s” title=”What type of lawn is right for your garden?”]

Getting Started

To get started, try selecting various options to see the characteristics and strengths of each of our grass varieties. As well as general advice on which grasses perform best in different climates. Click here to visit our turf selector.

Then get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier, as they will be best placed to discuss what options work best in your local climate and conditions. Our network of members across Australia are waiting to hear from you.

Feel Confident in Your Choice

Once you’ve chosen your grass, feel confident knowing that all Lawn Solutions Australia grasses come with our unique 10 Year Product Warranty and that turf supplied is AusGAP Certified which ensures:

  • it has been grown and harvested to the highest of standards
  • it is free of weeds and disease on delivery
  • and will perform to its maximum potential in its new environment.

Using Dolomite Lime to Reduce Soil Acidity for a Healthy Lawn

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What is soil pH?

You’ll often read the recommendation to check soil pH, a lot of people ask me what does pH actually mean? pH is simply a measure of how acid or alkaline a substance is. A pH of 6-7 is neutral, below 6 is acid, the lower the number the more acid the site. There are stacks of gardening books that list the preferred pH for specific plants.

What soil pH is best for grass?

The good news for most lawns is that they will tolerate a fairly wide range of soil pH. Anywhere from about pH 5.5 to 7 is great.

How does lime help reduce soil acidity?

A hungry lawn needs feeding but if your pH is not correct it simply won’t take what you feed it. Lime is very alkaline so helps by reducing soil acidity which in turn improves the uptake of major lawn nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. It also provides a great source of calcium and magnesium for the lawn and helps improve water penetration.

How to test the acidity of your soil

By doing a pH test on your site or underlay you can determine the acidity/alkalinity. With a simple soil test kit it’s really easy to do yourself. You can easily purchase soil test kits online from the Lawn Store.

How to apply lime to your soil or lawn

The amount of lime you should use depends on the acidity of your soil. Approximately 100-250g per m2 is the typical range. Ideally mix the lime into your soil and turf underlay prior to laying your turf. Otherwise, spread it on the top and water in well.

It’s well worth taking the time to reduce your soil acidity to get the lushest, healthiest lawn you can. Find your local Lawn Solutions Australia member grower for expert advice.

PH Testing – Lime for Healthy Lawns

Improving Soil Structure with Gypsum for a Lush Lawn

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How gypsum helps improve soil structure

Gypsum is a soft white-grey mineral known as a ‘clay breaker’ because it helps to improve the physical condition of heavy clay soils. In layman’s terms, if you look at compacted soils under a microscope they look like a jar full of sand. If you mix gypsum with the soils it will then look like a jar full of marbles, with air pockets around them. The result of this occurring is to allow better water and root penetration. Root development and the intake of other essential nutrients are assisted as well by the calcium content of gypsum.

How to use gypsum to improve your lawn

As a rule, gypsum is best cultivated and mixed into clay or heavy soils prior to laying turf or adding turf underlay. If you have an existing lawn that is suffering from compaction, using gypsum will also help relieve compaction in most clay or heavy soils. First aerate the lawn, then spread 1-2kg/m2 of gypsum over the lawn and rake in. If you’re unable to aerate the lawn first, water the gypsum in heavily once spread. Remember good soil structure will give you a great lawn. If you want more advice, get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia member.

Gypsum for Lawn Soil Structure

Platinum Zoysia Grass in Warmer Regions – Why You Should Consider It

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Zoysia grasses, such as Platinum Zoysia, can offer you a finer-textured alternative when selecting a turf grass for your tropical, sub tropical and warm temperature conditions.

A heat tolerant grass

Platinum Zoysia, although producing a much finer leaf to most varieties suited to warmer climates, thrives in extreme heat and humidity. This is due to the ability Platinum Zoysia grass has to roll their leaves when under heat stress, which enables the plant to conserve water.

Slow growth means less mowing

In addition to this, Platinum Zoysia grass has a very slow growth habit, which will greatly reduce the amount of time you will be pushing your mower around in the heat!

Shade tolerant and weed resistant

Furthermore, Zoysia Japonica grasses such as Platinum Zoysia have an appealing dark green colour, good shade tolerance and the ability to outcompete weeds once established. Platinum Zoysia grass provide a fine textured alternative for lawns in warmer climates, and are definitely worth considering as an option for your next turf project!

How To Lay Turf Part 4: Aftercare

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Don’t let your new lawn dry out

You will need to keep your new lawn moist at all times. Watering 4 times a day in warm conditions is quite normal. An example schedule would be:

  • early morning
  • mid/late morning
  • late afternoon
  • early evening

You don’t need to flood your lawn, just be sure to keep the turf and immediate underlying soil moist. You must be systemic, ensuring you water all areas. Keep in mind that during hot conditions, especially if it is windy, the lawn will dry out very quickly and additional watering may be required. Your lawn will let you know if it is drying out by its appearance and behaviour. The leaf blades will start to curl, shrivel and dry out so you’ll know when it needs a drink.

Initial irrigation methods

Overhead irrigation

The best way to water is by overhead irrigation, in fact to establish a new lawn, overhead watering is the only way to go. Portable sprinklers attached to the end of a hose are cheap and efficient. Just move them around the lawn as required. A tap timer will ensure you don’t leave the water on for too long and waste water. An in-ground, pop-up irrigation system takes this a step further. This can be connected by a manual tap timer, or a computer controlled timer that is programmed to run as required. Hooking up a pop-up system to a rain water tank or using recycled water is the most environmentally friendly and cost effective method.

Grey Water

Grey water is the wastewater from washing machines, laundry tubs, baths, showers and wash basins. It does NOT include wastewater from the toilet, dishwasher or kitchen sink, as these can contain unwanted solids and potentially nasties. Grey water can be used on the garden and lawn by bucket or water re-use system. This is a good way to recycle your grey water, reduce pressure on grey water waste systems, save on valuable drinking water reserves as well as save money. If you want to use grey water be sure to use environmentally friendly, sustainable detergents that won’t harm your lawn. Before using grey water it is best to check with your local Council for advice as there may be regulations regarding the use of grey water in your area.

Underground Water

If you live in sand belts such as Perth underground water can be tapped into a bore or a spear. Contact your local Council to see if underground water is available in your area.

Water Restrictions

Always check the relevant water restrictions in your area as these vary greatly around the country. Your water supplier will have all the necessary information on their website. Also, your local turf supplier should have helpful advice on the local conditions and ways to use and save water.

On-going watering and creating a drought tolerant lawn

Once your lawn sets root into the soil, it is starting to become established. You can test for this by trying to gently lift a corner of a roll or slab, if it doesn’t lift easily, the roots have set into the soil. This is a good thing as it means your lawn is growing well.

Once establishment is happening you can start to back off the watering depending on the weather and the climate in your region. The idea is to get to a point where you water less frequently, but give the lawn a deep soaking when watering does occur. This encourages deep root systems and ultimately a more self sufficient and drought tolerant lawn. As the water drains through the soil, the roots seek the water out deeper in the soil rather than just hanging around near the surface, which is what will happen if you just give short, regular waterings. Educate your lawn to go the distance.

Drought tolerance one of the key characteristics of buffalo lawn, like Sir Walter. In many areas that receive fairly regular rain, you will almost never have to water a drought tolerant lawn at all, except during routine maintenance tasks like fertilising when you have to water the fertiliser in. During extended dry periods you may have to water your lawn more regularly to maintain a lush green look, but this is purely for cosmetic reasons.

Timing

The best time to water your garden is early morning or late in the afternoon/early evening, when there is no wind and less chance of water loss due to heat related evaporation. In humid areas, avoid late afternoon or early evening watering as this can increase the chance of fungal diseases. In these areas early morning is best.

Turf Installation & Initial Care – Best Practice Guidelines