Nathan Edwards, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia - Page 11 of 11

Author: Nathan Edwards

Kikuyu Grass in Focus

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

Kikuyu Grass

Pronunciation

Kuh koo yoo

Cenchrus clandestinus

Kikuyu grass is native to the highland regions of East Africa. Kikuyu is most well known for being a highly invasive and aggressive grower and it is this trait that makes it suitable in some cases as a home lawn.

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrnMixBYiMk&t=186s” title=”Kikuyu Grass”]

With the ability to perform in most Australian climates, Kikuyu can stand up to a wide range of conditions. Kikuyu can be a good option for both home lawns and larger spaces such as racecourses or parks and is also used as pasture for livestock grazing. It was introduced into Australia for this reason, as a robust pasture grass for cattle.

If you’re looking for a grass that is an economical all-rounder, then Kikuyu could be an option for you.

Kikuyu grass

Key Characteristics

Kikuyu thrives in a sunny aspect and handles full sun. It is able to establish a strong, deep root base which helps it stand up to the hot summer days and provides acceptable drought tolerance.

  • Strong, deep root base
  • Poor shade tolerance
  • Highly invasive, quick repairing
  • Acceptable drought tolerance

Kikuyu spreads through vigorous growth by both stolons and rhizomes, making it a common option for larger areas and for erosion control. Due to its strong vertical and sub-surface growth habits, it can easily invade and spread throughout your garden and becomes very difficult to control.

Kikuyu can grow in a wide range of soil types, but performs at its best in fertile, light to medium textured soil with moderate drainage and salinity levels. The ideal soil pH for Kikuyu is 5.5-7.0, but it can tolerate levels as low as 4.5.

Being a warm season turf variety, Kikuyu prefers growing temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius but can manage in conditions much hotter. During winter, Kikuyu will go into a certain level of dormancy and will stop growing when exposed to frost.

Kikuyu is not a great performer in low light or shaded areas and will require at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight in order to thrive. 

Important points for installation of Kikuyu Grass

  • Install the grass as soon as possible after delivery
  • Lay on a bed of 100mm of quality turf underlay
  • Use Lawn Solutions Australia Lawn Launcher at label rates to give the grass a head start and retain moisture in the new soil bed
  • Roll to compact new turf to improve contact with the soil
  • Soak the newly laid turf thoroughly for 10-14 days after installation or until established
  • Reduce irrigation once established and water only when the grass appears to be dry
  • Minimise irrigation in the cooler months to avoid your lawn getting waterlogged
  • Consult your local supplier for seasonal advice on installation timing in cooler regions 

Kikuyu Grass Maintenance

Irrigation

it is important to be mindful of correct and efficient irrigation practices to maintain a healthy kikuyu lawn.

  • If watering is necessary once established, water only when there are signs of the grass drying out, e.g. wilted leaves
  • Do not water in the cooler winter months unless there are signs of the above
  • If irrigation is needed, deeply soak the top 100mm of soil (generally 30 minutes with a standard sprinkler will suffice)
  • Water early morning for improved efficiency and plant health

Mowing

Kikuyu will require frequent mowing throughout the warmer months due to its aggressive growth habits. It’s important you mow regularly to ensure you don’t remove more than one third of the leaf in one pass.

  • Ensure that mower blades are sharp to prevent tearing of the leaf
  • Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at any one time unless dethatching
  • Dethatch if required in late spring for best results

Fertilising

Kikuyu is known to be highly responsive to nitrogen and can see a strong flush of leaf growth when a high amount of nitrogen is applied. For this reason, we recommend applying a slow release fertiliser during the warmer months to ensure leaf growth doesn’t quickly get out of hand.

  • Apply slow release granular fertiliser at a rate of 20-25g/m2 or 2-2.5kg/100m2
  • For best results, fertilise at least 3 times per year. Important dates are late spring, mid to late summer and late autumn
  • Always irrigate after applying fertiliser
  • On new lawns, apply fertiliser after you have cut your lawn at least once

Weed and pest control

Most domestically available chemical weed and pest control products can be used on kikuyu lawns. However, most Winter Grass killer herbicides are not safe to use on Kikuyu and the use of Paspalum herbicides (containing DSMA) are limited to spot treatment only.

It is always best to read the label and check with your supplier for recommended products before any application.

Although a Kikuyu lawn’s initial cost can be lower than other varieties, it is important to consider the long-term maintenance and upkeep costs associated with this type of grass.

If you think Kikuyu is the right choice for your lawn, you can’t go past Australia’s number one Kikuyu Grass – Eureka Kikuyu. Eureka Kikuyu is available Australia-wide and is suitable for a wide range of areas.

Eureka Kikuyu Premium VG Grass is another great option if you are in Victoria as it has an improved ability to cope with the cooler winters than other types of kikuyu. This variety is exclusively available from Lawn Solutions Australia accredited turf suppliers in Victoria only.

You can find contact details for your local supplier here.

How to repair a thin and patchy lawn

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

If you have a patchy lawn, there are a few things you can do to make the path to recovery a lot easier and quicker.

Most warm season lawns will spread laterally, thickening up and recovering with some care and attention – These include couch, buffalo, zoysia and kikuyu.

Here’s where to start…

Rake out the dead material

When the grass dies, for whatever reason, the dead material is left in the patch or sward of the grass to decompose slowly. To help your lawn thicken up again and recover quicker, rake out as much of this material as you can. This will provide space for the healthy grass to spread back through and also help more sunlight, water and oxygen to penetrate boosting the health of the grass in these areas.

patchy lawn

Aerate with a garden fork

Aerating will help to decompact the hard-bare ground making it easier for the healthy grass to spread its roots into the bare soil. Drive a garden fork into the ground to around 100mm and wriggle it back and forth to fracture the soil profile. If you have subsoil irrigation be careful that you don’t do so too deeply or where you are likely to come in contact with a pipe. After aerting can also be a good time to apply soil conditioners like gypsum to improve your soil base.

aerating

Treat the weeds

Weeds will be taking up space in the lawn making it difficult for the grass to thicken, so now is the time to get on top of them. Spray the appropriate broadleaf herbicide, dig the easy ones out by hand and persevere while the lawn is vulnerable to ensure you get on top of them and prevent further spread.

weed removal

There is also a way to prevent some weed types from appearing at all. A pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert targets weed seeds before they take hold by forming a barrier at soil level that stops the germination of any new seedlings. Pre-emergents can be used in the prevention of Winter Grass, Summer Grass, Crowsfoot and Crab Grass.

Your lawn may also be affected by invading grasses like kikuyu or couch. For tips on removing unwanted grasses from your lawn click here.

Lightly topsoil

Now you don’t want to smother an already unhealthy lawn, but a light amount of topsoil in the bare and patchy areas can bring the levels up making it easier for the healthy areas to spread across. Topsoil will improve the soil profile, improving drainage and providing nutrient to help strengthen the lawn. Make sure you water it in really well after application, so it assists rather than hinders the growth of your lawn.

Fertilise

Any weeds that were there have now been treated or removed, so you can go ahead and feed the lawn without having to worry about feeding the weeds as well. A good quality slow release granular fertiliser will have a good mix of everything your lawn needs to get it kicking along again on the path to recovery.

fertilise

Water your lawn

Once you have fertilised your lawn, you need to water it down into the profile really well where it can go to work and where it won’t burn the leaf of your grass. Watering over the coming weeks will help the grass to grow as strongly as it can and with some good sunshine your grass should see a lot of growth and improvement.

Mow regularly

You have gone through a bit of hard work above to get the grass humming along again, which will likely mean a bit more mowing. This part is important in ensuring that your lawn stays on the path to recovery. Regularly mowing your lawn will encourage lateral growth further thickening the profile of your lawn. A thicker lawn will also be a lot better at restricting weeds growth and will be more resilient to disease related issues. If you mow regularly at your normal mowing height, you should also avoid removing more than one third of the leaf blade off in one pass.

mowing height

Simple lawn care principles to avoid a patchy lawn

Once your lawn is back to full health and not patchy some simple lawn care undertaken seasonally should keep it from deteriorating like it did before.

For more information on any of the lawn care areas we have covered above, click on the links below:

How do I remove Nutgrass from my lawn?

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus)

  • Nutgrass, a noxious weed, is part of the Sedge weed family which also includes Mullumbimby Couch. This weed gets its name from the nut-like tubers found on the roots (rhizomes) of the plant.
  • It is identifiable as it is usually a lighter green than the rest of your lawn and tends to grow taller.
  • Nutgrass has 3 blades that shoot up from the stem and has a triangular stem rather than a circular stem like most grasses.

Skip to: Where did the nutgrass come from? How do I remove nutgrass?

nut grass

Where did the Nutgrass in my lawn come from?

Nutgrass is a Sedge weed that is incredibly difficult to eradicate and can remain inactive in soil for long periods of time. It can be as simple as a disruption of soil or the addition of nutrients or water to an area that causes a dormant nut within the soil to begin to grow.

Nutgrass

How do I remove Nutgrass from my lawn?

If you find Nutgrass in your lawn, it is best you act quickly before it spreads and becomes almost impossible to remove. The best way to remove it is by digging it out with a small spade. You have to be extremely diligent with this to ensure there is no roots or bulbs left in the soil as Nutgrass will reappear if left behind.

If there is a large amount of Nutgrass in your lawn, you will need to treat it with a selective herbicide such as Lawn Solutions Sedge Control or Sedgehammer. Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the pack. However you only need a very small quantity to treat the affected area. Be aware that repeated applications may also be required. If you don’t treat these weeds, they will continue to multiply and infest your whole lawn, so it’s definitely worth doing in order to save your lawn from continued infestation.

sedge control
Sedge Control – Nutgrass Treatment

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Lawn Solutions Australia carry a wide range of weed and pest control products for buffalo and other lawn varieties on the Lawn Store.

Lawn Dry Spot

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

Hot and dry weather can really take a toll on even the healthiest lawns and cause them to become thin and patchy. This usually happens over the summer months, as the weather is hot and dry and lawn owners are generally on holidays or too busy to keep up their regular lawn maintenance schedule. It only takes a couple of days of hot, dry weather to affect your lawn.

Skip to: What Do Dry Patches Look Like? How can I treat dry patch? How Can I Help My Lawn Recover After Dry Patch?

What Do Dry Patches Look Like?

Usually what you will see is bare patches throughout the lawn or your lawn would’ve started to thin out and change colour. What follows this, is those bare patches bake in the sun and become rock hard making it difficult for water and nutrients to get into the soil. This is commonly known as dry patch and appears regularly in lawns throughout the summer. Thankfully it is treatable and is relatively easy to fix.

dry patch

How Can I Treat Dry Patch in my Lawn?

First things first, it is always recommended you aerate the affected area of your lawn. Aeration can be done with a garden fork, core aerator, or a motorised aerator depending on the size of the lawn. This is crucial as it will de-compact your soil and will help nutrients and water penetrate your lawn.

aerating

Next, apply a wetting agent like Lawn Soaker to the affected area. Lawn Soaker is available in an easy to use hose on bottle and concentrate, which will assist with water absorbing into your soil. This will also allow the soil to hold water in a usable manner for longer. Always remember to irrigate your lawn well after applying the wetting agent.

Lawn Soaker Hose-On
Lawn Soaker Hose-On
Lawn Soaker 2.5L Concentrate
Lawn Soaker 2.5L Concentrate

wetting agent

How Can I Help My Lawn Recover After Dry Patch?

After this, it is time to stimulate your lawns growth to allow it to self-repair and cover back over. This is best done by applying an NPK fertiliser to the entire lawn and irrigating the lawn well afterwards. A fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser, Pro Plus or Exceed Liquid Fertiliser are ideal options. Always remember to apply all products at label rates and follow all instructions.

Exceed Hose-On
Exceed Hose-On

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best lawn fertiliser

There are steps you can take to reduce the suffering.

  • Choose a drought tolerant variety like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda.
  • Carry out good soil improvement practices prior to installing your new lawn.
  • Water your lawn correctly, less frequent, deeper soakings to encourage deep roots. For more tips on how to correctly water your lawn, check out our page here.
  • If possible, give your lawn one deep soaking at the first sign of any heat and drought and then leave it until it starts to wilt, repeating the process as necessary. This will be more frequent in sandy soils.
  • Increase the mowing height – slightly longer lawns shade the soil, reducing evaporation and stress.

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tiftuf

If you are unsure of any of the above please get in touch with your nearest Lawn Solutions Australia member.

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Identifying and Treating Lawn Pests

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

Lawn grubs are leaf eating caterpillars, the larvae of an adult moth. Lawn Grub is a collective term that describe Army Worms, Sod Web-worm and Cutworms. All of these lawn grubs cause similar issues on your otherwise healthy lawn.

The worms themselves can be green, brownish green or black in appearance and sometimes even have a striped appearance. They hatch after 5 to 7 days and that’s when the major damage to your lawn is done.

If you notice brown and straw like patches in your lawn or the leaves on your lawn’s grass runners are disappearing, then you may well have a lawn grub infestation. If the grass is loose and you can easily pull it away from the roots it’s invariably grub damage.

To get rid of lawn grubs and other lawn pests – such as beetles, slaters, mole crickets and earwigs – you need to use a broad spectrum insecticide such as Grub Guard. Grub Guard is the only product currently on the market that can be used as a preventative treatment against lawn grubs. Containing the active ingredient Esfenvelerate (a broad-spectrum insecticide toxic to most insects, but less toxic to birds, and of minimal toxicity to mammals) it’s safer to use than any other pest control product. In addition it also prevents some damage to your foliage as it can be applied when the moths appear, prior to the actual attack.

Do be warned though, eradicating lawn grubs does not mean that they will not return. If you still have healthy lush patches of lawn, you are still at risk from lawn grubs & need to keep your eye out for further attacks. To restore your lawn prior to winter, it is best to fertilise to promote new leaf growth.

4 Common Reasons Why a Whipper Snipper Won’t Start

Posted on by Nathan Edwards

Whipper snippers, or as some refer to them – weed whackers, weed eaters, line trimmers, brush cutters or trimmers – whatever you call them when they don’t start they can be one of the most frustrating garden tools in the shed.

More often than not the difficulty in starting whipper snipper comes down to an issue with the carburettor. However let’s have a look at some other reasons why it won’t turn over before you think about cleaning that carburettor.

A dirty spark plug

If the central electrode is covered in dirt this can short out the spark so that it won’t jump to the outer electrode. This means you will struggle to start the whipper snipper. You can clean the dirt off with a tooth brush, or small wire brush.

The magneto isn’t producing a spark

Whipper snipper engines have a device called a magneto for creating a spark at the plug to ignite the fuel / air mixture in the cylinder. If you don’t get a spark at the plug and have tried a new plug and checked for loose wiring without success, this module may be at fault and need to be replaced.

A blocked or dirty air filter

Remove the air filter from the housing and check it for dirt. Wash it in soap and hot water, then allow to air-dry. If you’re just removing the air filter to clean it without doing any further maintenance or troubleshooting, it’s always a good idea to close the choke beforehand to prevent any dirt from getting into the carburettor.

Leaking primer bulb

If the material of bulb has deteriorated, it’s possible that it won’t seal properly against the body of the carburettor, resulting in an air leak. This will prevent the bulb sucking up fuel and cause issues in starting.

We have listed these reasons as common causes for reason why a whipper snipper won’t start, and they are easy to check. Small engines can be complex machines and it is recommended that if your whipper snipper doesn’t start after performing the above checks that you take them to a local repairer to have it serviced.

For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.