Couch lawns like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda are a favourite for many Aussie homes, particularly for high wear areas, and for those who want a more manicured look. In this blog, we take a look at how to best care for and maintain a couch lawn.
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How Often Should I Mow My Couch Lawn?
Couch lawns are faster-growing grasses and will require more frequent mowing compared to other turf types like buffalo and zoysia grasses. Couch grasses are mown shorter than other turf types, ideally between 5 to 30mm.
As couch grasses are faster growing, you will need to ensure you are mowing regularly. This is particularly the case throughout the warmer months when the grass is growing at its fastest.
The frequency you need to mow at will be dependent on the temperatures in your region. However, as a general guide, it is best to ensure you are mowing frequently enough so that only one-third of the leaf is removed with each pass.
Throughout the warmer months of the year, if your lawn is growing too fast to keep up with, we recommend using a plant growth regulator (PGR) like Primo HG or Primo Maxx. A PGR will help slow down your lawns vertical growth. This will also help divert it into lateral growth, helping your lawn become thicker.
Should I Fertilise My Couch Lawn?
Generally, couch grasses like TifTuf won’t require as much nitrogen as other grasses like kikuyu or buffalo grass may need.
If you are using a liquid fertiliser like Exceed, we recommend applying 4 times a year, once in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
If you are using a granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser or ProPlus Mini Prill, as there will be more nutrients supplied over a longer period of time, you will only need two applications per year. Once in spring and again in autumn.
How Much Water Does a Couch Lawn Need?
Once a couch lawn is fully established, it will only need watering on an as needed basis. Usually, rainfall will be able to cover your lawns water requirements. However, if you are going through a dry period, your couch lawn may need additional water to help keep it in good shape.
Some tell-tale signs that a couch lawn needs watering include:
Wilting leaf
Leaf is losing colour
If lawn is looking dry or crusty in hot weather
When walking on your lawn and a footprint is left behind on the grass, your lawn is likely lacking water
When watering your lawn, it is best to do so in the morning before the heat of the day. Avoid late afternoon/night, as this can lead to fungal issues.
What Weed Killer Can I Use on a Couch Lawn?
The vast majority of weed killers available on the market are safe for use on couch lawns. However, it is always best practice to read the label before use.
If you do have a QLD Blue Couch lawn, it will be more sensitive to particular herbicides, so you will need to be careful to fully read the label instructions.
How Much Sunlight Does Couch Grass Need?
Couch grasses are sun loving turf types and will need an absolute minimum of 6 hours of direct light per day to thrive. If your couch lawn gets less than this, you may need to give any surrounding trees and shrubs a prune back. This will help allow more light back to the lawn.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs.
Buffalo lawns, like Sir Walter DNA Certified, have become a top choice for Aussie backyards! They’re loved for being low-maintenance, shade-tolerant, and perfect for families with kids and pets. In this blog, we’ll share our expert tips to help you get the very best out of your buffalo lawn.
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How Often Should I Mow My Buffalo Lawn?
Buffalo grass will generally grow at a moderate pace. Not quite as fast as a kikuyu or couch lawn, but not as slow as Sir Grange Zoysia.
Generally, buffalo grasses like to be mown between 20 – 60mm high. Usually over winter, keep the height of cut a bit higher and mow lower over the warmer months. Buffalo is generally best mown with a standard rotary mower; however, it can also be mown with a cylinder mower (if it has a higher height of cut setting).
When mowing, it is best always to ensure your mower’s blades are sharp and never remove more than one-third of the leaf with each cut.
Should I Fertilise My Buffalo Lawn?
Buffalo grasses like Sir Walter DNA generally like to have three fertiliser applications a year. Once in spring, summer and again in autumn is ideal for a balanced feed.
When choosing the best fertiliser for buffalo grass, we recommend using Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This fertiliser blend has been specifically developed for buffalo grasses like Sir Walter DNA Certified, containing a balanced NPK ratio. This fertiliser also had a fast and slow-release granule, giving the lawn a good up-front boost, while continuing to feed the lawn for up to 12 weeks.
How Much Water Does a Buffalo Lawn Need?
Once fully established, a buffalo lawn will only need watering on an as-needed basis. In most regions, rainfall will be able to cover your lawns’ watering needs.
Buffalo grasses can show us some signs that they need water. These signs include:
Leaf curling up on itself
Dry or brown leaf
Wilted leaves
If you do need to irrigate your lawn, we recommend watering your lawn for longer, less frequently. By watering your lawn this way, you will help encourage your grass to become more drought-tolerant by encouraging the roots to grow deeper down into the soil base. We recommend watering your lawn in the morning, before the heat of the day, for around 20-30 mins. Avoid late afternoon and night waterings as this will cause your lawn to sit damp overnight, which can lead to fungal issues.
What Weed Killer Can I Use on a Buffalo Lawn?
When using weed killers on a buffalo lawn, such as Sir Walter DNA Certified, it’s essential to read the herbicide label before use to ensure compatibility with buffalo grasses.
The main herbicides that are not safe for use on buffalo lawns will usually contain Dicamba or DSMA as the active ingredients. These weed killers are commonly found in weed n feed products and herbicides designed to remove summer grass.
If you are unsure of the weed that you want to remove from your lawn, please check out our Ultimate Weed Guide for further information.
How Much Sunlight Does Buffalo Grass Need?
Buffalo grasses will generally have a good shade tolerance compared to other turf types, needing a minimum of three to four hours of direct sunlight per day. This makes it the ideal choice for many homes that need shade-tolerant options.
Can I Renovate Buffalo Grass?
Buffalo grasses can be renovated, but there are a few precautions that you will need to take to ensure that you don’t cause more damage than good.
As buffalo grass grows by its above-ground runners, it doesn’t have an underground rhizome like couch and kikuyu grasses to repair from. This means that when scarifying and dethatching, you need to ensure you don’t remove all the above-ground material.
With so many different lawn care products on the market, it can often be tricky to find out exactly what you need! In this blog, we are taking a closer look at three lawn care products that will provide your lawn with the best bang for your buck this spring.
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What Fertiliser Should I Use on My Lawn?
As you may know, applying a well-rounded fertiliser to your lawn in spring will give it a healthy boost and set it up for the warmer months ahead.
The three key macronutrients found in most lawn fertilisers are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, commonly referred to as NPK.
Nitrogen is responsible for promoting healthy leaf growth and colour.
Phosphorus is responsible for root development.
Potassium aids in the overall function of the plant.
While macronutrients are key, it’s also important to look at micronutrients, which provide a more balanced boost for your lawn.
When it comes to choosing a fertiliser, our go-to product is Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. It has a balanced NPK ratio of 16% N, 0.7% P, 4% K, along with trace elements including Calcium, Iron and Sulphur. This fertiliser also contains both fast and slow-release granules, delivering an immediate hit of nutrients as well as a sustained boost for up to 12 weeks.
Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser
Can a Pre-Emergent Herbicide Help My Lawn?
Pre-emergent herbicides are one of the most underrated products in the lawn care industry! Weeds in your lawn can not only impact your garden’s aesthetic but can also be a real nuisance if they continue to spread. This is where a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert can come in handy.
Oxafert Pre Emergent Herbicide
This style of lawn care products work by creating a barrier at the soil level, affecting weed seedlings’ ability to germinate, stopping them before it has a chance to grow in your lawn. These herbicides will generally target seasonal weeds including Summer Grass, Crab Grass/Crowsfoot, Creeping Oxalis and Winter Grass.
As these are seasonal weeds, they generally appear once there has been a change in the average soil temperature. For summer weeds, this period typically occurs as temperatures begin to warm up, usually around early to mid-spring. For winter weeds, this will be when temperatures are cooling back down, usually around mid to late autumn. The best time for your Oxafert application will be just before these temperature changes occur in your local area.
By adding a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert to your lawn care schedule, you will be ready to take your lawn to a new, weed free level.
Should I Use Acelepryn on My Lawn?
Acelepryn based products like Grub Guard Ultimate are another great lawn care product to help level up your lawn. These products are designed to help prevent a large range of common lawn pests that can cause significant damage to a lawn over a short period. These pests include Armyworm (which can eat through a lawn in a matter of days), Lawn Grub (African Black Beetle Larvae), Argentine Stem Weevil, Billbug Larvae and Sod Webworm.
Grub Guard Ultimate, powered by Acelepryn, is one of the safest insecticides available on the market, as it targets only damage-causing insects. It is safe for use around dogs, cats, bees, earthworms, and mammals.
Grub Guard Ultimate
When Grub Guard Ultimate is applied at the higher application rate, it will remain active on the lawn for up to 6 months. This means that two applications a year will provide you with year-round protection from damage causing insects. For best results, we recommend applying in September/October and reapply in March/April.
The application rate for Acelepryn for treating African black beetle, Argentine Scarab, Argentine Stem Weevil larvae and Billbug Larvae is 1-2kg per 100m2. After spreading the granules out evenly, then water in with a minimum of 3mm of irrigation. For Caterpillars including Cutworm, Armyworm, and Sod Worm, the application rate is 1kg per 100m2. After application, delay mowing and watering for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, water the granules in.
For more lawn care tips and advice or lawn care product recommendations, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs.
Leaves are long and narrow with rounded, lobed edges
Typically produces white, pink and purple flowers when the plant is at maturity
When unmown, it can grow up to 1m tall
Has a taproot
Fleabane is a common broadleaf weed found in lawns, gardens, parklands, curb sides, and areas with disturbed soil. This weed spreads through its seeds, so controlling Fleabane before the plant matures is key to stopping its spread. In this blog we take a look at what Fleabane is, its key identifying features, plus the best way to remove it.
Characteristics
Fleabane is part of the Asteraceae family of plants. When this plant grows in unmown areas, it can reach a height of 1m, with long and narrow leaves featuring lobed edges. However, when growing in a lawn, it will generally stay at a lower height if the lawn is mown. It’s flowers are white, pink and purple, and will flower for most of the year. Fleabane’s flowers won’t produce petals but will turn white and fluffy as the plant matures.
Where Will it Grow?
Fleabane is a widespread weed that can be found in most regions of Australia.
How Does Fleabane Spread?
Fleabane only spreads by its seeds, which are produced at the centre of its flower. The seeds are around 1.5 – 2mm long and have a tuft of white fluffy material at the base of the seed. This fluffy material aids in wind dispersal, allowing it to travel long distances. The seed is also easily spread underfoot or by animals.
This weed is known to be a prolific seeder, with one plant having the ability to produce up to 110, 000 seeds! Therefore, getting on top of this weed as soon as you notice it growing is highly important in stopping its spread.
How Do I Remove Fleabane?
If there is only a small amount of Fleabane present, the best and easiest way to remove it is to simply pull it out by hand. While the plant is still young, the tap root will only be small, making this an easier task.
If the weed is more widespread and an herbicide is needed, we recommend using either our All Purpose Weed Control (safe on Buffalo lawns) or a Dicamba and MCPA based herbicide (not safe on Buffalo lawns) like Amgrow Multiweed.
All Purpose Weed Control will treat a broad range of lawn weeds including Bindii, Clover, Oxalis and Thistles, while being safe for use on a broad range of grass types including Soft Leaf Buffalo, Couch, Kikuyu, Zoysia, Rye and Fescue Lawns.
Getting on top of this weed early is key to preventing its spread, and ensuring your lawn is healthy and lush can help stop weed pressures. If you need some tips on helping thicken up your lawn to help prevent weeds, check out our blog on Why a Thicker Lawn is Better at Blocking Out Weeds.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs.
Not sure which sprayer to use on your lawn, how much water you need, or whether you really need to clean your sprayer afterwards? In this blog, we break down everything you need to know about using knapsack and pressure sprayers from choosing the right type to proper cleaning, calibrating your sprayer and application tips.
When choosing what size sprayer for your lawn, you firstly need to assess your lawn size. If you have only a small lawn area of around 10m2 of less, you should be able to get away with using a small hand 1-2L pressure sprayer. For any larger area sizes, we recommend using a sprayer with a hose and trigger sprayer to help make application an easier task.
Lawns up to 150 – 200m2 using a 5L to 8L sprayer like the Husqvarna 8L Manual Sprayer will be able to do an effective job.
For lawns larger than this, you should be able to achieve coverage with an 5L to 8L sprayer by breaking up the lawn into different sections, and the fill up your sprayer again for the remaining sections. Alternatively, a larger backpack sprayer, like the Husqvarna 15L Backpack Sprayer is ideal.
How Much Water Do I Need to Use When Spraying My Lawn?
When using domestic fertilisers, herbicides and fungicides on your lawn, they generally will state on the label how much water is needed for application. However, when using commercial style products, they will often require you to calibrate your sprayer. By calibrating your sprayer, it allows you to know exactly how much water is needed to cover your area size, so that you can apply the exact amount of product that is needed over your area size. This stops you from either over or under applying the product.
When applying products to your lawn, most garden sprayers allow you to adjust the nozzle by twisting it to change the spray from a fine mist to a larger droplet. Some models also come with a set of interchangeable nozzles designed for different applications. If you’re purchasing additional nozzles, it is best to make sure they’re compatible with your specific sprayer model.
What is a Boom Sprayer?
Boom sprayers are extensions attached to the wand, typically mounted on a tee bar with two or more nozzles. They allow you to cover larger areas more efficiently and in less time. When purchasing a boom attachment, make sure it comes with the correct adaptors to suit your specific sprayer model.
Should I Clean My Garden Sprayer?
With knapsacks and pressure sprayers, after use it is important to ensure you properly clean the sprayer. By doing this, it will help ensure no chemicals are left sitting in your sprayer, which can cause the deterioration of seals, which will lead to poor pressure and leaks.
Solo Sprayers recommends using the “triple rinse” method. This method includes the following:
Rinse the tank firstly with water. Fill the tank with water, then shake and dump the remainder of the product.
Fill the tank with water and dishwashing liquid. Then shake the tank and spray the solution through the pump to flush the system.
Fill the tank with clean water, shake the tank and then spray the water to flush the pump system again.
If you are just starting out on your lawn care journey and good and sturdy sprayer, brands to look out for include Husqvarna, Ryobi and Nylex.
If you are after wanting a commercial grade sprayer that will have a range of nozzles and replaceable seals, we recommend having a look into Solo Sprayers and Silvan Sprayers.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs.
Has your lawn lost a bit of colour during the cooler months but not sure why, or how to help get your lawn back on track? Have you noticed a section of grass has held its colour better and not sure why? In this blog, we take a look at why this occurs and how you can help improve your lawns colour over winter.
To understand why lawns can lose colour over winter, lets first look at why lawns are green. Like other trees and plants, grass converts energy from sunlight into sugar through the process of photosynthesis. During the process of photosynthesis, turf will produce a pigment called chlorophyll, which helps keep your lawn green. As the days get shorter and hours of sunlight decrease in winter, your grass will produce less chlorophyll. This can cause the grass to lose some colour and reduce the growth rate of the lawn. When temperatures cool and lawn growth slows down, the grass enters a stage known as dormancy.
Why Does Frost Make My Lawn Go Brown?
Another cause of colour loss to lawns over the cooler months of the year is frost. Frosts will usually occur more so in inland southern regions of Australia, away from coastal areas.
Frosts cause damage to lawns when the inside of the leaf freezes and expands, causing the cell wall of the grass to rupture. As a result of the cell wall becoming damaged, the process of photosynthesis slows down, causing the grass to lose its colour.
Why Does One Lawn Look Better Than the Other?
In some lawn situations, you may have noticed that one particular part of the lawn or section of grass has lost more colour than another. There are a few different reasons why this occurs, but the most common is that the greener sections of lawn are more protected from the elements compared to the other sections where the grass has lost colour.
This is common in areas where smaller backyards stay greener as they are protected by fences, buildings and trees, compared to front lawns that are more open to the elements.
How Can I Help Improve My Lawns Colour in Winter?
With an understanding of why lawns lose colour in winter, what steps can be taken to help improve their appearance? The right health and nutrition leading into the warmer months can assist; however, some colour loss is still to be expected, especially if your area is prone to frost damage. Applying a granular fertiliser in autumn is recommended to strengthen the lawn before winter. A granular fertiliser like the Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser or Pro Plus is ideal. Another great product to use is an iron-based product like Iron Guard Plus. Iron Guard Plus will help maximise colour retention and promote lateral growth, making it ideal for winter dormancy transition periods.
Iron Guard Plus
If you are mainly concerned about the aesthetics and colour of the lawn, this is where a lawn pigment like ColourGuard Plus can come in handy. ColourGuard Plus is a natural grass pigment that instantly restores the colour of your lawn. It works on all lawn types, in all climates and provides fantastic results year-round. ColourGuard Plus works on frost, dormant, and drought-affected lawns, instantly improving their appearance.
ColourGuard Plus Hose-On
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
Does your lawn receive extra shade during winter, and are you wondering if this is an issue for your lawn? In this blog, we examine how this can impact your lawn and provide guidance on how to manage shade-affected areas effectively.
Reduce foot traffic where possible for heavily shaded lawns
Ensure your lawn is in its healthiest condition before winter starts
Ensure you apply a well-rounded granular fertiliser in autumn before temperatures cool
Why Do Lawns Need Sunlight?
Like other living plants, grasses use the process of photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy in the form of sugars. This sugar, otherwise known as glucose, is used by the plant as food, helping your lawn grow. Without sunlight, the grass won’t be able to produce glucose.
During the photosynthesis process, the turf will produce a pigment called chlorophyll, which helps keep the grass green. During winter, when there is less sunlight available for the grass to photosynthesise, the grass can lose some of its green colour as a result of less pigment produced.
Why Does My Lawn Grow Slow Over Winter?
During winter, as the daylight hours decrease, the growth rate of your grass will slow. This is normal, and once the temperatures start to warm back up and more sunlight is available, your grass will start to actively grow again.
Does Shade Impact My Lawn Over Winter?
Throughout winter, as the grass’s growth slows into dormancy your lawn won’t need as much direct light as it does throughout summer to survive. This means if your area experiences increased shade pressures during the cooler months, it should be okay as long as the turf receives its sunlight requirements throughout the warmer months when it is actively growing.
Less sunlight does however mean that the area may stay damp for longer during rain. Ensuring you have adequate drainage and aerating the soil profile if needed, will be important to allow the excess moisture to move out of the profile preventing it from becoming waterlogged. A waterlogged lawn will be unable to breathe and will suffer greatly until temperatures warm up again. This is why getting your soil composition and drainage right before you lay a new lawn is so important.
If your area does get increased shade during winter, there are still a few precautions that you need to take to ensure it still stays at its healthiest.
Precautions To Take with Shady Lawn Areas in Winter
As the growth of the lawn has slowed, you will need to be mindful of foot traffic to the area. If the shaded area receives excessive traffic from pets or kids playing, the grass will begin to wear down and won’t be able to repair itself at a fast enough rate to prevent irreparable damage from occurring. Make sure you don’t mow the lawn too short leading into the cooler months, but don’t let it get overgrown either – this creates even more shade. As mentioned above, if conditions have been damp for an extended period, a really good aerate with a garden fork or aerator tool will assist water to go deeper into the ground and help your lawn from becoming suffocated by excessive moisture.
Why a Healthy Lawn in Autumn is a Healthy Lawn in Winter
If your lawn often struggles throughout winter, the best thing you can do to help it throughout the cooler months is to get it in shape over autumn. Autumn is the most important time throughout the year to give your lawn a boost with a fertiliser. A well-rounded fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is ideal for repair and strong growth. Other important autumn lawn care activities to help get your lawn in its best shape for winter include regular mowing, aeration and weeding.
Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
Winter Fusarium is a lawn disease that affects the leaf and stem of the grass. It will first appear as small, orange to dark brown, water-soaked patches on the lawn. Then, once the disease grows, the patches will increase in size and change to a light grey colour.
Winter Fusarium is commonly found on cool-season grasses, such as rye and fescue; however, it can also be observed on warm-season grasses, including couch and kikuyu. This disease affects not only lawns but also other plants, including vegetables, as well as wheat, barley, and oats.
Key Identifying Features of Winter Fusarium
When this disease is first present, it will appear in small patches that look like they are soaked in water. As the disease continues to spread, the colour will change from orange/brown to light grey. When the turf is cut low, the patch can also have a smoke-like ring that occurs on the outer edge.
When condition are wet and cool, you may experience fluffy white mycelium on the edge of the patches. If the affected area receives more direct light, the mycelium can induce spore production. This will create a pink colour along the edge of the diseased patch.
Appears as orange/brown patches
Usually 5cm in diameter but can continue to grow to 20cm if left untreated
Smoke-like rings can appear on the outer edge when grass is cut short
Patch can look like it is soaked in water
Mycelium may be present when conditions are wet
When Does Winter Fusarium Occur?
This lawn disease will commonly grow in the cooler months, typically between May to September. This disease can occur when day temperatures are between 7-20 degrees Celsius when the weather is wet and overcast. This disease will also grow when heavy thatch is present, and the soil has high levels of nitrogen and low levels of phosphorus and potassium.
How Can I Help Prevent Winter Fusarium?
There are cultural practices that you can follow to help prevent and control the impact of Winter Fusarium on your lawn. Increasing air circulation within the soil and profile of the grass will assist. You can achieve this by aerating your lawn with either a garden fork or tyne aerator. If the profile of your lawn has a bit of thatch buildup, consider dethatching it in the spring (dethatching should be avoided in winter).
If shade is heavy, pruning back any surrounding trees and shrubs that cast shade on the lawn will assist. This disease prefers Alkaline soils, so ensuring you are maintaining a low soil pH can assist.
How Can I Treat Winter Fusarium in My Lawn?
If this disease has become widespread or is developing and spreading rapidly, you may want to consider using a fungicide. Fungicide options for Winter Fusarium include Vacate Fungicide, Mancozeb and Heritage Maxx.
Vacate Fungicide
When treating this disease, it is important to note that as this disease affects the leaf and stem of the grass and mainly occurs in winter, you may not see recovery straight away after treatment. Often, you will need to wait till spring when active growth resumes so that the disease can fully grow out. Once the grass has been able to fully grow out of the disease, the appearance of the grass will improve.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
HOW AUSTRALIAN TURF PRODUCER TURFCO IS UTILISING ZOYSIA AS A SOLUTION FOR UNORTHODOX SPACES
Versatile, adaptable, low-maintenance, and highly durable, Zoysia grasses offer a lush, striking aesthetic. With these exceptional qualities, they have become a popular choice for both residential lawns and commercial landscapes.
Due to these excellent qualities, Zoysia grasses are being utilised in innovative applications and locations previously overlooked for turf.
Over the past 10 months, Turfco, a leading turf supplier on the NSW South Coast, has had the privilege of supplying two premium Zoysia varieties, Sir Grange Zoysia and Zoysia Australis, for a range of distinctive commercial projects.
Sir Grange Zoysia and Local Council Involvements
With resounding domestic success in home lawns and commercially with golf courses since its release in 2017, Sir Grange Zoysia has extended its appeal by becoming a favourable option for unsuspecting areas, particularly with local councils.
Grasses such as Kikuyu have traditionally been the preferred choice for government bodies and councils, primarily due to budget constraints, with Kikuyu offering upfront cost-effectiveness. However, the ongoing maintenance required for Kikuyu, accompanied by uncertainty about whether it is the most suitable grass for a given environment, can lead to long- term challenges in both maintenance and performance, resulting in significant ongoing expenses and resource demands.
There are many situations where Kikuyu can be the right grass choice. However, while it may be appealing from a budget perspective, its selection often reflects a lack of awareness about the benefits that alternative turf varieties can offer. When matched to the right environment, these alternatives can deliver advantages that outweigh the initial cost, resulting in greater long-term savings.
For turf growers and suppliers, there is always a focus on ensuring the right grass is selected and placed in the right location, ultimately benefiting all parties and contributing to long-term success.
Reframing local councils’ perspectives on turf has been a key goal for Turfco over the past five years. Turfco have successfully achieved this by hosting various educational events, including farm visits for council and local government agency members, as well as local landscapers.
In 2021, Turfco supplied Shellharbour City Council with Sir Grange Zoysia for a local roundabout. Previously, the roundabout featured high-maintenance plants that required frequent upkeep, leading to significant expenses for traffic control and posing safety risks for both workers and commuters.
To address these challenges, the council selected Sir Grange Zoysia to drastically reduce maintenance needs and enhance safety by minimising the need for workers to access the roundabout. This also helped limit traffic disruptions. The success of this project has led the council to incorporate Sir Grange Zoysia in multiple subsequent projects where plant maintenance costs were excessive.
In early 2023, Turfco supplied Shoalhaven City Council with Sir Grange Zoysia for the Bike Pump Track at Boongaree National Park. The original specification called for Kikuyu grass; however, upon completion of the track, the council realized that the steep embankments made mowing unsafe for maintenance crews.
As a result, Turfco was engaged to install Sir Grange Zoysia, allowing the area to remain unmown. Despite the challenges of a poor growing medium and heavily compacted soil necessary for maintaining the track’s structure, Sir Grange Zoysia has thrived. In the two years since its installation, the track has required virtually no maintenance, significantly reducing labour and resource demands—an outcome that has been highly beneficial for the grounds team managing the large complex.
Building on the council’s success with Sir Grange in roundabouts, in March 2025, the turf has now been installed in median strips along busy roads that were previously overgrown and difficult to maintain with Kikuyu.
By transitioning to Sir Grange Zoysia, these areas will now remain completely unmown, significantly enhancing kerb appeal while drastically reducing maintenance requirements along these busy stretches of road.
Sir Grange Zoysia at Menangle Park
In mid-2023, Turfco hosted a farm visit attended by Leigh Trevitt, a Landscape Advisor for Transport NSW. Leigh had taken the initiative to attend several information days and had seen the successes of unmown Sir Grange first-hand.
Bridge Abutments and other steep areas like this always pose issues to Landscape Designers and maintenance crews as they are very close to the highway and are quite steep and unpredictable to work on, posing several logistics and safety challenges when it comes to the installation and maintenance of a covering surface. With these challenges, there is also a high maintenance cost associated with these sites.
Following on from previous discussions and the site visits, Leigh had presented the Menangle Park Bridge Abutment as a potential site to use Sir Grange Zoysia. The site was ideal; it had a steep batter that was going to be expensive and difficult to maintain, and it was very prominent with a lot of eyes on it, so, it was a necessity to be aesthetically pleasing.
Joe Rogers from Lawn Solutions Australia closely worked with Leigh and his colleague Jason on an installation method using bio-degradable turf pegs and went over an establishment plan to ensure Sir Grange had the ability to establish a root system to maximise the chance of success.
In the winter of 2024, Turfco supplied and installed approximately 1,790m2 of Sir Grange Zoysia at the embankment beside the Hume Highway at Menangle Park. This project was completed intermittently over a 3-week period, with the delivery and installation taking approximately 4 full days. The project was unlike anything the Turfco Team has ever worked on in their nearly 40 years of business, with harnesses required to lay the turf across the steep surface.
Almost one year on and the site has been a success, thanks to the diligence from Transport NSW in ensuring the Sir Grange had enough irrigation to establish and the foresight from Leigh to use Sir Grange in this instance. Sir Grange is perfect for this site as it has greatly reduced the need for maintenance, has provided an environmentally friendly solution and it looks fantastic.
Zoysia Australis
Zoysia Australis is the latest, premium turf variety introduced to the Australian market by the Lawn Solutions Australia Network in early 2023. Despite being new to the industry, Zoysia Australis is already experiencing strong adoption in both residential and commercial applications. Turfco, an LSA member, commenced offering this variety to their customers in October 2023.
As a premium alternative to standard grasses like Kikuyu, Zoysia Australis stands out for its versatility, shade tolerance, low maintenance requirements, durability, and medium-textured appearance.
Zoysia Australis at Kurnell – McConnell Dowell Corporation
Between mid-September 2024 to February 2025, Turfco supplied and installed 7,750m2 of Zoysia Australis to the McConnell Dowell Kamay Ferry Wharves site compound at the Kurnell National Park.
Initially, the project specified an older variety of Zoysia japonica; however, upon Turfco’s recommendation, the original contractor agreed to trial Zoysia Australis as a superior alternative. Turfco is confident that Zoysia Australis will perform better in terms of wear and climate making it more suitable for the project. Turfco has seen increasing interest in transitioning from older Zoysia’s to Zoysia Australis, with all feedback so far being highly positive.
McConnell Dowell required an incremental demobilisation to facilitate a smooth handover to the public, with Turfco carrying out the turf installation in stages. The site, having been a construction zone for nearly 24 months, featured varying ground conditions; some areas had ideal sandy soil, and others had compacted, uneven soil from constant vehicle traffic. Throughout the discharge process, Turfco made multiple turf deliveries and site visits to ensure the installation was completed as construction areas were finished and ready for final touches.
When asked about the selected turf variety, Zoysia Australis, Luke from McConnell Dowell expressed complete satisfaction, along with gratitude towards Turfco and their services.
“My experience using Turfco has been excellent, they are receptive to short notice changes to schedules and quantities and have been able to suit our needs with a changing project deadline and a busy demobilisation from the site.
The delivered Zoysia Australis turf looks and feels fantastic. It is by far the softest grass that I have come across. It quickly took hold on sandy soil and looked very healthy with some minor attention given to it in its first weeks.
There was not a single roll of turf provided that was not fit for purpose or looked out of place. The installation team required little instruction and was devoted to getting their job done quickly and safely.
I would absolutely recommend Turfco for the supply and installation of their Zoysia grasses.” – Luke, McConnell Dowell
With over 30 years of experience in the turf industry, Caine James has built an extensive career spanning turf management, project management, sales, and product development. Caine’s formal qualifications in turf management and project management have enabled him to work on a variety of turf surfaces, including golf courses, cricket wickets, and sports grounds. Caine also spent 15 years in sales and product development with leading companies such as Nuturf and Amgrow, further expanding his expertise in turf solutions.
This experience has equipped Caine with a unique skillset to understand the challenges of turf professionals and how this relates to turfgrass production.
Caine’s most recent role was Operations Manager of Parks, Open Space, and Sportsgrounds at Maitland City Council in the Hunter Valley, where he spent six years overseeing the maintenance and construction of numerous sports grounds and turf cricket wickets.
One of his key projects was the Maitland Regional Sports Complex, where he played a pivotal role in the installation of TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. This premium turf variety was chosen for its industry-leading reduced irrigation requirements (Smart Drop Certified), high wear resistance, exceptional recovery ability, and superior colour retention.
This resulted in surfaces that exceeded expectations and earned praise from local and national sports teams, as well as visiting athletes who played and trained on them.
The Australian turf industry thrives on quality, innovation, and sustainability. At the intersection of these crucial elements is turf certification, a leading force in achieving ongoing purity and ultimately the success of a brand. In Caine’s current role as an AusGAP (Australian Genetic Assurance Program for Turfgrass) Turf Inspector in partnership with Lawn Solutions Australia, Caine is uniquely positioned to elevate turf standards across Australia, ensuring excellence in both certification and market expansion.
Turf Inspection Meets Brand Strategy
The role of an AusGAP Turf Inspector is to ensure turf producers comply with the highest standards of production through ongoing inspections and auditing. This work is particularly vital in guiding the expansion of premium turf solutions for the sports turf and local government sectors.
Ensuring Excellence as an AusGAP Turf Inspector
An AusGAP Turf Inspector is responsible for overseeing the following:
Conducting rigorous inspections of turf farms to ensure compliance with certification standards.
Assessing turf quality, consistency, and adherence to best practices.
Providing detailed reports and recommendations for improvements in turf production.
The collaboration between AusGAP and ITGAP strengthens the Australian turf industry’s global credibility, ensuring that Australian-grown turf meets international quality benchmarks. Through this partnership, Caine helps maintain the integrity of Australian turf farms while ensuring long-term sustainability and market competitiveness.
Shaping the Future of Turf
Caine’s role for AusGAP focuses on educating the market about the benefits of certified turf solutions for local government projects and professional sports fields. With Caine’s experience, AusGAP is reinforcing its commitment to delivering high- performance, durable, and aesthetically superior turf surfaces.
Local Government Focus
Local governments play a vital role in providing resilient, visually appealing green spaces for public use. Caine champions premium turf brands such as TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Grass and Sir Grange Zoysia as the premier choice for municipal projects, ensuring that public parks, streetscapes, and recreational areas feature turf that is:
Highly durable and resistant to heavy foot traffic.
Aesthetically consistent, maintaining lush greenery in all conditions.
Cost-effective, requiring low maintenance and reduced water consumption.
Sports Turf Solutions
For sporting venues, Caine ensures that turf solutions meet the rigorous demands of competitive sports fields and training grounds. By promoting newly developed cultivars like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Grass, he provides sports organisations with turf that:
High-Performance Turf for Sports Fields: TifTuf is specifically bred to withstand high foot traffic, intensive use, and the demands of competitive sports. Its strong root system and excellent wear tolerance make it an ideal choice for both training grounds and professional stadiums.
Surface Consistency: One of the key features of TifTuf is its ability to provide a consistent, uniform playing surface, ensuring that athletes have optimal conditions year-round. This is crucial in reducing injuries and ensuring consistent performance on the field.
Resilience and Recovery: TifTuf is known for its ability to quickly recover from damage, making it perfect for high- traffic sports fields that need to be in top condition at all times.
A Vision for the Future
The Australian turf industry is poised for growth in the coming years and a commitment to quality will be pertinent in achieving successful outcomes for turf management professionals.
Whether through meticulous certification processes or market expansion strategies, Caine’s influence is helping to shape the future of turf production and management in Australia.
