New from Lawn Solutions is Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser is a pre-emergent herbicide for control of many annual grasses and broad-leaf weeds in warm season turf. Lawn Solutions OxaFert is registered for use in a variety of recreational turf situations including lawns (domestic & commercial) sports fields, fairways and golf tees. Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser 16-2-6 + TE is a convenient ready to use formulation for the pre-emergent control of certain annual weeds in turf and also for fertilisation of turf where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are required. The product should only be used when both functions are required.
Will not harm healthy turf
Controls weeds by controlling weed seedlings as they come in contact with the herbicide during germination.
Will not inhibit turf root growth or recovery from damage
Will not prevent roots from tacking down
You can purchase Oxafert Pre-emergant at The LawnStore
Kikuyu and couch are the number one suspects when it comes to lawn invasion, they are fast growing and have fine seeds that can spread very easily. Kikuyu is more aggressive in nature than any other lawn variety, so it’s potential to take over is very high. Kikuyu spreads by both runners and by seed.
Invasion can occur a number of different ways:
Your original lawn and soil not being sprayed out and killed off properly and re-emerging from seeds or runners.
Grass seeds that have travelled to your lawn by the wind, on pets, in bird droppings, on clothing or shoes, or from a neighbouring lawn.
Some lawns, like DNA Certified Sir Walter, have a growth habit that will usually crowd out most weeds and unwanted grasses. Occasionally these undesirables will invade, especially if your lawn hasn’t been well maintained. But it’s important not to confuse your weeds with your grasses. Weeds are generally soft round plants whereas unwanted grasses can include things like paspalum, kikuyu and couch, depending on what lawn variety you have.
Unfortunately in most cases, many warm season grasses are unable to be selectively treated in other grasses. So there are no specific herbicides that can be recommended to blanket treat a lawn without harming the grass you intend to keep as well. But there are other ways to handle the infestation.
Pull it out by hand
If the invading area is only small the most effective way to remove an unwanted grass variety is to pull it out carefully by hand. You can also chip them out with a mattock or a garden spade. This method can be time consuming if the invading grass has spread considerably. But through regular hand weeding, ensuring you remove as much as possible and all of the roots, you should begin to get on top of the infestation. A healthy lawn should also help to thicken and choke out more emergence, so regular lawn care activities will also be important for success.
Spray with a non-selective herbicide
The only other way to remove kikuyu or couch from a buffalo, fescue, rye or bluegrass lawn is through the application of a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate (Round Up).
By using a small paint brush or weed wand carefully brush the leaves of the invading grass. Please be aware that glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide and be careful to only touch the invading turf variety and not your lawn, as it will die also if it comes into contact with the herbicide. Invading grasses like kikuyu, tend to grower quicker and taller, so the best time isolate the grass is to do so when there is a little bit of length to the lawn. This may also allow for careful ‘wick wiping’ of the invading grass if there is extensive contamination across the whole lawn area.
How to remove kikuyu in couch
For a couch lawn that is suffering from an invasion of kikuyu, there are some selective herbicide options that will treat kikuyu but not the couch. There is a commercially available herbicide called Monument, which can be used to suppress Kikuyu from couch lawns. Monument Herbicide is the broadest spectrum selective post-emergence herbicide for turf. Monument is highly effective in controlling Poa annua, Ryegrass, Kikuyu, Sedges and a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds.
Monument Liquid Herbicide is safe to use on – Common Couch, Hybrid Couch, QLD Blue Couch and Zoysia – DO NOT USE on Kikuyu or Buffalo.
How to remove Nutgrass
Nutgrass is another type of grass weed that can invade your lawn. With Nutgrass it is particularly noxious due to its underground bulb. Because of these underground bulbs, it is best to avoid pulling them out by hand and use a specific herbicide like Lawn Solutions Sedge Control for removal.
How to remove Onion Grass
Onion Grass is another noxious grassy weed, which too has an underground bulb. Eradicating onion weed starts with removing as many of the plants as possible. Do not try to pull the plant out of the ground or shake excess dirt back off into the hole or compost. The small bulblets tend to pull away from the mother plant when pulled, which leaves more bulbs in the ground that will rapidly grow. If possible, dig the weed-clump out of the ground with a spade or a trowel, and throw the entire clump away. If you have an extensive problem, Onion weed and onion grass can be treated with a selective herbicide called ProForce Duke 10WG Herbicide.
How to remove Summer Grass, Crabgrass and Paspalum
Summer Grass, Crabgrass and Paspalum are annual weeds which will start to appear in spring and summer as the temperatures begin to rise back up. If there is only a small amount of these weeds growing, the best way to remove the weed is to pull it out by hand. If there is an infestation across the lawn, we recommend using a herbicide with DSMA as the active, like David Greys 500ml Crab Grass and Clover Killer Selective Herbicide. Please note herbicides containing DSMA as the active ingredient are not safe for use on kikuyu, buffalo lawns, and QLD blue couch. Summer Grass and Crabgrass can also be prevented with the use of a pre emergent herbicide like Oxafert.
Removing Winter Grass from your lawn
Winter Grass is a pesky annual grass that will start to grow and germinate in autumn as the temperatures start to cool. This weed will grow in small tufts with distinctive triangular shaped seed heads. To remove Winter Grass, you can either remove it by hand, or use a specific Winter Grass herbicide like Amgrow Winter Grass Killer. Winter Grass can also be prevented by the use of a pre emergent herbicide like Oxafert in mid to late autumn, or just before the temperatures cool in your region.
Whilst the warmer months in spring, summer and early autumn are the ideal time of year to lay a new lawn, winter is still a good time in most situations. There are even a few benefits of laying a new lawn in winter. There is a common misconception that installing a new warm season turf like Sir Walter DNA Certified cannot be done in cool conditions. This isn’t the truth, as turf is installed successfully all year round anywhere in Australia. In the warmer states, like Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern WA this isn’t really an issue as the temperature stays warm. But in NSW, Victoria, SA and southern WA cold winters can put a doubt in our mind.
Why lay a new lawn in winter?
Less irrigating is required in winter for new turf.
By installing turf now you can have a fully established lawn in time for summer. Why wait until spring where you can’t use your lawn until it’s established? Get a head start now!
Lawn Solutions Australia turf farms undertake a number of measures to ensure the turf they supply during winter is top quality. This includes the use of frost blankets and ColourGuard applications.
A benefit in laying a new lawn in winter is lower water usage. In winter, you will not have to irrigate your new lawn anywhere near as much compared with the warmer months. Whilst it still needs some water, you can virtually halve your water usage by laying turf in winter and still maintain a healthy lawn come spring.
Another benefit is you won’t have to mow your lawn until the weather warms up. Just keep in mind, when laying a new lawn in winter the lawn will not root down properly until the weather warms up and it starts growing again. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong, and your lawn isn’t dying. It is simply sitting idle until it gets some warmer temperatures so it can fully establish.
Choosing the right turf variety
When looking to install turf in your garden and lifestyle there are a few factors to consider. Garden position and size, budget, amount of traffic on the lawn are just a few.
If your garden is drenched in all day sunlight, your options are pretty much wide open. From the sun loving couch grasses to budget busting kikuyu’s, most grasses will survive and thrive in these conditions. If you do have issues with shade, this does not discount having a healthy lawn though. Take a look at Sir Walter DNA Certified, well known for setting the benchmark in shade tolerance. In fact, Sir Walter is so popular over 100 million metres of it have been laid since it was discovered. Sir Walter DNA Certified remains Australia’s favourite buffalo lawn. The same can be said for lawns that are given a good workout by kids and pets – take a look at hardy, quick repairing lawns or even discuss with your local turf supplier varieties such as TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda.
When buying turf from a Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier, you can be guaranteed that the turf you receive will be of the highest quality year-round. All our turf suppliers are AusGAP certified. This ensuring you that the turf you have bought will be true to type and has been monitored for quality, to be free of weeds, pests, and diseases.
So why wait? Beat the rush in spring and install your lawn now so it’s ready to use all summer.
To find contact details for your local accredited turf supplier visit here.
You don’t get many chances to ‘start over’ with a lawn so it’s a great opportunity to get it right
Think about how you want your new lawn to perform and its main use – variety choice is important
Consider long-term factors like drainage, shading over time, ongoing maintenance before you start
When it comes to growing turf, it’s just like growing any plant really; a good soil-bed, water, light, nutrients and a bit of maintenance are all required to keep it in good condition. And just like preparing a garden bed, if you can apply similar attention to the quality and depth of your soil then you’ll be way ahead in the long-run. When Turfgrowers are preparing new paddocks for planting of a new turf type, they will go to great lengths to get the soil prepared so it is easier to keep the crop weed-free and productive for a number of years. In most cases it will involve some weed spraying, deep ripping, some cultivation, maybe some levelling and drainage work, soil testing, amelioration with additives (gypsum, lime etc.) and fertilisers and trace elements depending on soil test results. More often-than-not the paddock may be left fallow (not planted) for a number of months to allow any further weed-seeds to germinate and then further weed-spraying, cultivation, possible rolling and even fumigation may take place prior to finally planting the new turf crop.
The work doesn’t stop there of course with pre-emergent herbicide applications, fertilising, irrigation, regular mowing, hand-spot-weeding and other foliar applications taking place before the turf is ready for harvest. Depending on the location and turf-type that could take anywhere between six and eighteen months or thereabouts before the turf is healthy and strong enough to be cut and rolled-up ready for delivery. So with this in mind, consider a similar approach to your new lawn for best long-term results:
Successful establishment of all lawn types relies on proper soil preparation. Without preparing your soil properly, your lawn can suffer from poor soil drainage, compaction, pH or fertility problems that could have otherwise been simply prevented.
Removing weeds and debris is important when preparing your soil. One of the best methods for eliminating weeds is using an environmentally-friendly herbicide, such as a non-residual glyphosate herbicide like Roundup.
Keep drainage and the grade of your lawn area in mind as it should slope enough to allow surface water to drain away from your house yet be gradual enough to allow for easy maintenance and outdoor activities.
Where steep slopes exist (over 40%) or grades change drastically, consider installing retaining walls or other surface plantings in these areas as mowing and other maintenance may become difficult after you’ve finished.
It is recommended to strip the top layer of your soil by around 150mm (six inches) and this will ensure the removal of any debris, clay or poor growing medium.
Beware of areas where mortar or ‘brickies sand’ were stored as they can cause high pH issues in your soil, it’s the last thing you want to happen after getting your turf established.
When setting up levels, establish and stake or mark out subgrade and topsoil levels, keeping to requirements for any drainage, irrigation and shaping work.
Lawn Solutions Australia has an extensive selection of specifications for lawn establishment and to see further details on preparing your soil, click here
