March 2020 - Lawn Solutions Australia

Month: March 2020

Should I use Seasol on my lawn?

Posted on by nathe

Seaweed (Kelp)

Seaweed is probably the most popular form of organic fertiliser type and usually comes in a blend with additional nutrients like Iron and wetting agents included as well for use on lawns. A common product you might recognise is Seasol.

There is a lot of recorded data from over the years that has documented the effect seaweed has on plant growth. The key component that aids in the development of healthy plant roots is phosphorus.

Seaweed concentrates contain plant nutrients, carbohydrates, trace elements, alginic acid and other bioactive compounds. Alginic acid is a soil conditioner, the other components are considered plant conditioners. Alginic acid combines within the soil to form a polymer which swells when wet, which helps with water retention.

These components make Seaweed ideal for promoting healthy roots and encouraging beneficial micro-organisms within the soil. As a result of this, organic matter will be broken down more efficiently, helping to prevent thatch build up. By promoting healthy roots, you are also helping your lawn to become more drought, frost and heat tolerant.

Another important mineral found in seaweed is Iodine, which aids in the defence against turf disease.

What is Seasol?

Seasol is made from liquid seaweed extract from a specific blend of kelp species including King Island Bull Kelp. The kelp is sustainably sourced from the shores of Tasmania and King Island. The seaweed solution is then extracted and is sold as 100% pure Seasol liquid concentrate.

For lawns it is recommended you apply 100ml per 9 litres of water, every 2-4 weeks for best results.

Seasol have also developed a product specifically for lawns that contain a liquid fertiliser component. Seasol for Lush Green Lawns is a superior health treatment and liquid fertiliser that combines the benefits of Seasol seaweed solution, a specially formulated nutrient mix, trace elements, concentrated liquid composts and a wetting agent.

Typical Analysis:

W/V: Nitrogen (N) 7.0%. Phosphorus (P) 0.8%. Potassium (K) 5.4%

Seasol for Lush Green Lawns and Seasol for Buffalo Lawns are all liquids, which are readily absorbed into the lawn and the soil. Therefore, you do not need to water them in.

While liquid seaweed products can be beneficial for your lawn’s health, they should not replace fertiliser in your normal lawn care routine.

Slow release granular fertilisers like Lawn Solutions Fertiliser are specifically formulated with the amounts of nutrient recommended for turf grasses. Additional micronutrients and trace elements are also added to the composition which ensure a consistent slow release of nutrient over a long period.

If you would prefer an organic fertiliser for your lawn and garden or are looking for a way to improve the organic structure of your soil, then Seaweed solutions like Seasol are certainly a good option as part of a broader treatment program.

Are used coffee grounds good for your lawn?

Posted on by nathe

You’ve got a new whiz-bang coffee machine at home and you want to put all the coffee grounds to good use rather than just chucking them in the garbage. Can you use them in the garden? Or even on the lawn?

The main reason people suggest adding coffee grinds to your lawn or garden is because they provide organic material. This includes nitrogen and phosphorous which are good for nutrient poor lawns and lawns on clay or sandy soil.

It’s also claimed coffee grounds contribute to better aeration and drainage, which leads to a healthier lawn – which is true.

The most important thing to consider is the residual caffeine that may be still present. You can cause harm to the micro fauna in the soil if this is too high. This is why applying coffee grinds directly onto your lawn is not a good idea.

Like any plant waste that is turned into compost, coffee grinds will have qualities making it beneficial to your soil. The best way to utilise them is to spread thin layers of your used coffee grinds amongst your compost.

A good aged compost material for top dressing your lawn will provide organic nutrients and moisture to your lawn. It will provide your lawn some of the key ingredients it needs to stay healthy and create a beneficial soil environment for microbial activity.

Compost for top dressing will also improve the ability for your soil to hold moisture, which is really important for drought proofing your lawn. By composting your coffee grounds at home, you can keep them out of landfill and do good for the environment.

Will used coffee grounds affect my soils pH?

Provided used coffee grinds are composted and make up less than 20% of total compost volume, they will not lower the pH of your soil making it acidic. The pH of the compost may show varying results and not be stable initially, in some cases even becoming alkaline.

But once the compost material is added to the garden soil any acidity that was initially measured decreases shortly after leaving a pH around 6.5, which is the perfect pH for growing grass.

If you would like to read about other organic materials you can add to your compost, click here.

How is the next wonder grass selected?

Posted on by nathe

There are many turf varieties available on the market, and even more that have come and gone over the years. Many people ask the question, “how are new turf varieties selected?” There are several different ways in which new strains of turf grass are ‘found,’ ‘bred’ or ‘created,’ with the aim to find a new strain of turf which offers benefits over what is currently available.

The process of bringing a new turf variety to market can take many years, up to a decade or more.

Most new turf varieties in this day and age are bred by Universities or by private turf grass breeders as opposed to years ago when turf grasses were found growing naturally in the environment. Most institutions that breed turf grasses now, invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually into their programs. These programs can often take several years to develop grasses worthy of taking to the next stage of testing. The breeding process itself involves many different pollination methods depending on the breeder and also the variety of grass.

New Grass Testing Phase

Once varieties are selected, they undergo the main phase of testing to see how they perform in real world scenarios. Depending on the program, this process can be a comparison between 5 different varieties or 50,000 different varieties.

What generally happens is sample plots of each variety are grown out and then analysed. This can occur over a long period of time, generally 3-5 years. These plots are starved of fertilisation and irrigation to see how each different strain survives and performs in adverse conditions. The initial trials that the breeders partake in depend on the end goal of the trial. For example, during the breeding of TifTuf, the University of Georgia’s goal was to find an exceptionally drought tolerant grass. So the initial phase of that trial was to see how the tested cultivars performed in periods of prolonged drought.

Drought testing trials are usually studied over multiple seasons, lasting on average 2-3 years.

Secondary Testing Phases

Once this trial is completed, over a varying period of time the selection process narrows down the testing numbers. A sample of the best performing grasses are then taken to the next stage.

The next stage of testing drills down beyond what the initial round of testing does, by analysing growth habits, rhizome and stolon production, shade tolerance, wear tolerance and aesthetics. This is completed on larger plots than the original trial with less varieties involved. It also involves comparing with varieties that are already available on the market. Similar to the previous testing phase, this can take years to complete and find a few clear standout varieties.

Can it be produced efficiently?

Once this process is narrowed down to the best performing turf varieties, before they are provided to consumers, they undertake further vigorous testing to truly find the best of the best. Not only does this last round of testing aim to mimic real world scenarios, the varieties are also put through production and maintenance trials including harvesting trials, chemical tolerance trials and fertiliser response trials. This is a crucial phase, as the best performing turf grass in the early stage of the trial may not harvest well or have a good tolerance to chemicals which makes it impossible for producers to grow and harvest efficiently. This final testing phase is often conducted by the Universities or other external turf evaluation companies such as the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI).

The Result

After all of this testing you may be left with 1 or 2 stand out performers (sometimes none) that have qualities superior to anything else available on the market – grasses like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda and Sir Grange Zoysia. These grasses after years of testing in the US, were selected for further trials in Australian conditions. The quarantine process for the initial batch of these varieties to start testing in Australia was up to 16 months alone.

Lawn Solutions Australia is strongly committed to the development of superior varieties of turf for the Australian landscape. Our Research and Development program now includes over 30,000 different cultivars of turf that we are constantly evaluating in the hope of finding a new variety that has a list of benefits for the consumer. This makes us the largest turf grass breeder in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lawn Solutions Australia is dedicated to providing the best grasses for today and we’re working on the best grasses for the future.

Important Update: COVID-19

Posted on by nathe

With the COVID-19 virus having a massive effect on businesses all over Australia, we just wanted to touch base with our valued Lawn Solutions Australia customer base about our turf manufacturing and harvesting processes and also the delivery of our lawn care products.

All turf produced by Lawn Solutions Australia Members is produced under the strict AusGAP certification process. Our harvesting and delivery methods already minimise human contact with turf through the entire harvesting and paperless turf delivery process. This also applies to the production and delivery of all our lawn care products, which are left with an authority to leave. When delivering our products the courier is directed to leave in a safe and secure place at your home.

For more info please view: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLFpEDS12U

We are happy to provide a no contact delivery, just let us know when you place your order.

Lawn Solutions Australia is a group of 100% Australian owned family farms producing all of our turf products here in Australia using Australian suppliers where possible for all our inputs. There has been no effect to our ability to produce and deliver high quality turf products to our customers at this stage. We have been assured by our members across Australia that stocks are being managed without issue and it’s business as usual. This is just one of the benefits of buying from local Aussie Farmers.

All our Lawn Solutions Australia turf farms are taking every precaution to make sure our workplace’s remain a safe and healthy place for our team members and our customers.

We thank you for your support through these difficult times.

For benefits a lawn can offer please view:
athleticturf.net/new-infographic-from-the-lawn-institute-human-health-benefits-of-natural-grass/

lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/turf-supplies/benefits-of-turf/the-environmental-and-economic-value-a-lawn-can-add-to-a-home/

Stuck at home? Self-Isolating not your strong suit?

Posted on by nathe

Here’s some things you can do at home that aren’t boring!

COVID-19, 2020, you have outdone yourself.

Lawn Solutions Australia is committed to the health and wellbeing of our communities, our staff and network of turf growers. We are here with all of you during this difficult time.

Lawn Solutions Australia is dedicated to helping you grow and maintain a sustainable lawn. Your lawn is a safe space, where you can focus on health and wellbeing. Take this time to utilise your lawn for exercise, gardening, a place to meditate or even just to get some fresh air.

Is your lawn looking a little lack lustre? Too busy to get it looking like the lawns you see on Facebook? No more excuses! There is now plenty of time to rip into some lawn maintenance, mow the lawn a bit more often and get it prepared for the cooler months ahead. Trim the trees to reduce shade, rake the leaves, cut the grass with scissors if you need to… YOU HAVE TIME.

There’s heaps of things I’m sure you have been putting on your to do list that just keeps getting longer and longer. Don’t hide in the shed avoiding the list of jobs your partner has for you to do, get stuck in!

If the jobs are all done, then here’s 5 other things you can do…

  • You know those 100 films to watch bucket lists? Now is the time to tick some of these off the list. Better yet, watch some movies you know you can watch over and over again… Notebook anyone? Just me? Never mind.
  • Do a jigsaw. Get the ultimate jigsaw, I mean 10,000 pieces big, go big or go home or just yeah… stay home.
  • Read a book… an audio book? Maybe a podcast. Books might sound like a boring idea, but reading can provide an escape, it can provide knowledge. You might find this to be exactly what you need right now, and a book and some fresh air can certainly lift your spirits.
  • Host a live video party! You and all your friends or family can be together without being together! Schedule a time, get the drinks and nibbles together, deck chairs out on the lawn and pretend you are in the same place while getting the social stimulation that you need.
  • Get active! You can’t go to the gym, but you do have space out on the lawn and the know-how to do anything! (Thanks Google). There are some great training apps out there that can give you a cracking workout and you don’t even need any equipment.

There are many great things about lawns, they are beneficial for your health and wellbeing, the environment, for the value of your home and their visual appeal. Take the time now to provide your lawn with some lawn care, lay some new turf out if you need to or simply enjoy the lawn that you have either by yourself or with your loved ones. It’s not often you have the opportunity to focus your time like this, so make the most.

Turf Grass First to Receive Smart Approved WaterMark

Posted on by nathe

The Smart Approved WaterMark is a water conscious certification provided to products so that consumers can identify and access the most water efficient products available on the market.

The Smart Approved Watermark was established by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), Irrigation Australia, The Nursery and Garden Industry Association and the Australian Water Association, to provide an identifiable label for consumers so that they can make informed choices when choosing products, services and organisations that use water efficiently, reducing per capita water consumption and helping in the end goal of preserving such a precious resource.

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda

There is a new benchmark for drought tolerance in turf grass in Australia.

Lawn Solutions Australia is proud to announce that TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda has been formally recognised with the Smart Approved WaterMark.

In order to receive the Smart Approved WaterMark, there is a significant process that is undertaken and a strict set of criteria the product needs to adhere to. A technical expert panel independently assesses the applications of products and services undertaking the accreditation process. The panel of seven members, including an independent chair who represents international expertise in the field, examine all aspects of the product application and the associated evidence of water efficiency.

After many years of extensive independent testing and research, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is the first and only turf grass to receive this for drought tolerance in Australia or anywhere in the world.

Smart WaterMark Criteria

The panel of experts meets to consider applications against the following criteria, for more information – https://www.smartwatermark.org/about/technical-expert-panel/

Water saving

That the primary purpose of the product or service is directly related to reducing actual water use and/or using water more efficiently, where there is a direct correlation between the use of the product and water savings.

Fit for purpose

That the appropriate use of the product or service is consistent with supplied instructions and other documentation.

Meets regulations and standards

That the product or service is of high quality and meets industry standards, and customer and community expectations, in relation to water use.

Environmentally sustainable

That the product or service, while satisfying the above three criteria, is environmentally sustainable, and despite claimed water savings will not adversely affect the environment in other areas.