September 2024 - Lawn Solutions Australia

5 Lawn Outlaws This Spring

As temperatures rise and your lawn starts to green up, there’s a band of notorious outlaws ready to invade—pesky weeds! This spring, keep an eye out for some of the worst offenders: Clover, Creeping Charlie, Creeping Oxalis, Summer Grass, and Cudweed. In this post, we’ll break down the best ways to identify and take down these lawn outlaws before they take over your turf.

How Do I Remove Clover from My Lawn?

Clover is one of the most common weeds that can grow in your lawns. It can be identified by its oval-shaped leaves, which commonly have white circular markings across the group of leaflets. Usually, these leaflets will have three leaves, but four if you’re lucky!

Clover will have low-growing creeping stems that grow roots where they touch the ground. When the weed flowers, it will produce either a white or pink flower, depending on the species.

To remove Clover, the best and easiest way to get it under control is to use a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control.

all purpose weed control

All Purpose Weed Control is safe for use on most common lawn types.

Clover

How Can I Remove Creeping Charlie from My Lawn?

Creeping Charlie, also known as ground ivy, is a weed that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This family of plants also includes mint, lavender and oregano. Creeping Charlie can be identified by its kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and violet-blue flowers. It has viny stems that can root to the ground at each node.

To remove Creeping Charlie, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die.

creeping charlie

What is Creeping Oxalis and How Can I Remove It from My Lawn?

Creeping Oxalis, commonly mistaken for Clover, is another common weed that can grow in spring. Creeping Oxalis can be identified by its small heart shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers. Like Clover, it has low growing stems and will run along the surface of the soil.

Creeping Oxalis also tends to spread quickly by seed. Once its seed pod matures and then dries out, it will explode, causing the seed to spread.

To remove Creeping Oxalis from growing in your lawn, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide. Something like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die is ideal for removal.

To help prevent the spread of its seed, we recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide called Oxafert and Oxafert Plus.

oxafert preemergent

These styles of herbicides work by stopping the weed seedlings when they are germinating.

Lawn Weeds Creeping Oxalis

How Do I Remove Summer Grass from My Lawn?

Summer Grass is an annual weed that appears in the warmer months of the year. It has soft, hairy leaves that grow close to the ground in clusters. The grass grows roots at the node, and the sheathes of the leaf are usually purple-tinged in colour at the base. This weed will spread by its seeds, so it is best to target it before the plant produces its seed pod.

If there is only a small amount of Summer Grass growing there, the best and easiest way to remove it is to pull it out by hand. Another effective way to tackle Summer Grass is to treat it with a DSMA-based herbicide. However, it is important to note that these herbicides are not suitable for use on Buffalo or Kikuyu lawns.

If you have had a previous infestation of Summer Grass, we recommend using Oxafert or Oxafert Plus to help prevent it from growing this year.

For more information on how to remove Summer Grass from your lawn, please check out our blog here.

summer grass

How Do I Stop Cudweed from Growing in My Lawn?

Cudweed is another common weed that you might see growing in your lawn over spring. It has flat, shiny, green, glossy leaves in a rosette shape and a white furry underside. As this weed has glossy leaves, it can sometimes make herbicide removal a bit more difficult. A surfactant is often needed to help the herbicide better adhere.

For its removal, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide. Something like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die is ideal.

cudweed

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

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The Low-Down on Liquids |Liquid Fertiliser Products

Liquid fertiliser products make a great addition to your lawn care routine, with a range of different options available with varying functions. In this blog, we look at some of the key liquid fertiliser products we have available and when to use them.

Liquid fertilisers are commonly formulated to assist in seasonal transition or to promote a quick boost in colour, with others aimed at reducing heat stress or enhancing plant and soil health.

Exceed Foliar Fertiliser – Seasonal Transition & Foliar Nutrient

Foliar fertilisers in liquid form are products that are absorbed by the leaf of the grass when applied. These types of fertilisers are ideal for correcting nutrient deficiencies quickly. They will also address stress-related issues or for a general boost to overall health.

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is a premium, professional-grade foliar fertiliser. Liquid fertilisers like Exceed will provide a much quicker response from your grass than a granular fertiliser. The key nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are almost immediately available when absorbed through the roots or leaves rather than through the soil.

Granular fertilisers are still very important for seasonal application particularly in spring and autumn. But a liquid like Exceed is great when a boost is required during seasonal transition, before a renovation or when a quick improvement is required for the health of your lawn.

exceed liquid fertiliser
Exceed Concentrate
exceed liquid fertiliser hose on
Exceed Hose-On

Lawn Kelper – Condition Soil and Boost Health

Seaweed or kelp is a very popular form of organic fertiliser and soil conditioner. It can play an important role in your lawn care routine, particularly during the warmer months.

Lawn Kelper is a liquid nutrient package with trace minerals like manganese and zinc. It is designed specifically for lawns to increase turf vigour, stimulate leaf growth, and to strengthen roots.

Your soil’s health plays a significant role in the success of your lawn. Incorporating soil conditioners like Kelp into your lawn care routine will go a long way to enriching your soil.

lawn kelper
Lawn Kelper Concentrate
lawn kelper
Lawn Kelper Hose-On

Iron Guard – Aid in plant strength & Colour retention

Lawns need iron because it plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis. Iron is a micronutrient that aids in the production of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is green pigment in plants responsible for absorbing sunlight and converting it into energy. Without sufficient iron, lawns can develop chlorosis, a condition where leaves turn yellow.

Iron Guard Plus is a turfgrass-enhancing bio-stimulant that contains iron and amino acids. It will help maximise turfgrass colour retention and promote lateral growth, making it ideal for improved winter dormancy transition.

If you are looking to use it for the first time or if you want to use it regularly as part of a lawn care program, it’s best to apply at a lower rate.

Iron Guard Plus
Iron Guard Plus

When applying liquid fertilisers, like all products, it is best to ensure you read the label instructions and apply as per the specific application rates provided. By doing so, you will ensure the product and your lawn perform to their full potential.

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

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Can You Renovate Buffalo Grass?

As lawn renovation season rolls around, the common question arises: can you renovate buffalo grass? The short answer is yes, but there are a few precautions you need to take to ensure you don’t end up causing harm to your lawn. In this blog, we take a look at the best way to renovate a buffalo lawn.

Why Do I Need to Take Precautions When Renovating Buffalo Turf?

Buffalo grass mainly grows by its above-ground runner system and doesn’t have a strong rhizome like couch and kikuyu grasses. With couch and kikuyu, when renovating, you can almost take the lawn back to dirt as the underground runners of the grass will be able to grow back through the soil to repair. With buffalo you can remove the top layer of overlapping stolons, however you will need to ensure that there is still stolons present and attached to the soil so that the grass can still grow back and repair.

dethatching

How to Dethatch Buffalo Grass with a Mower

One method to dethatch buffalo grass is to give the lawn a low mow to pick up and remove the dry thatch material within the profile. When doing this, we recommend dropping the height down slowly to ensure you are not removing too much of the plant material. Drop the height on your mower, then review how much material is removed. If needed, drop the height again and mow back over the area. You can repeat this process until you are happy with how much of the grass runner is still present.

How to Scarify Buffalo

If you choose to use a scarifying machine on your buffalo lawn, we always recommend testing the scarifier on a small area while on its highest and least aggressive setting. If you are then happy with the results, and most importantly, there are runners of the grass still in tack, continue across the whole lawn.

lawn renovation

How to Use a Scarifying Rake on Buffalo

If you want to use a scarifying rake, give the area a light rake, monitor how much material is removed, and ensure runners are still in the tack.

thatch

How Do You Top Dress Buffalo Grass?

When top dressing buffalo turf, we recommend using an 80% sand 20% loam mixture if you are wanting to improve the soil profile. If you are wanting to top dress for level improvement, we recommend using a washed or screened river sand.

When topdressing evenly apply the soil to the area, then rub it into the profile by using the back of a rake or a soil leveller.

When top dressing, ensure the top of the leaf is still popping through the sand/soil. You shouldn’t apply more than 5-10mm thickness at one time. If you require more top dressing to level out your area, doing this over a few applications over spring and summer is best.

top dress

What Products Should I Apply After a Lawn Renovation?

After a lawn renovation, we recommend applying a fertiliser to help give your lawn a boost in growth and nutrients. We recommend using a well-rounded granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This has a combination of slow and fast-release granules, giving the lawn a good upfront boost while continuing to feel the lawn after it is repaired.

lawn fertiliser

There are also a few preventative style products we recommend looking into using after a renovation. To help prevent damage-causing insects, we recommend using an Acelepryn powered product like Grub Guard Ultimate. If you want to help prevent weeds this spring and summer, we recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert or Oxafert Plus.

aceleprynoxafert pre emergent

For more lawn care tips and advice, please check out our other lawn care blogs here.

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Ultimate Guide to a Successful Lawn Renovation

If you are planning to renovate your lawn this spring and want to ensure you can get the best results possible, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog we will share some of our top tips on how to get the most out of your lawn renovation.

Should I Remove Lawn Weeds Before or After Renovating My Lawn?

For best results, we recommend removing weeds before commencing your scalp/dethatch. If only a few weeds are present, the best and easiest way to remove them is to pull them out by hand. Alternatively, you can look at using a targeted herbicide.

To remove common broadleaf weeds like Clover, Bindii, and Oxalis, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control.

all purpose weed control

When Should I Renovate My Lawn?

Although it is tempting to start renovating your lawn after the first warm day in spring, it is best to wait until temperatures are consistently warmer. But what does this mean? Well, you need to wait till your lawn is consistently growing. This is once you have noticed that the grass needs to be mown regularly. By doing this, you are ensuring that the grass will be able to repair itself quicker and, therefore, get your renovation results sooner.

Before commencing your renovation, we recommend looking at your region’s extended forecast. See if any potential cold snaps could impact your lawn during its recovery period.

lawn renovation

How Do I Dethatch and Scalp My Lawn?

When dethatching and scalping your lawn, it is important to know what type of lawn you have to avoid damaging your turf.

Kikuyu and Couch lawns can be scalped and dethatched more aggressively than other turf types as they have a strong underground rhizome from which they can repair. With Zoysia grasses, we recommend dethatching and scarifying lightly as zoysia is a slow grower. With Buffalo grasses, as they mainly grow by their above-ground runner system, it is best only lightly to dethatch and scarify. You will need to ensure that there are still the above ground runners in tack for the grass to repair from.

scalping lawn

How Do I Top Dress My Lawn?

When top-dressing your lawn, we recommend ensuring the top of the leaf blade is still popping through. It is important not to go too heavy and completely smother the grass, as it can deprive the lawn of sunlight and oxygen.

When choosing your top-dressing material, it is important to consider your goals. Are you top-dressing to improve the levels of the lawn and correct any depressions? Or do you want to improve the soil profile? If you want to perfect your lawn’s levels, we recommend using a washed or screened river sand. If you are wanting to improve the soil profile, a sandy loam with 80% sand and 20% loam is ideal.

lawn renovation

What Products Should I Use When Renovating Your Lawn?

With all lawn renovations, it is recommended to apply fertiliser to help boost the turf’s growth while the lawn is being repaired. We recommend using a granular fertiliser, something like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is ideal.

This time of year is also ideal to get your prevention products down now. To help prevent the growth and spread of seasonal grassy weeds like Summer Grass, Crab Grass, and Crowsfoot, we recommend applying Oxafert or Oxafert Plus. Both of these products will help stop the germination of weed seedlings before they become a problem in your lawn.

oxafert pre emergent

Now is also ideal for getting your application of an Acelepryn powered insecticide like Grub Guard Ultimate. Grub Guard Ultimate, powered by Acelepryn delivers excellent preventative control against a large range of damage causing pests, including African Black Beetle, Armyworm and Argentine Stem Weevil.

prevent grub

Following your renovation, ensure you are irrigating the lawn regularly while it is vulnerable, especially if you do happen to encounter a few hot days following your renovation.

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

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How to Patch Up Bare Areas with New Turf

Do you have large bare patches in your lawn but need to figure out the easiest and fastest way to repair your lawn? In this blog, we walk you through some quick and easy steps on how to fix bare patches in your lawn so your area can get back to looking its best.

How Big is the Bare Patch in Your Lawn?

Generally, if your bare patch is larger than an A4-size piece of paper, it is best to use a roll/slab of turf to patch up the lawn. This will be a much more efficient and quicker method to get your lawn looking its best.

If your bare patch is smaller than an A4 piece of paper, it is best to encourage the surrounding grass to grow and spread back over. For more information on how to do this, please check out our blog here.

Matching Your New Piece of Turf with Your Existing Lawn

In order to get the most seamless match to your existing lawn, you firstly need to know what type of grass your main lawn is. When identifying your lawn type, you will need to look closely at the runner of the grass and analyse the grasses leaf and stolon structure. If you don’t know what to look for when examining your turf, check out our handy grass identification video here or our blog here.

If you are still unsure what type of grass your main lawn type is, get in contact with us or your local turf supplier for an identification.

ZA Close up

Preparing the Area for Turf

To prepare the area for turf, you will first need to rake out any of the dry or dead plant material that is currently there. If there are any weeds growing there, you will need to remove them as well. Either pull these out by hand or look at removing them with a non-selective herbicide like Roundup or Zero. When preparing the area, try to make the patch as square as possible to make installing the turf as easy as possible.

Following this, turn over the soil base with a garden fork to help decompact the soil profile. Then if you need to raise the soil levels, bring in some new sandy loam or turf underlay mix.

Repairing the Bare Patch with Turf

After preparing the area, get in contact with your local Lawn Solutions Australia member and pick up the amount of turf you need.

Once you have picked up your turf, it is best to install it as soon as possible. This will prevent the turf from drying out, especially if doing this on a hot day.

Cut the turf to the required size and shape, then lay it over your prepared area. If you have any leftover soil, you can use this and lightly top dress around the joins between your existing turf and the new grass. Water in the turf well, as you would a new lawn.

turf during winter

How Do I Care for the New Turf?

For the next few weeks as the new turf establishes, ensure you are watering regularly to help prevent the roots of the grass from drying out.

For your first mow, it is best to wait till it has had a chance to establish its roots down into the soil base before mowing. You can test if your turf has grown into the soil by gently pulling up a corner of the new turf. If the turf does not lift, it is ready for a mow.

Over the coming weeks post-installation, your new turf patch will be able to knit together with your existing lawn. Ensure you are mowing the area regularly and keep up with regular lawn maintenance to get the most out of your lawn.

mowing lawn

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

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Did You Forget to Apply a Pre-Emergent?

Why You Should Remove Weeds Growing in Your Lawn Now

Did you know that spring is a great time to tackle weeds in your lawn? Treating them now will help prevent the spread, and if you’re lucky, stop weeds before they have a chance to go to seed.

What Weeds Commonly Grow in Spring?

During spring, it is common that you will still see some broadleaf weeds like Bindii and Creeping Oxalis. Once the temperatures have warmed back up, you may notice seasonal summer weeds like Crabgrass, Paspalum and Summer Grass growing.

crowsfoot

When Should I Remove Weeds?

This is a common question that we get, and the answer is always when you see them. The benefit of doing this is stopping them before they have a chance to go to seed, and can spread further throughout your lawn, and before they can grow and take over more sections of your lawn.

Why Should I Remove Broadleaf Weeds Now

Broadleaf weeds can increase in growth when temperatures rise. Some common broadleaf weeds that will grow throughout the warmer months are Bindii, Clover, Creeping Oxalis, Chickweed, Lambs Tongue and more. These broadleaf weeds can be treated relatively quickly using a broadleaf herbicide. Popular herbicide options include hose on All Purpose Weed Control or concentrate Amgrow Bin Die.

all purpose weed control

Why You Should Remove Bindii Now

If you happen to have the dreaded Bindii growing, now is an ideal time to treat it before it produces its prickly weed pods. It is these seed pods that contain the prickly seeds that cause pain to our bare feet when walking on your lawn. So, if you happen to have Bindii growing in your lawn, it is best to treat it now before it goes to seed. For removal, use a broadleaf herbicide.

bindii

How Can I Limit Weeds in My Lawn?

Ensuring your lawn is thick and healthy will create less space in the profile for weeds to grow. With a healthy and thick lawn there will be increased competition for resources including soil, nutrients and sunlight. With this, it will become more difficult for the weeds to grow. For more tips and advice on how to help get your lawn thick and healthy this spring, check out our Spring Lawn Care blog here.

Ensuring you are mowing your lawn regularly will further help limit weeds in your lawn. Regular mowing will also help weaken the weed while it is using a large amount of energy to grow.

mowing lawn

Should I Use a Pre-Emergent Herbicide?

Pre-emergent herbicides, as the name suggests help stop weeds before they start to emerge. They target weed seedlings while they are germinating before they start to appear in your lawn. Oxafertand Oxafert Plus pre-emergents will target seasonal summer weeds, including Summer Grass, Crab Grass, Crowsfoot and Creeping Oxalis.

It is important to note that timing your application is also important to ensure you stop the weeds before they start to germinate and grow. For summer weeds, it is best to apply your pre-emergent in early to mid-spring or when the temperatures are starting to warm back up in your region.

pre-emergent

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

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Why Now is the Best Time to Spring Your Lawn into Shape

Did you know that now is the best time of the year to start getting your lawn into shape? Whether you need to give your lawn some much-needed TLC or want to start fresh with a new lawn, spring is the ideal time to get started!

Why is Spring an Ideal Time to Fix Your Lawn?

With temperatures set to warm up over the coming weeks our lawns will start to actively grow again. The temperatures are usually warm enough for new growth, but not hot enough that the grass will be under stress from the scorching summer sun. This makes it an ideal time to focus on repairing any damage that may have occurred over winter or address any underlying issues the lawn may be facing.

Should I Remove Weeds from My Lawn in Spring?

If there are weeds growing in your lawn, it is best to treat them as soon as possible to help prevent them from spreading further. Treating weeds now will also limit the competition your lawn will face, allowing the turf to grow stronger and thicker quickly.

When treating common broadleaf weeds like Clover and Bindii, you can look at using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control.  If you are not sure what weed type you have growing in your lawn, check out our Ultimate Weed Guide for identification and removal tips here.If you want to get ahead of the game and prevent weeds before they start to appear in your lawn, look into using a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert and Oxafert Plus.

all purpose weed control

How to Get the Most Out of Your Fertiliser Application This Spring

When applying fertiliser to your lawn this spring, timing is key. If your application is too early, before temperatures start to warm back up, your lawn won’t be growing at a fast enough rate to use the fertiliser effectively.

So, when should I apply fertiliser to my lawn this spring? The answer is when the temperatures are consistently warmer and when you have noticed that the lawn has begun to actively grow again.

If you are wanting a granular fertiliser, our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser, available in both a 4kg bucket and a 10kg bucket. This fertiliser contains both a fast and slow-release granule to give your lawn a good upfront boost heading out of winter dormancy, and also contains a slow-release granule that will continue to feed the lawn for 12 weeds for a sustained boost. This fertiliser contains a balanced ratio of nutrients and trace elements to encourage strong growth and rich colour.

best lawn fertiliser

If you prefer to use liquid lawn care products, a great fertiliser option is Exceed Liquid Fertiliser, available in both a 2L Hose-on bottle and a 2.5L concentrate.

Should I Aerate My Lawn this Spring?

Over the last six months we have been experiencing high amounts of rainfall. With this and increased cloud cover, it has made our lawns sit damp for longer periods of time. When this occurs, with combined foot traffic, the soil underneath can become compacted. This compaction can make it difficult for air, water and nutrients to reach the roots of your lawn. To help alleviate this compaction, it is recommended to aerate your lawn.

Aeration typically involves using a garden fork, tyne aerator or aerator sandals to create space within the profile. When aerating with a garden fork or tyne aerator, simply drive the fork into the profile and give it a good wiggle back and forth to fracture the soil profile. Repeat this across the whole lawn. If you have a larger area that is too big to aerate by hand, you can look at hiring a mechanical aerator.

aerating

This process will help your lawn become healthier, stronger and thicker.

Do I Need to Renovate My Lawn This Spring?

If you’re looking to get drastic results with your lawn this spring or are needing to give your lawn some extra TLC, look at renovating your lawn this spring. Lawn renovations can help improve soil quality, compaction, improve your lawns levels, and remove thatch, all improving the all-round appearance of your lawn.

Typically, lawn renovations will start off with removing all weeds from your lawn. A few weeks after this and when temperatures are consistently warmer, you can then scalp or dethatch your lawn, aerate, fertilise and top dress. Initially after this process your lawn won’t look the best, but over a few weeks, your lawn will improve drastically!

For more information on how to complete a lawn renovation, check out our Lawn Renovation video series here.

lawn renovation

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

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