Month: November 2024
Turfing the Way for Fun: Boongaree Nature Play Park’s New Sir Grange Zoysia Turf
Supplied and Installed by Turfco Australia
Boongaree Nature Play Park in Berry has been given a major upgrade with the installation of Sir Grange Zoysia natural turf by local turf provider Turfco around the recently built pump track. The project was initiated after Turfco organised a council farm visit, where Shoalhaven Council Co-Ordinator of Parks and Ovals, Richard McGuinness, learned about Sir Grange Zoysia. The turf is a low-maintenance, environmentally sustainable natural turf surface that is perfect for difficult or expensive areas to maintain.
Kikuyu was initially installed around the pump track in December 2022, but it quickly became apparent that it would be hazardous to mow and some of the banks were too steep even for a whipper snipper. Kikuyu also grows quickly, requiring frequent and expensive maintenance. Richard discussed Sir Grange with his colleagues, and Turfco was subsequently consulted in regard to making arrangements for the installation of the new turf.
The cost of the turf was about 1/30th the cost of soft fall, which would have been an alternative option. A black pump track would have become very hot in the summer, but the natural grass surround provided by Sir Grange will help to keep users cooler. Sir Grange also provides a safe and soft landing zone if users were to ride off the side of the pump track.
Sir Grange Zoysia looks fantastic unmown and will save the council money and time in maintenance and upkeep. It requires zero fertiliser and will only need to be whipper snipped around the edges from time to time if required. Turf is also a great stabiliser and natural coolant, making it the perfect choice for a pump track where safety is paramount.
Once the go-ahead was given, Turfco removed 1,000m2 of the existing failed Kikuyu with an excavator with a tilt bucket, ensuring that existing gradients were left intact. Refuse was removed from the site, and 38 tonnes of free-draining turf underlay were brought in to assist new turf growth. A total of 1,275m2 of Sir Grange Zoysia was supplied and installed, with the turf being pegged down on the embankment for stabilisation on steep sections.
Installation took place over several days. The Sir Grange started to establish within just three weeks of being installed, and the main aim for the council is to reduce the high maintenance required by Kikuyu by switching to Sir Grange, which will be left almost totally unmown.
The Boongaree Nature Play Park pump track is now safer and more attractive thanks to the installation of Sir Grange Zoysia natural turf. The turf provides a low-maintenance, environmentally sustainable solution that is perfect for this application. With Sir Grange in place, council workers will be able to spend less time on maintenance and more time ensuring that the pump track is safe and enjoyable for the community.
How to Help Protect Your Lawn From El Niño
The forecasts tell us we are in for a hot and dry period in most areas of Australia over the coming couple of years, with the Bureau of Meteorology announcing that El Niño is now underway. We’ve experienced these conditions before, and it puts a lot of stress on our lawns. In this blog, we share some tips to nurse your lawn through these drought conditions with a particular focus on soil wetters.
What is El Niño and What Does It Mean for My Lawn?
El Niño occurs when the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean are significantly warmer than average, leading to a shift in rainfall – away from Australia, so we experience an increased probability of drier conditions. Surviving El Niño and drought conditions can be challenging for lawns, with decreased rainfall and increased temperatures, leading to dry, stressed grass.
Here are some tips to help your lawn survive during El Niño and drought periods:
How Often Should I Water My Lawn During El Niño?
Instead of frequent shallow watering, promote deep root growth by watering your lawn deeply but less frequently. Water your lawn early in the morning to reduce evaporation loss. We would also recommend that you consider using a rain gauge or moisture meter to monitor soil moisture levels.
What Is a Soil Wetter?
Soil wetters, also known as soil surfactants or wetting agents, are substances used to improve water penetration and distribution within the soil. They are particularly beneficial for lawns and gardens where water tends to pool or run off rather than being absorbed properly.
How Do Soil Wetters Work?
Soil wetters work by altering the surface tension of water. They will help water spread more evenly throughout the soil rather than beading up or forming puddles. This facilitates better absorption and distribution of water throughout the root zone, ensuring that moisture reaches the areas where it’s needed most.
The frequency of application depends on the specific product used, the soil conditions, and environmental factors affecting water absorption.
For soil wetters, we recommend using our Lawn Soaker. Lawn Soaker is a ready-to-use soil wetting agent specifically developed for use on lawns. This product is designed to improve the penetration of water so it can reach deep down into the roots of your lawn. Lawn Soaker comes in a hose on bottle for an easy application. Simply clip it onto your hose and spray. Apply as frequently as necessary to treat water-repellent soil and improve drought resistance. Regular use will ensure the soil re-wets and prevent further dry spots from forming.
How Should I Mow My Lawn During Drought?
Set your mower blades to a higher setting to leave grass taller. Taller grass shades the soil, reducing evaporation and helping to retain moisture. A short cut lawn will require more watering, along with other inputs to be maintained and kept healthy.
Will Aerating My Soil Help During Drought?
Aerating your lawn allows air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil. Aerating will help promote healthier root systems that can better withstand drought stress. If the water can’t penetrate compacted soil, it’s not going to be readily available for the roots of the plant when needed.
What is The Best Lawn During Drought?
If you are looking to install a new lawn, make sure you go with a drought-resistant grass species. New and improved turf varieties are bred to have superior drought tolerances than those that have come before. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is a leading example.
TifTuf is the only grass with the Smart Approved WaterMark for its water efficiency and drought tolerance and is a great choice with the current climate.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
Three of the Biggest Kept Secretes When It Comes to Caring for Your Lawn
Have you ever wondered what people are doing to make their lawns look great with minimal effort? In this blog, we’re pulling back the curtain on three of the best-kept secrets in lawn care: plant growth regulators like Primo Maxx, the often-underestimated power of aeration, and the game-changing role of pre-emergent herbicides.
What is a Plant Growth Regulator?
Plant growth regulators like Primo Maxx are one of the most underrated products when it comes to caring for your lawn. These products can help reduce the vertical growth of the lawn while encouraging the horizontal growth of turf. This means that mowing requirements will be less while helping your lawn grow thicker and improving its aesthetic.
These products are great to use throughout the warmer months of the year when your lawn is at its fastest and needs to be mown more regularly. They are also ideal to use if you are going on holiday and won’t be around to mow, or even if mowing just isn’t your favourite thing to do every weekend!
Primo Maxx is a great option to look into when it comes to plant growth regulators and is ideal for use on home lawns. If you are looking to reduce your mowing by 50% this spring and summer or want to take your lawn to the next level, look no further than Primo Maxx.
Does Aerating Your Lawn Actually Help?
Aerating is one of the most beneficial lawn care activities you can do for your lawn! Not only will it help prevent a number of lawn-related issues, but it will also help your lawn become stronger and healthier.
The process of aerating will help decompact the soil profile, allowing more space for water, nutrients and air to flow throughout the soil. This will help stop soil compaction, can aid in removing disease in your lawn, aid with drainage and help thicken up your lawn.
So, how do you aerate your lawn? Aeration can be done with a few different tools, but the most effective and common tools to use are a sturdy garden fork or a tine aerator. Drive the fork into the soil profile, then give it a good wiggle to help fracture up the surrounding soil. Then drive the fork back into the profile, aiming for spaces around 10cm apart and work your way across the lawn. For more information on how to aerate your lawn, check out our blog here.
Is it Worth Using a Pre-Emergent Herbicide?
Pre-emergent herbicides are another game changer product when it comes to caring for your lawn. Pre-emergent herbicides like Oxafert and Oxafert Plus work by forming a barrier at the soil level, targeting weed seedlings in the soil during germination before they have a chance to grow in your lawn. These are particularly useful products to use if your lawn is prone to invasions of Summer Grass, Crabgrass, Creeping Oxalis and Winter Grass.
Our Lawn Solutions Oxafert and Oxafert Plus also have the added benefit of a fertiliser component and Oxafert Plus also contains an insecticide, stopping damage causing insects on your lawn.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.