April 2025

What’s Mycelium and What Does It Look Like?

Posted on April 29, 2025May 27, 2025 by Sarah

Have you noticed a webbing appearing on your lawn early in the morning that disappears as the day goes on? In this blog, we look into what Mycelium is, it’s features and if you need to act.

Skip to: Mycelium in Lawns, What Common Lawn Diseases Have Mycelium? Do I Need to Treat Mycelium in my Lawn?

What Common Lawn Diseases Have Mycelium?

Firstly, What’s Mycelium?

When looking at Mycelium, we must first look at what Hyphae are. Hyphae are the single thread-like filament parts of fungi that are responsible for the absorption of nutrients. The Hyphae part of the fungi find and penetrate the food source. They then produce an enzyme that enables the fungi to break down and digest the organic material.

Hyphae are individual filaments, whereas Mycelium is a ‘collection or bundle of Hyphae in one singular place’ (Celine. 2017). Hyphae are usually microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the Mycelium can.

Most forms of fungi will have Hyphae as one of their defining features. Types of fungi that will have Hyphae include moulds, mushroom-producing fungi and pathogenic fungi. Fungi that don’t have Hyphae include some yeasts.

Mycelium in Lawns

When Mycelium is present in lawns, the web and cotton-like structure will sit either in the profile or on top of the leaf blades.

When there are ideal conditions for fungal growth on our lawns, i.e. over watering, soil compaction, poor mowing habits or ideal weather conditions, you may notice an increase in fungal activity.

Some common fungal-related symptoms for lawns include:

Mycelium webbing on the lawn in the morning before the heat of the day
Discolouration of grass blades
Irregular texture
Wet or slimy-looking turf
Powdery coatings on turf

What Common Lawn Diseases Have Mycelium?

Common lawn diseases that present Mycelium include:

Dollar Spot
Pythium
Fairy Ring
Winter Fusarium
Brown Patch

Do I Need to Treat Mycelium in My Lawn?

This itself is not a cause for concern, and treatment is generally not needed. However, if you notice other fungal symptoms, including discolouration of the grass leaf, you may need to step in.

Usually, if you are able to stop environmental conditions that are causing the fungus, including reducing irrigation, increasing sunlight to the affected area and aerating the soil, the disease may go away on its own. However, if the disease persists, a fungicide may be needed.

Fungicides

To treat diseases including Anthracnose, Brown Patch, Winter Fusarium, Leptosphaerulina, Curvularia and Dollar Spot, we recommend using a broad-spectrum fungicide like Tombstone.

To treat Helminthosporium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, and Grey Leaf Spot, you can use a water-dispersible fungicide like Mancozeb.

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

References

Celine, 2017, Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 16/04/2025, <https://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-mycelia-and-hyphae/>

How to Remove Richardia from Your Lawn

Posted on April 17, 2025July 11, 2025 by Sarah

Richardia brasiliensis

Skip to: Key identifying features, Richardia characteristics, When and where will Richardia grow? How does Richardia spread? How do I remove Richardia?

Key Identifying Features:

Small white flowers
Thick tap root
Oval-shaped leaves
Short and rough hairs coating leaves

Richardia, which also goes by the name Mexican Clover, is a common broadleaf weed that can be found in Queensland, Western Australia coastal regions and New South Wales. If this weed is in your lawn, keep reading for the best way to remove it…

Richardia Characteristics

Richardia is a prostrate weed that can grow from 10cm to 50cm tall. This weed will commonly grow in high-traffic areas, including lawns, gardens, footpaths or disturbed soil sites. This weed has oval-shaped leaves that grow around 8mm to 50mm long. The leaves have pointed tips and are coated with short and rough hairs. At the tip of the branch, the weed will produce a small white flower.

When and Where Will Richardia Grow?

Richardia will flower from spring to autumn. This weed will generally grow in sparse lawns that have become weak, either from poor soil or lawns weakened by stress, including damage from improper fertiliser applications or scalping. So, following proper cultural practices will help keep this weed at bay.

How Does Richardia Spread?

Richardia will spread when the plant produces its flower. These seeds are commonly spread underfoot, by roaming birds, wind, or machinery that is not properly washed when mowing multiple lawns.

How Do I Remove Richardia?

If you do happen to find Richardia growing in your lawn, it is best to treat it as soon as possible before the plant has a chance to mature and grow its large tap root.

If only a small amount of Richardia is growing, you should be able to remove this by hand. Simply find the centre of the plant, as this is where the tap root will be located. Depending on the size of the plant, you may need to use a narrow trowel or a long knife to help loosen up the soil around the plant’s taproot. Then, gently pull out the plant, ensuring you are removing the tap root.

If there is too much Richardia growing that can be removed by hand, an herbicide will be required. For Richardia, a Dicamba-based herbicide will work best. Something like Amgrow Multiweed or Amgrow Kleen Lawn is ideal. However, it is important to note that these herbicides are not safe for use on Buffalo lawns.

If you do happen to have a Buffalo lawn, either remove it by hand, or you can try repeated applications of a Buffalo-safe broadleaf herbicide like Estate Herbicide or All Purpose Weed Control. However, results may be limited.

estate herbicide — Estate Broadleaf Herbicide

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

MIFGS Celebrates Highly Successful 2025 Event

Posted on April 11, 2025June 3, 2025 by Nathan Edwards

This year saw over 115,000 people make their way through the gates of the Carlton Gardens & Royal Exhibition Building. The best attendance at the show in over 20 years!

Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA) enjoyed a highly successful presence at this year’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. With a large stand near the main entrance, creating a lot of interest from attendees as they flowed through the gates. The LSA stand featured a range of turf varieties, including Sir Walter DNA Certified, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, Sir Grange Zoysia, and Zoysia Australis. These grasses drew significant attention from garden enthusiasts, landscapers, and industry professionals. With a strong focus on education and providing turf inspiration, the LSA team and Members engaged with thousands of visitors throughout the event, highlighting the benefits of choosing premium turf for both residential and commercial applications.

LSA brand ambassadors Charlie Albone and Jason Hodges played a key role also throughout the week. Both industry experts delivered engaging on-stage presentations, sharing their extensive knowledge of lawn care and landscape design while also answering questions from eager attendees. Their presence reinforced LSA’s position as the trusted authority in turf, offering valuable insights into selecting, installing, and maintaining the perfect lawn for any setting.

LSA turf varieties were prominently featured throughout the show gardens, a clear testament to the vital role that quality lawns play in landscape design. From lush, inviting green spaces to meticulously curated garden settings, these grasses demonstrated their versatility, resilience, and aesthetic appeal in a range of implementations. The widespread use of Sir Walter, TifTuf and Sir Grange (long and short!) across these displays highlighted the growing demand for high-performance turf solutions that cater to diverse environments and design preferences.

The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show – Show Garden Entries

Doable – Jason Hodges

Jason’s incredible show garden entry the “Doable” garden is the result of thoughtful planning, proving that you don’t need a large budget and the most expensive of materials to create a beautiful, functional and desirable space. The team at Semken Landscaping did an incredible job bringing this design to life.

While the garden design features a range of beautiful plants, we were most excited by the very impressive Sir Walter DNA Certified feature lawn.

Jason’s show garden won a Silver Medal and was also awarded the Peoples Choice Award.

Doable by Jason Hodges and Semken Landscaping — Doable – Jason Hodges

eskap – Distinctive Gardens

Designed by Rob Cooper of Distinctive Gardens, “eskap” is a lush and inviting garden that seamlessly combines contemporary structures with the wild beauty of native Australian plants. It features mass plantings of vibrant Banksia ‘Little Candles’ complemented by rugged mallee root sculptures, creating a harmonious blend of art and nature.

The beautiful garden design was awarded the coveted Golf Medal, alongside the City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show and the Horticultural Media Association Award for Best Use of Plant Life. This garden included the use of both Sir Grange Zoysia and Sir Walter DNA Certified.

Nostalgia – Paul Pritchard Landscape Design

The “Nostalgia” garden by Paul Pritchard Landscapes evokes sentimental memories through its classic design elements, integrating traditional plant varieties with timeless landscaping features to create a space that feels both familiar and comforting.

Nostalgia took home the Mark Bence Construction Award, along with a well-deserved Gold Medal. This garden featured both Sir Grange Zoysia and TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda.

Nostalgia – Paul Pritchard Landscape Design

ODE – Candeo Design, Brent Reid

“ODE” by Candeo Design is a tribute to contemporary design, showcasing clean lines, minimalist aesthetics, and a curated selection of plant species that together create a serene and modern outdoor space. ODE was awarded a Silver Medal, featuring another highly impressive Sir Walter DNA Certified entry lawn area.

Yutori – Christian Jenkins & Bailyn Jenkins

“Yutori” by Christian Jenkins Landscape Design embodies the Japanese concept of spaciousness and relaxation, incorporating Zen principles with tranquil water features, minimalist plantings, and contemplative spaces designed for reflection.? Yutori was also awarded a Silver Medal, featuring lush unmown Sir Grange Zoysia throughout the design.

In Ratio with Africa – Matt York

Inspired by African landscapes, “In Ratio with Africa” by Matt York incorporates bold textures and earthy tones, featuring drought-tolerant plants and innovative design techniques that reflect the balance and harmony found in nature.? In Ratio with Africa took out the Silver Gilt Medal and also featured some very impressive unmown Sir Grange Zoysia.

Thank you to everyone who was involved in bringing the Show to life through these incredible gardens and displays.

What Weeds Grow in Autumn and How Do I Remove Them?

Posted on April 7, 2025May 26, 2025 by Sarah

Have you noticed some new weeds starting to pop up in your lawn this autumn, but are not sure on what they are and how to remove them? In this blog post, we look at a few different lawn weed types that can appear in autumn, and look at the best way to remove them.

Skip to: How to Remove Winter Grass, How to Remove Paspalum, How to Remove Creeping Oxalis

How Do I Remove Winter Grass from My Lawn?

Winter Grass Key Features:

Grows in tufts
Low growing
Soft, drooping green leaves
Has triangular shaped seed heads

In cooler regions like Victoria, Winter Grass can start to emerge as early as March. Warmer regions like northern NSW or QLD won’t usually experience Winter Grass till the temperatures drop a bit further in late Autumn and Winter.

As the popular saying “one year of seeds will bring seven years of seeds” suggests, stopping Winter Grass before it has a chance to go to seed is key. If only a small amount of Winter Grass is growing, the best and quickest way to remove it is by hand. This can be a relatively easy task as it doesn’t have a particularly strong root system.

If more Winter Grass is growing than can be removed by hand, we recommend using a Winter Grass specific herbicide like Amgrow Winter Grass Killer.

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If the Winter Grass growing in your lawn has already had a chance to seed, or if you had Winter Grass growing last season, we recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide to help prevent its spread. For pre-emergents, we recommend using our Oxafert 3kg and Oxafert Plus 20kg.

oxafert preemergent — Oxafert Pre Emergent Herbicide

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How Can I Remove Paspalum from My Lawn?

Paspalum Key Features:

Starts growth in clumps, then spreads throughout sparse and poor-performing lawns
The leaf is usually long, broader and rougher than most other grass types
Seed heads will grow along long stems, usually with 2-11 seed heads per stem
Seeds are sticky

Paspalum is another annual grass weed that you may notice growing in your lawn. This weed will mostly grow in the warmer months of Spring and Summer, but as we have had a warm start to Autumn, you may still see some Paspalum present.

Like Winter Grass, if only small amounts are growing, the best and easiest way to get on top of the Paspalum is to remove it by hand. If the weed is more mature, removal will be more labour-intensive and will require you to dig underneath the crown, below the soil level, so that you can remove the entire plant.

If the Paspalum has become more widespread, we recommend using an herbicide with DSMA as the active ingredient. Something like the David Grays Crabgrass and Clover Killer is ideal. However, it is important to note that these herbicides are not safe to use on kikuyu, buffalo and blue couch lawns.

If you are unable to use this herbicide on your lawn type, you can remove it by selectively applying a non-selective herbicide like Roundup or Zero. When using roundup, it is important only to apply it to the Paspalum and not your lawn as it will also harm it. We recommend using a weed wand or the Yates Zero Gel to help with an accurate application.

How Can I Remove Creeping Oxalis from My Lawn?

Creeping Oxalis Key Features:

Light green to purple-coloured, heart-shaped leaves
Produces small yellow flowers
When seeds dry out, they can explode, causing the seeds to disperse across your lawn

Creeping Oxalis is another weed type that you may notice growing in your lawn in April. This weed will quickly run along the surface of the soil and produces roots from the leaf as it grows and creeps under and through your lawn. If you notice Creeping Oxalis growing in your lawn, treating it as soon as possible before it has a chance to go to seed is best.

Luckily, Creeping Oxalis can be treated with common broadleaf herbicides like All Purpose Weed Control (hose-on) and Estate Herbicide (concentrate), which are both safe on most common lawn types.

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If the Creeping Oxalis has already gone to seed, we also recommend looking into using a pre-emergent herbicide like our Oxafert and Oxafert Plus. These products will help stop the seeds that have been dropped into the soil from germinating and growing, preventing further weed invasions.

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