Turf Talk is suitable for all turf professionals, from turf growers to landscapers, golf courses and sports ground curators, to government and related industry organisations.
Turf Talk is here to share with you the latest information on the turf industry, exciting developments in turf research and to keep you up to date with everything you need to know about turf.
Articles include:
Rebuilding Lords Cricket Ground
Pitch Management at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
A New Era for Roma Rugby
Turfgrass in the Data Driven Era
Stampede – A New Standard in Buffalo Grass Performance
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Are you interested in the thought of never having to mow your lawn again? Well, a robot lawn mower might just be the solution you’re looking for! In this blog, we take a look at whether robot mowers are actually worth the hype.
Robot mowers have been around for a few years now, with new technology continually entering the market.
Older models commonly use a physical boundary wire placed within the soil around the perimeter of your lawn.
Newer models utilise advanced technology like GPS, LiDAR, and on-board sensors to create a precise virtual map of your dedicated mowing space—no wires required.
What Should I Look for in a Robot Mower?
When choosing the right robot mower for you and your home, there are a few key factors to consider so that your new mower will be suited to your space.
Lawn Size
Every robot lawn mower comes with a maximum coverage capacity. However, to ensure reliable performance and prevent overworking the machine, it is recommended to choose a model with a slightly larger area capacity than your actual lawn size.
Slope
Another consideration is your yard’s terrain. Different models are rated for different gradients. While most entry-level mowers can handle a slight slope of around 25%–30%, you will need a more powerful, specialised option if your property has steeper hills.
What Are the Maintenance Requirements of a Robot Mower?
Maintenance requirements for robot mowers are generally quite low. However, doing a quick once-over every couple of weeks will help your device achieve a cleaner cut and improve the mower’s longevity.
A general maintenance schedule may include the following:
**Firstly, ensure mower is completely turned off**
Remove loose grass and debris using a soft brush
Check over mowers blades and ensure they are sharp and free from damage
Wipe the sensors to remove dirt and dust buildup
Clean over charging contacts
What Are the Advantages of Using a Robot Mower?
Time saving and convince.
Quite operation.
Mowing can be set at any time of day, even when you are asleep!
Regularly mown grass will encourage the lawn perform better.
What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Robot Mower?
Higher up-front costs.
Some models may require a boundary set up which can be time consuming to set up.
Are not effective at mowing overgrown grass. If grass becomes overgrown, you may need to use a standard rotary mower to knock back the grass to a more manageable level.
For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
Are you looking to install a new lawn but aren’t quite sure where to start? In this blog, we walk you through the entire process; from removing your existing grass and choosing the right soil type to perfectly leveling your underlay.
Whether weeds or patchy old turf currently occupy the space, removing all existing plant material properly will set your new lawn up for success.
The easiest and most effective way to remove old vegetation is to apply a non-selective herbicide containing glyphosate (such as Roundup or Yates Zero). About a week after your first application, once the plant material is dry and dead, drop your lawn mower to its lowest height setting and mow over the area with the catcher on.
Next, wait another week to see if any stubborn weeds or grass strike back. If you see new growth, simply repeat the herbicide application.
Tip: If your old lawn was Kikuyu or Couch, these grasses have aggressive, deep-rooting growth habit. You will likely need to repeat this eradication process a few times to ensure they are completely gone.
Do I Need to Till Soil for New Turf?
Once all vegetation is gone, turn over the soil using a rotary hoe or a garden fork. This helps alleviate soil compaction and allows you to clear away any rocks and debris.
If your soil has a high clay content, applying a clay breaker like gypsum will drastically improve the soil structure. For more information on applying gypsum to your soil, please check out our blog here.
Should I Test My Soil’s pH?
With the soil turned over, now is the perfect time to run a soil pH test to ensure it sits within the ideal range of 5.5 to 7.
Soil pH kits are easy to use and readily available at your local garden centres, hardware stores, or directly from the Lawn Solutions Lawn Store.
For more information on testing, adjusting and correcting your soils pH levels, please check out soil pH blog for more information.
Assess Your Lands Drainage
Before bringing in new soil, take a close look at your yard’s drainage. Consider the natural slopes and how water flows across the area during heavy rain. Correcting any drainage issues now will prevent pooling water and soggy patches later.
What Soil Should I Use for a New Lawn?
Now it’s time to get down to the dirt! When choosing your soil, we highly recommend using a free-draining sandy loam (roughly 80% sand and 20% loam), or a specific turf underlay mix from your local landscaping yard.
How Thick Should My Turf Underlay Be?
As a general rule, bringing in 100mm of fresh soil is recommended. Your local landscaping yard or soil supplier can easily calculate exactly how much soil you’ll need based on your lawn’s square meterage.
When ordering your soil, don’t forget to factor in the thickness of the turf slabs themselves so your finished lawn sits flush with surrounding concrete or garden edges. Turf is usually cut 30mm to 40mm thick, but it’s always best to ask your local turf supplier for exact measurements.
How Do I Level Out Soil for a New Lawn?
Once your new turf underlay arrives, use a wheelbarrow to tip the soil into small, manageable piles evenly across the yard. Then, grab a soil leveller or a sturdy rake to spread, distribute, and level the soil surface.
Which Grass Type Should I Choose for My New Lawn?
The best lawn for you depends heavily on your lifestyle and your lawns environment. Consider factors like shade, maintenance requirements, and who (or what) will be using the space.
For an everyday, low maintenance backyard suitable for pets and kids, Sir Walter DNA Certified is a great all round option.
If you don’t mind mowing a bit more frequently or are after a lawn type that can withstand lots of foot traffic from pets and kids, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda may be the best option for you.
For more specific advice on choosing the best turf type for you and your family’s needs, it is best to have a chat with your Lawn Solutions Member. You can see who your local members are and their contact details here.
For more lawn care tips and advice, check out our other lawn care blogs here.
For turf producers, weed contamination remains one of the most persistent and costly challenges. Unlike end-use turf situations, where minor contamination may be tolerated, turf farms operate under tight quality standards where even low levels of off-type grasses or weeds can render turf unmarketable.
Over successive harvest cycles, weed seedbanks accumulate in the soil, particularly from species such as winter grass (Poa annua), summer grass, crowsfoot, and sedges. Once established, these species are difficult to remove selectively without damaging the crop.
For this reason, soil fumigation plays a critical role in weed seedbank management, particularly prior to replanting or when transitioning between turf varieties. It provides a reliable method of reducing weed pressure across the entire soil profile, enabling clean establishment and maintaining varietal purity.
Why fumigation is critical for weed control in turf production
Seedbank reduction
The primary value of fumigation in turf production is its ability to significantly reduce the viable weed seedbank in the soil. Unlike post-emergent herbicides, which target actively growing weeds, fumigants act on germinating seeds and emerging seedlings, reducing future weed pressure.
This is particularly important in high-intensity turf systems, where repeated cropping cycles can provide a window for weed populations to build.
Whole-profile control
Fumigants move through the soil as gases, allowing them to act throughout the entire growing medium, rather than just at the surface. This is critical for controlling deeply buried weed seeds, rhizomes and vegetative propagules and weed flushes that occur after irrigation or rainfall.
Clean start for high-value turf
Turf consumers expect uniform, contaminant-free turf. Even minor weed contamination can lead to rejection or reduced value. Fumigation ensures a clean establishment phase, allowing the desired turf species to dominate without early competition. This is particularly important for slower establishing varieties, where early weed pressure can significantly impact coverage and uniformity.
Fumigation and turf variety changeovers
One of the most important, but often underestimated uses of fumigation in turf production is during variety transitions.
As the industry shifts toward improved turf varieties (e.g. hybrid couches, improved zoysia or Buffalo lines) producers must ensure that previous turf species and off-types are completely removed before replanting.
Why this matters
Contamination from previous varieties can persist through stolons, rhizomes, or seed.
For licensed or premium turf varieties, maintaining genetic purity is critical. Fumigation helps ensure compliance with quality assurance standards.
Mixed swards reduce visual uniformity, texture consistency, and performance. Even small amounts of contamination can compromise market acceptance.
By removing competition, fumigation allows new varieties to establish faster and more uniformly, reducing time to harvest.
Fumigation provides the only reliable method of achieving a true species reset, particularly where previous turf has been grown for multiple cycles.
Key fumigant options for weed-focused programs
Metham sodium remains a key soil fumigant in agriculture in Australia. Applied as a liquid, it rapidly converts in moist soil to methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), a volatile compound that diffuses through the soil profile and delivers broad-spectrum weed and pest control.
Role in turf systems
Metham sodium is registered and commonly used in turf production where multiple weed and pest pressures exist. It is particularly valuable in situations requiring simultaneous suppression of weed seeds, nematodes and fungal pathogens.
Key benefits
Broad-spectrum efficacy, controlling a wide range of soil weeds and pests in a single operation.
Flexible application techniques.
Proven cost-effectiveness for large-scale turf operations.
Rapid breakdown in soil, reducing long-term residue concerns.
Limitations
Performance is very dependent on soil moisture, temperature, and sealing.
Risk of vapour drift if not correctly applied and contained.
Requires careful site preparation and operator expertise.
In practice, metham sodium is best suited to situations where a full soil reset is required prior to turf establishment and experienced operators are on hand to apply the product correctly and safely.
Dazomet provides similar pest control to metham sodium but in a convenient granular formulation. Once incorporated into moist soil, it decomposes to release MITC gas, delivering fumigation activity throughout the treated zone.
Role in turf systems
Dazomet is particularly suited to turf managers seeking a simpler, non-injection-based fumigation approach. It is widely used in turf production throughout Australia and is available via Indigo Specialty as the brand ProForce Miticor 980G.
Key benefits
Ease of handling and application, with no need for specialised application equipment.
Improved application uniformity when evenly spread and incorporated correctly.
Reduced operator exposure risk compared with liquid fumigants.
Effective against fungi, nematodes, weeds, and insects.
Limitations
Requires thorough incorporation and irrigation to activate.
Slightly slower release of fumigant gas compared with liquid formulations.
Dazomet is often considered the most practical fumigant for turf operations lacking specialised fumigation equipment, while still delivering strong multi-pest control of weeds, diseases, pests and nematodes.EPTC (S-Ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate), also known as Eptam is a thiocarbamate compound with volatile properties that allow it to act within the soil vapour phase. While not a true broad-spectrum fumigant in the traditional sense, it plays an important role in targeted weed management during soil preparation.
Role in turf systems
EPTC is most effective where weed seedbanks, particularly annual grasses and seed viable sedges (Mullumbimby Couch) are the primary constraint to turf establishment. It is typically incorporated into the soil prior to planting as part of a broader weed management strategy.
Key benefits
Highly effective on germinating weed seeds and seedlings, especially grassy weeds.
Can be mechanically incorporated, aligning with standard cultivation practices.
Provides a targeted solution where weed pressure dominates.
Limitations
Limited activity on nematodes and soil-borne pathogens.
Requires immediate incorporation to minimise volatilisation losses.
Not suitable as a standalone solution where multiple pest groups are present.
EPTC is best viewed as a specialist tool, complementing broader fumigation programs rather than replacing them.
Ethanedinitrile (EDN) represents a newer generation fumigant, gaining attention globally as a potential alternative to older chemistries. It is a gaseous fumigant with rapid diffusion and breakdown characteristics. EDN is well suited to high-value turf construction projects, such as elite sportsfields and golf greens, where rapid turnaround and minimal residue are critical.
Broad-spectrum activity against weed seeds, nematodes and pathogens.
Breaks down into naturally occurring nitrogen-based compounds.
Limitations
Requires specialised gas handling and application systems.
Limited commercial availability and operator familiarity.
EDN is likely to play an increasing role as the industry moves toward lower-emission, high-efficiency fumigation systems.
*Waiting periods indicative only and vary with soil temperature, moisture, rate and label requirements. Consult and follow label directions.
Practical considerations for weed control success
Soil preparation
Effective weed control depends heavily on soil preparation. A fine, moist, and uniform soil profile ensures even distribution of fumigant gases. Poor preparation can lead to patchy weed control and uneven turf establishment.
Timing
Fumigation should be timed to coincide with optimal soil temperature and moisture, promoting gas movement and seed germination activity. This increases exposure of weed seeds to the fumigant.
Sealing and retention
Sealing the soil surface, through rolling or irrigation is critical for retaining fumigant gases. Without proper sealing, fumigant loss reduces weed and pest control efficacy and increases environmental risk.
Conclusion
For turf producers, weed control is not just a maintenance issue, it is a core determinant of product quality and profitability. Soil fumigation provides a powerful tool for reducing weed infestations, enabling clean establishment, and supporting successful transitions between turf varieties.
Whether using metham sodium, dazomet, EPTC, or emerging options like EDN, the key to success lies in understanding their role within the broader production system. When applied strategically, fumigation delivers a true reset of the soil profile, allowing producers to maintain high standards of turf purity, uniformity, and market value.
If you’ve spent any time around the Hunter Valley region, chances are you’ll have heard of AGTurf. A proud, family-run business with deep local roots, AGTurf has built a reputation the old-fashioned way, through consistency, quality, customer service and genuinely knowing their patch of dirt better than anyone else.
A Family Legacy That Still Leads the Way
AGTurf’s story began with Judy and Glen Mead, whose hard work and commitment laid the foundation for what the business is today. While Glen has since passed, his legacy is still very much alive in the day-to-day running of the farm.
Today, that legacy is carried forward by their son Adam, daughter Brooke, and son-in-law Jeremy, who have been part of the team for many years. Alongside them is Jill, a long-term and highly respected member of the turf industry, and valued team members Jarrod and Jake. It’s a close-knit crew, and that family feel flows through everything they do.
A Region on the Rise
The Hunter region has seen significant growth over recent years, with new housing, landscaping projects, and infrastructure driving demand for quality turf. AGTurf has been right there through it all.
With the ongoing success of well-known varieties like Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo and later TifTuf Bermuda, the timing felt right to invest in something new. The market was ready, the region was expanding, and customers were increasingly looking for turf that balanced performance with lower maintenance.
Why Zoysia Australis?
Every now and then, a variety comes along that makes you stop and think, this could be something special. For AGTurf, that moment came with Zoysia Australis.
The Hunter’s climate isn’t always predictable, hot, humid summers paired with periods of inconsistent rainfall mean turf needs to be tough. Around this region, soil types can vary as well, from heavier clays to more free-draining profiles. So, any new variety needs to handle a bit of everything.
Zoysia Australis showed early promise. Compared to more traditional options, it offered strong resilience, excellent colour retention, and a noticeably lower demand for water and inputs.
Planting the First Paddock
The first paddock of Zoysia Australis was planted as a practical, real-world trial. It wasn’t about going all-in immediately, it was about seeing how it performed under genuine farm conditions.
During establishment, it proved steady and reliable. While not the fastest out of the ground, it showed consistent growth and handled the local conditions without fuss, often outperforming expectations when compared to other varieties.
One of the real tests came with the significant rain and flooding events across the Hunter region last year. Many properties experienced waterlogging and challenging recovery conditions. Zoysia Australis handled it impressively well. Once waters receded, it showed strong recovery, maintaining density and bouncing back without the level of damage seen in some other turf types. That resilience gave the AGTurf team even more confidence in its suitability for the region.
Performance on Farm
Once established, Zoysia Australis quickly proved its value on farm, standing out across several key performance areas. Its growth habit delivers a dense, tightly knit sward, providing excellent coverage and a clean, uniform finish. This consistency has been a defining feature, creating a visually appealing surface that holds together exceptionally well under a range of conditions.
In terms of colour, the variety exhibits a rich blue-green tone that remains strong and consistent throughout the seasons. It performs particularly well during the warmer months, where its growth and colour truly excel, while still maintaining stability and presence through cooler periods. It delivers that premium look, without the premium workload.
Maintenance
Once established, Zoysia Australis really began to stand out. Beyond its visual appeal, Zoysia Australis has impressed with its practical, low-maintenance characteristics. Its naturally slower vertical growth reduces the need for frequent mowing, making it an efficient option for both homeowners and turf managers. Fertiliser requirements are also modest, with the variety maintaining strong health and colour without excessive feeding.
Water efficiency has been another standout feature, particularly during dry periods where its ability to perform with less irrigation becomes highly valuable.
One of the biggest surprises has been just how well it holds its appearance with minimal intervention, a big win for both homeowners and professionals.
From Farm to Market
After proving itself on-farm, Zoysia Australis was released into the market, and the response has been strong. With the help of Lawn Solutions Australia’s marketing, combined with targeted local social media and search engine campaigns, awareness has grown significantly and demand continues to build.
Interest in Zoysia Australis has come from a broad and diverse customer base, reflecting its versatility across both residential and commercial applications. Landscapers have been among the early adopters, drawn to its premium finish and the confidence it delivers in customer satisfaction. Homeowners are also showing strong demand, particularly those seeking a soft, attractive lawn that remains low maintenance year-round.
Designers and builders are increasingly specifying the variety as well, valuing its consistency and ability to deliver a clean, high-quality finish across a range of projects.
The rollout of Zoysia Australis has been broad, with strong uptake across new residential builds, display homes, and premium landscape projects. It is also finding a place in backyard renovations and lifestyle properties, where homeowners are looking to elevate outdoor spaces with a durable yet refined turf solution. Across these applications, it is being positioned as a reliable option for achieving a high-end result with long-term practicality.
Early feedback on Zoysia Australis has been overwhelmingly positive, with strong comments across performance, appearance and maintenance.
Its medium leaf texture combined with a rich, vibrant colour gives it strong visual appeal, while also feeling soft and comfortable underfoot. From a maintenance perspective, users are reporting clear benefits, particularly in reduced mowing frequency and overall ease of care. Establishment performance has also been noted as a strength, with the variety showing hardy, reliable growth and consistent results once in the ground.
Overall, it is quickly building a reputation as a turf that delivers a premium look and feel, without demanding constant attention.
The AGTurf Way
At its core, this isn’t just about a new grass, it’s about doing things properly. Trialling before scaling, understanding the land, and backing what you grow. It’s also about recognising the opportunities that are presented and making them work, such as becoming an AusGAP accredited member and using turf certification to strengthen credibility, expand market reach, and drive long term growth.
That approach started with Judy and Glen nearly four decades ago and continues today with the next generation and their team; the commitment to delivering premium fresh cut lush lawns, backed by expert advice and outstanding customer service.
Zoysia Australis is simply the latest example of that mindset in action. If the early signs are anything to go by, it’s going to be a defining feature of the Hunter’s landscape for years to come.
In the thriving regional hub of Mount Gambier, a new chapter in turf production is taking shape, driven by hard work, family values, and a willingness to embrace change. Blue Lake Turf Supplies, the latest member of Lawn Solutions Australia, is a business built not just on quality turf, but on resilience, reinvention, and a deep connection to the land.
For the Chapmans, the family behind Blue Lake Turf Supplies, the move into the turf industry marks a significant transition. Long-time lobster fishermen operating out of the coastal township of Port MacDonnell, they also balanced beef cattle operations while navigating the uncertainties of overseas markets. Like many in primary industries, shifting global conditions prompted a reassessment, and ultimately, a bold new direction. That direction led them inland and into turf.
After developing a strong interest in the industry and engaging with a respected local grower, the opportunity arose for Tim Chapman to purchase Blue Lake Turf Supplies. While the acquisition provided a foothold in the market, it came with a unique challenge. The established turf farm itself was not included. Rather than deter them, this became the foundation of their story.
Starting from a blank canvas, the family secured a neighbouring parcel of land and set about building a turf operation from the ground up, establishing grass varieties, irrigation systems, and all supporting infrastructure. It has been a steep learning curve, but one embraced with enthusiasm.
At the centre of this transformation is Tom, Tim’s son and Turf Farm Manager, who has taken the lead in developing the farm. His hands-on approach and rapid growth in knowledge have been instrumental in bringing the new operation to life, laying a foundation that will serve the business well into the future.
Support from within the industry has also played a crucial role. The family is quick to acknowledge the guidance of former owner Adam Little, along with the broader Lawn Solutions Australia network. Access to this collective expertise has provided invaluable insight across all aspects of turf production, helping fast-track their development in a highly technical field.
The decision to invest in Blue Lake Turf Supplies was driven by a genuine alignment with the turf industry itself, an industry they see as grounded, forward-looking, and full of opportunity. Combined with the strength of their local region, the outlook is promising. Mount Gambier and the surrounding South East boast fertile soils, abundant underground water, and a growing population, all key ingredients for turf production success.
Blue Lake Turf Supplies is establishing a strong varietal offering tailored to local conditions. They have planted Eureka Kikuyu, RTF tall fescue, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, and the newly developed Stampede Hybrid Buffalo, providing a balance of durability, performance, and visual appeal to suit a wide range of applications.
Their alignment with Lawn Solutions Australia further strengthens this offering. As part of the network, Blue Lake Turf Supplies has access to some of the best turf genetics available, alongside rigorous quality assurance systems, best-practice protocols, and ongoing technical support. For customers, this translates to confidence, knowing their turf is backed by one of the most respected organisations in the Australian industry.
From the outset, the business has placed a strong emphasis on doing things properly. Every aspect of the operation has been approached with care and intention, with a clear goal to deliver consistently high-quality turf, every time. Whether for residential lawns, commercial landscapes, or large-scale recreational spaces, the focus remains the same, quality product backed by reliable service.
Looking ahead, Blue Lake Turf Supplies has clear ambitions. Plans are already in place to expand production areas and continue building recognition of the brand across the region. Growth, however, will not come at the expense of standards. The team remains committed to maintaining quality as the cornerstone of their business.
While proud of what has been achieved in a short time, the family is quick to acknowledge that there is still much to learn. It is this mindset, open, grounded, and driven, that will likely define their long-term success.
As they continue to establish themselves within the industry, Blue Lake Turf Supplies represents something many in turf can relate to, a new generation stepping forward, bringing fresh energy while respecting the foundations that came before.
“We look forward to meeting fellow ‘turfies’ from across Australia, and we welcome you to reach out or drop in to say hello if you’re ever in our part of the world.”
Carlos Sartoretto, MX Pitch Cluster Manager FIFA World Cup 2026
It has been over a year since I last shared my experiences, and what a year it has been. I am honoured to be serving as Pitch Cluster Manager for Mexico at the FIFA World Cup 2026, overseeing three stadiums, five specific training sites, and six team base camps.
This tournament represents a significant challenge in scale and complexity. Across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, 16 stadiums will host 104 matches, supported by more than 2,000 training sessions across official and team facilities. Delivering consistent, world-class playing surfaces under these conditions is not simply an agronomic challenge, it is a logistical and operational one.
A New Era for Pitch Management
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, pitch management has been established as a dedicated functional area within the organisation, with its own structure, planning framework, and budget.
The pitch delivery team includes strategic planners, stadium pitch managers, training site specialists, and monitoring teams. In total, more than 50 professionals are directly involved in pitch delivery, supported by local grounds crews, contractors, and suppliers across all host venues.
This evolution reflects a broader reality: pitch quality is no longer a background element. It is central to player performance, safety, and the global image of the tournament.
Defining the Mission
At its core, the pitch delivery program is guided by two key principles:
Ensure the delivery of world-class playing surfaces across all match and training venues
Execute all technical aspects in line with FIFA requirements, guaranteeing optimal conditions throughout the competition
Achieving this across multiple countries, climates, and stadium designs requires a highly coordinated and standardised approach.
Delivering Football on a Truly Global Stage
FIFA’s role extends beyond organising a tournament, it is about enabling football to be played at the highest standard, anywhere in the world.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup reflects this mission in its most ambitious form. By bringing together 16 stadiums across three countries, FIFA is reinforcing its commitment to making football truly global, ensuring consistency, quality, and accessibility regardless of location.
This is particularly evident in pitch management.
Through a unified strategy, FIFA ensures that:
A match in Vancouver delivers the same performance standards as one in Mexico City
A domed stadium in Atlanta meets the same expectations as an open venue in New York
Training environments replicate match conditions across all team base camps
This level of consistency is the result of careful planning, shared expertise, and coordinated execution across regions. To achieve this consistency, FIFA has implemented a simplified and controlled turfgrass strategy based on two primary surface types:
This approach ensures that all pitches fall within a defined performance range for traction, ball roll, surface stability, and visual presentation regardless of geography.
Temporary vs Permanent Surfaces
A defining feature of this World Cup is the number of temporary natural grass installations.
Of the 16 stadiums:
8 are permanent natural grass venues
8 are temporary conversions from synthetic surfaces
Temporary installations introduce unique challenges. Turf must be grown off-site, often under different climatic conditions, before being harvested, transported, and installed within tight timelines. These systems are reinforced with synthetic fibers, either stitched or carpet-based, to ensure durability and stability.
The high proportion of Kentucky Bluegrass in cool-season systems plays a critical role here. Its rhizomatous growth habit provides the structural integrity required for sod production, transport, and rapid establishment under stadium conditions.
Stadium Pitch Strategy Overview
The table below summarises how these principles are applied across the 16 host stadiums:
Adapting Strategy to Stadium Constraints
While the framework is consistent, its implementation must adapt to each venue.
Examples include:
Domed stadiums in warm climates requiring cool-season turf supported by advanced grow lighting systems
Open stadiums in cooler regions utilising bermudagrass to maximise performance during summer conditions
Widespread use of hybrid reinforcement systems to maintain surface stability under intensive use
These adaptations highlight the balance between standardisation and flexibility required at this level
The People Behind the System
Despite the scale and technical complexity, success ultimately depends on people.
FIFA’s approach emphasises collaboration across:
Local venue teams
International experts
Turf producers and contractors
Research and technical specialists
From my position in the Mexico cluster, this coordination translates into daily alignment between international standards and local execution: working closely with stadium teams, contractors, and agronomic specialists to ensure consistency at every level.
Roles such as Pitch Cluster Management serve to connect strategy with delivery ensuring that global objectives are effectively implemented at the local level. It has required extensive coordination and travel across Mexico (more than 70 flights to date), reflecting the level of detail and alignment necessary to deliver consistent outcomes.
The impact of this work extends beyond the competition itself. Each decision, whether related to turfgrass selection, construction methods, or maintenance practices, contributes to a broader legacy:
Advancing turfgrass technology and knowledge
Strengthening collaboration across the global turf industry
Establishing new performance benchmarks for future events
In this sense, the FIFA World Cup becomes more than a tournament. It becomes a platform for innovation, learning, and the continued development of football infrastructure worldwide.
Nestled in the heart of the South Australian Mallee, just a few paces off the Mallee Highway in Pinnaroo, lies an increasingly popular short stay accommodation that’s anything but ordinary. Dubbed The Bus, this tiny home Airbnb is a lovingly converted Adelaide Metro bus that now serves as a quirky and comfortable country escape for travellers. From solo backpackers to families with energetic kids and pets, guests of all types make their way to this standout stay, and their first impression is often the lawn out front.
For the owners of The Bus at Olivacres, that lawn had to tick all the boxes: hard wearing, low maintenance, drought tolerant and beautiful. To deliver that, they turned to South Australia’s premier lawn grower and supplier, The Turf Farm based right in Pinnaroo itself.
Growing Lawns for South Australia with The Turf Farm
Founded in 2003 by Paul and Tracey Daniel as a diversification from broadacre farming into irrigated lawn production, The Turf Farm has grown into one of South Australia’s most trusted suppliers of premium instant turf, servicing Adelaide, the Riverland, Murraylands, the Mallee, and beyond. From humble beginnings, the family run business is now an accredited Lawn Solutions Australia grower, offering a range of carefully selected lawn varieties suited to the challenging Australian climate. They back their turf with a unique 10 year product warranty and provide personalised support from selection through to post installation care.
Unlike a typical residential lawn, the grass outside The Bus has seen a huge diversity of visitors. Given its Airbnb use, the lawn needed to withstand unpredictable levels of foot traffic, varied play styles from guests of all ages, pets running and rolling around, and the inevitable wear that comes with short stays and quick turnovers.
At the same time, The Bus owners were clear they didn’t want a lawn that demanded daily fuss. With guests coming and going, they needed a turf that was forgiving when maintenance couldn’t go exactly to plan. A turf that could cope with occasional lapses in watering or mowing without looking tired or patchy. Enter TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda: The Turf Farm recommended and supplied 150 m2 of this premium turf to the project, which was installed on 23 December 2025. The outcome has been exactly what the brief required.
Pinnaroo sits in a semi arid region characterised by hot, dry summers and low rainfall. TifTuf was specifically bred to thrive under these conditions, requiring on average up to 38 % less water than many other warm season turf varieties, while still maintaining a lush, green appearance. This makes it an environmentally sensible and cost effective choice in areas where water is at a premium.
With The Bus attracting everything from couples lounging outside to families with kids and pets racing about, wear tolerance was critical. TifTuf’s dense growth habit and vigorous stolons and rhizomes give it excellent wear resistance and a rapid capacity to self repair after stress.
Unlike some turf varieties that require frequent mowing, specialist care or constant watering, TifTuf thrives with moderate maintenance inputs. Once established, it keeps its shape and colour with relatively little fuss, perfect for a holiday rental where ongoing lawn care can vary with guest stays. South Australia’s temperature extremes, from scorching summer heat to chilly winter nights, can be tough on grass. TifTuf’s performance across a range of conditions, with good winter colour retention and rapid green up in spring, ensures that The Bus lawn looks inviting year round.
While The Bus itself is a story in creative accommodation, it sits within Olivacres Pinnaroo, a broader property that blends rustic charm with modern comfort. The Airbnb listing, a fully converted Adelaide Metro bus nights away from the bustle of city life is a welcome retreat that combines nostalgia with practicality: comfortable sleeping space, proximity to local cafes and pubs, and easy access to the rural charm of Pinnaroo. Guests can enjoy morning coffee beside the lawn, throw a ball for the kids, or let their dogs explore the turf while soaking up quiet country views. The choice of turf might seem like a minor detail, but for an outdoor space exposed to the elements and a wide range of use cases, it’s made all the difference.
Michael Bradbery, Technical Lead ANZ for Syngenta Professional Solutions
Construction, establishment and maintenance of green assets consume significant budgets and demand successful outcomes. Advances in remote monitoring of green assets bring greater control and surety of positive outcomes.
Green assets such as tree and turf landscapes are the final step in many large and costly projects. Successful establishment of the vital green component of the project is critical, and vulnerable to damage or failure. Programming irrigation or water trucks is rarely based on actual soil conditions. This can lead to over-and-underwatering, and delayed establishment or failure. By incorporating wireless remote soil sensors into these landscape projects, resources can be applied when required, conserving water and labour without asset loss.
Lack of real-time data for soil moisture during establishment and maintenance is a common issue. Advances in weather forecasting data and apps, and in real-time monitoring sensors provide more accurate and site-specific soil information to ensure correct plant maintenance.
Syngenta’s continued investment is resulting in next generation digital technologies, such as SPIIO™ Soil Sensors, which can be used to create efficiencies and productivity gains for open space and turf managers. They allow turf professionals to make informed decisions with accurate, site-specific data which is regularly updated – and which can be accessed direct from their mobile phones. A SPIIO™ Soil Sensor can achieve all this, and the sensor installation and application set up takes only minutes.
Water Resource Allocation During Establishment
Green assets such as trees shrubs and turf have a specific soil moisture requirement during the susceptible establishment phase following planting. The use of in-ground soil moisture sensors to monitor real-time conditions can allow better allocation of labour and water resources to reduce plant damage or loss during this process. In ground remote soil sensors give actual soil moisture conditions which can only be assessed by labour intensive onsite assessments or guessed at from local weather observations.
Ongoing Management of Plant Health
Moisture management is obviously a critical component of ongoing maintenance, especially in turf and landscape assets. Improving irrigation application decisions will benefit plant health and save resources. Over application of irrigation can be just as damaging as under application, resulting in excessively wet conditions making soils susceptible to damage from compaction, root loss or anaerobic conditions such as black layer. Under application depletes root systems and conditions the plant for more frequent shallower irrigation resulting in a weaker less drought tolerant plant.
Figure 1. Soil moisture percentage tracked over summer showing rainfall and irrigation impacts, daily plant usage, evaporation and field capacity.
Saving Water
Using sensors can provide more accurate data to make irrigation decisions. Monitoring soil moisture during and after precipitation events helps determine how much water is enough in each soil or location. Determining the field capacity of the soil gives a baseline to measure against for future scheduling and observations. Observing the actual change in soil moisture content is far more useful than rain gauge or BOM records which are based on large areas and subject to wide variability.
This data can help answer questions like:
What is field capacity at each site?
What amount of rainfall or irrigation is required to reach field capacity in that soil?
What effect did rainfall have at each location?
Did the set irrigation achieve the moisture content target?
How much does the soil type affect the target moisture content?
Am I over or under watering?
Labour Efficiencies
If you or your colleagues have spent hours walking sporting facilities assessing moisture needs both visually and with moisture probes, you’ll easily be able to see the potential efficiencies of having constant data on soil moisture. Building the correlation of physical on-site assessments with data from in-ground sensors builds a more complete picture for moisture management.
Using In Ground Sensors to Monitor Field Playability
During periods of wet weather assessing field conditions across large council LGAs can be very labour intensive with physical inspections required for opening or closing each facility. With input from in ground sensors outdoor field coordinators have moisture percentage readings to their phones giving greater knowledge of conditions and rainfall impacts in each location. This can greatly improve efficiency of the process which may be required after each rainfall event prior to weekend sport.
GreenCast® Connect App
Monitoring soil temperature and many other parameters relevant to turf can be done via the Syngenta GreenCast® Connect app. It includes parameters that are not typical for an average weather app including Soil temperature, Evapotranspiration, Leaf wetness, Dew Point, Growth Potential etc. These and many other features are available on the basic free version.
Incorporating Soil Sensors
The use of sensors to identify the soil temperature, soil moisture and salinity from location to location or full sun to shaded areas can greatly assist decisions of inputs of water or product treatments.
SPIIO™ Soil Sensors can be placed at the desired root zone depth, are wireless and have a battery life of 3-5 years. A simple connection to the local mobile network transfers readings to the cloud service which can be accessed anywhere on your phone or through the web-based portal. This real-time data can be shared with all staff members or relevant parties to monitor irrigation function, irrigation setting requirements, rainfall impacts etc.
Figure 2. An example of a SPIIO™ Soil Sensor dashboard.
Existing customers have reported savings in time spent assessing moisture requirements, improved irrigation scheduling for deeper less frequent application and earlier awareness of plant irrigation needs
Poor Water Quality
For those using irrigation water that contains salts such as effluent supplies or can increase in salinity during dry periods monitoring soil salinity in real time can be a great tool. With the use of the SPIIO™ Soil Sensor you can set a warning level for salinity for when you need to act which may require a flushing irrigation cycle or transfer to another water source for irrigation use.
Using In Ground Data for Maintenance Application Timing
Soil temperature is the key marker of many preventative applications for protecting turf from weed germination and insect hatching. Common summer weed and insect emergence occurs from 13 to 18 degrees Celsius soil temperature. Using soil temperature from the Greencast Connect App and real-time data from the SPIIO™ Soil sensors provide the best information to time applications of what can be costly and critical annual treatments.
Light/Shade Data
The SPIIO™ Sensors being portable can be moved to sites where closer monitoring is required whether it is new sites or sites where growth issues exist. They can also be used to build data for visible light levels. If shade is impacting areas of the site and you need to prepare information for review, you can compare readings from a sensor placed in the shade and one in a comparable area of full sun.
Set Your Own Warning Parameters
Within the Greencast Connect App or web-based tools you can set the warnings for the levels you require. Whether moisture content, temperature, salinity or extreme weather conditions, you set the levels you desire for warnings. The warnings set by the user are then pushed through notifications to the mobile, app and web portal for immediate consideration.
SPIIO™/GreenCast® Connect Subscription
The sensors come under an annual subscription plan based on small to large volumes. With the sensor subscription the Pro version of GreenCast® Connect is included which inputs the sensor data into the App and Web Portal as well as providing other features.
Summary
Managing green assets across large sites or multi-site local government areas demand extensive resources which are increasing in costs. Using resources effectively and efficiently is paramount whether it be fertilisers, pesticides, water or labour. Technology that can assist with making improved decisions and achieving better outcomes or resource efficiencies are available. The GreenCast® Connect app and input from SPIIO™ soil sensors will enable facility managers to improve labour and resource efficiencies across their assets under management.
For more information on SPIIO™ visit syngentaturf.com.au or contact your local Syngenta Territory Sales Manager.
At the last Lawn Solutions Australia Conference, Heuch Cooling Solutions introduced vacuum cooling to the turf industry as a practical way to tackle one of the biggest commercial challenges growers face, heat build-up after harvest. The concept was simple, but the promise was significant. Remove field heat quickly, slow product deterioration, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and give growers more control over delivery timing and quality on arrival.
Now we have the data to show that promise is real.
Since that presentation, Heuch Cooling Solutions and Weber Vacuum Group have run two Australian field trials in collaboration with Lilydale Instant Lawn and Coolabah Turf, covering two seasons, three turf varieties, and three storage environments. The results were not marginal. They were commercially meaningful. Across the trials, vacuum cooling consistently reduced pallet core temperatures, extended the saleable window, and created a measurable advantage during the most critical period after harvest.
That matters because turf is one of horticulture’s most perishable products. Once cut, it starts generating internal heat through respiration. According to the study, pallet core temperatures can exceed 50°C within days, and in extreme cases have been documented as high as 70°C. Under standard summer conditions, shelf life can shrink to just 12–24 hours. That is the commercial reality growers work with every season: a very small window to harvest, dispatch, deliver and install before quality starts dropping fast. The new Australian trial data shows vacuum cooling can change that equation.
Across the study, the headline numbers were clear: 3–5 times shelf-life extension in summer, more than 9 days at ideal temperature when vacuum cooling was combined with cool room storage in winter, a 19.8°C temperature drop in a single cooling cycle, and only 2.5% moisture loss from a 1,630 kg pallet. In other words, the system removed almost 20 degrees of heat without materially compromising product moisture.
The winter trial at Lilydale Instant Lawn tested three varieties under three different conditions. Eureka Kikuyu was stored outdoors, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda in a factory shed, and Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo grass in a cool room. Each had one vacuum-cooled pallet and one untreated control. In every case, the vacuum-cooled pallet held a meaningful temperature advantage through the commercially important first three to five days. Outdoors, Eureka maintained a 6–9°C advantage through Day 5. In the shed, TifTuf showed a 4–8°C advantage through Day 3, remaining ahead even as temperatures gradually re-balanced. The strongest winter result came from Sir Walter in the cool room, where the vacuum-cooled pallet reached 4.6°C by Day 2 and stayed below 7°C for the full nine-day monitoring period. The untreated control in the same room took five to six days to reach similar temperatures.
That last point is important. Cool room storage alone helps, but it does not remove heat immediately. Vacuum cooling does. The combination of both gave growers the benefit from Day 1, not Day 5 or 6. For businesses holding inventory before dispatch, that difference is operationally significant. It creates a real buffer and reduces the pressure that usually defines turf logistics. But the most compelling test came in summer.
At Coolabah Turf, the study looked at Sir Walter under peak seasonal pressure, with ambient temperatures reaching 37.5°C and no cold chain in place. The vacuum-cooled pallet dropped from 27°C to 7.2°C in one cycle. The untreated control then went on to hit 43°C by Day 3 and 52°C by Day 6. The report describes it bluntly: the control pallet was effectively composting itself from the inside. By comparison, the vacuum-cooled pallet maintained a 17–23°C temperature advantage across the first three days.
The visual observations made that data even more powerful. On Day 2, the vacuum-cooled pallet still showed no visible signs of heat-up, while the control was already deteriorating internally despite looking reasonable on top. By Day 3 afternoon, the control had developed a bad smell, lost around half its colour, and was no longer commercially viable. The vacuum-cooled pallet remained saleable longer, giving a larger and more workable dispatch window. That is where the bottom-line impact becomes clear.
Shelf life is not just a quality issue. It is a revenue issue. It determines how far you can deliver, how many customers you can serve, and how much of what you harvest becomes invoiced product. The study shows that without cooling, summer turf is largely limited to same-day, local delivery. With vacuum cooling, that window extends to around 2–2.5 days, making next-day regional delivery realistic. Add refrigerated transport, and the study projects a 3–5 plus day window. In winter, vacuum cooling plus a cool room allows growers to build inventory and decouple harvest from dispatch.
There is also a direct efficiency benefit inside the farm gate. The report notes that if 5–10% of harvested turf is lost to heat damage or missed delivery windows, a business selling 100 pallets a day may need to harvest 105–110 pallets just to fulfil demand. That means water, labour, fertiliser, land use and fuel are all being spent on product that never reaches a paying customer. Vacuum cooling helps eliminate that waste. It allows growers to sell more of what they already grow, harvest in smarter batches, reduce the ‘race against the clock,’ and grow revenue without proportional increases in production cost.
Even the operating cost strengthens the case. The study estimates indicative operating expenditure at around AUD $3.60 per pallet, or under AUD $0.10 per square metre, including energy, maintenance and labour. For growers, the decision becomes less about whether cooling costs money and more about whether a modest per-pallet cost is worth gaining extra saleable days, wider delivery reach, reduced waste and stronger customer confidence.
One of the most interesting findings came after visual saleability had ended. In the summer trial, Coolabah planted test pieces from the vacuum-cooled pallet on Day 6, after it had already been classified as unsaleable. By Day 21, the turf showed clear regrowth and root establishment. That suggests biological viability may outlast visual saleability, opening another commercial benefit: reduced waste and lower financial risk on stock that misses its original retail window.
Vacuum Cooling is no longer just a promising technology – it is already delivering these results for growers worldwide. Now that it has been tested with Australian turf, it shows what it can do under real conditions, with real turf, in real operations.
The next step is easier than ever. Heuch now offers a lease-to-own model in partnership with Finlease, giving growers a practical pathway to adopt the technology without carrying the full upfront capital burden.
Last year, we introduced vacuum cooling. This year, we can say something much more powerful: the proof you were after is here.
Scan this QR code to explore our small, medium and large vacuum cooling systems, download the full trial results, and see what a lease-to-own pathway could look like for your operations.
