ZOYSIA AUSTRALIS WITH TERRY DALEY OF DALEYS TURF
Over the 31 years we have been producing turf for South East Queensland, I have learnt a lot about introducing new varieties to the market.
Knowing the product and having confidence in what you are selling to your customers is a must. As a result, my wife and I decided to remove an area of our front lawn and replace it with Zoysia Australis, or ZA as we “Turfies” call it.
I sprayed out the existing lawn which required three applications one week apart. I then waited for 6 weeks to be sure the old lawn had completely died.
As our neighbours and regular passers-by were used to seeing the lush green grass we pride ourselves on, this attracted some attention to the ‘dying lawn’ and what was going on at the turf farmer’s place, with many stopping out the front to ask about the project. We had one very enthusiastic visitor to the neighbourhood knock on our door on a Sunday morning asking why we had killed our lawn and what was our plan for it.
After chatting to him about the new Zoysia Australis, as a lawn-lover himself, he was eager to see the results and asked when ZA would be available to the public as he would like to try it out at his place. We welcomed him to come back and check out the new lawn as it was establishing.
I removed the old lawn using a turf cutter, then added organics, lime, gypsum, and trace elements to the soil blending it into 30mm of the top layer. Five millimetres of top-bedding sand was added to create a cap on top. This allows for levels to be precise, with the added benefit of better drainage for the profile as Zoysia doesn’t like ‘wet feet’ – growing in soil that is too wet.
The next day we harvested the ZA. We applied a slow-release fertiliser to the area to provide food for the new turf for 12 weeks, then we installed the ZA. It was rolled twice and watered in well to bed into the soil profile.
Often customers believe the organics that were added to the top layer of soil in preparation for new turf is enough, and that fertilising before installation is not needed. However, a starter fertiliser application should always be carried out, preferably with a slow-release product to ensure the necessary nutrients for optimal establishment are provided.
The new lawn was lightly irrigated morning and night for the first 7 days, once daily for the following 7 days, then every other day for a further 2 weeks.
The new lawn had its first mow after 18 days. I always water new turf immediately after the first mow, which seems to help reduce the stress of the new plant having its leaves cut off.
Since installation, I have only used liquid feed, Lawn Solutions Australia Exceed and Lawn Kelper on the lawn every 4-6 weeks as the colour reduces. This is to control the thatch and the clipping count. Applying small amounts often has had the best results. To date, I have not applied a granular fertiliser, and it doesn’t look like it will be needed. Nor have I applied any herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides despite having had the worst lawn grub season in years.
I have seen the presence of mealy bug in one small area where it’s damp from the shade of a hedge, however, I have not treated the pest and it has not been a problem for the lawn.
The lawn-lover who was interested in what we were doing with the lawn and eager to see how the ZA performed, called by again within days of installation and was excited to see how it looked and loved the blue-green colour like QLD Blue Couch. He placed the first order of ZA for his own lawn right there on the spot, and his second order about 6 weeks later.
We had more interested neighbours stop by over the following weeks, and after answering their questions, they too wanted to have their lawn replaced with ZA. The orders then rolled in.
Zoysia Australis has proven itself, not only to my wife and I, but also to the local community as a great variety of turf for a beautiful lawn. It has shown how little input is needed to achieve excellent results. The lawn has grown successfully in the entire area of installation, and even in the shade of the hedge despite having one of the wettest and most humid summers in years.
