Anthony, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

Sharp blades for a finer finish

Posted on November 14, 2017November 15, 2024 by Anthony

Dull blades rip at the grass leaf and can leave it bruised and rough-ended taking away from its finish.

Sharpening your mower blades can decrease fuel consumption by up to 25 percent.
Rule-of-thumb is that mower blades should be sharpened around every 25 hours of use.

sharpen mower blades — **Rough and torn grass leaf ends are a sure-sign that there’s more than likely a blunt mower-blade in use.**

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

As the weather warms up and we get more into the growing season for our lawns, the maintenance usually increases as well. This can vary from around one-mow every couple of weeks in cooler times to as much as a couple of mows per week over spring and summer. However, this will depend on your lawn type and where you’re located. A good rule of thumb when mowing is the one-third-rule. This is where you remove no more than 1/3 of the grass blade height with each cut. Cutting more than 1/3 of the blade off can stress the plant by reducing photosynthesis. It can also disturb root growth, which is essential for usually dry summer months.

The trouble is that with this type of approach it can mean more mowing, but usually kinder on the operator as well as the lawn. If you’ve got everything going fairly well with your lawn; water, fertiliser and no underlying soil or compaction issues your lawn should be approaching its peak condition around now. If you take a closer look at your leaf edges or even your mower blades you may notice that both may be a bit rough as it can be easy to neglect this part of the maintenance schedule. Mower blade sharpening is an important aspect of your lawn maintenance. It can be easily attended to by those who are handy with a grinder, or a quick trip to the mower shop can get it sorted.

How Often Should I Sharpen My Mower Blades?

Just how often you should sharpen your blades comes down a little bit to personal preference. For most parts, it helps with more than just the leaf-cut and finished appearance of your freshly-mown lawn. Oversees research reports suggest that there are savings to be had with fuel efficiency, in the order of 25 percent with sharp blades. The time spent mowing is also decreased with less resistance. Sharp blades have also been shown to decrease the risk of disease incidence in most circumstances. How often you should sharpen your blade can be an item of contention in the lawn-maintenance sector. However a number of surveys have indicated that the professionals sharpen their blades around once every 25 hours of use. That could easily equate to once-per-week if you’re mowing lawns day-in-day-out. But for the average lawn-mowing-punter, that could mean sharpening your blades just once or maybe twice per year for a larger lawn.

So, no matter what type of lawnmower you own, it’s important you keep the blades sharp. Otherwise, you risk tearing or smashing your leaf instead of slicing it cleanly and healthfully down to size. A sharp blade also keeps your mower running more-smoothly and safely. Keep safety in mind if you’re going to attempt to sharpen your own blades. You can do this by immobilising the mower and preventing it from starting while you’re working on it. To do this loosen a spark-plug cable or similar and take the appropriate precautions when it comes to taking out the grinder.

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

Is there any truth to the ‘only-one-third’ rule?

Posted on November 10, 2017October 24, 2018 by Anthony

Many lawn maintenance professionals say to only cut one-third of your leaf-height when mowing. Sharp mower blades are important with mowing, but the amount you take off can affect its recovery. That fresh lawn smell – soothing as it may be for us humans – is actually a distress signal for grass as it goes into repair mode.

lawn mowing — Known widely as the One Third Rule, lawn grasses should only be brought down each mowing – as the name suggests – by one third of the leaf height at any one time, in order to maintain peak condition.

The ‘One-Third-Rule’ has been drummed into many turfgrass professionals and the wider lawn-loving public over many years, but is there any substance to this reckoning and where did it originate? It relates to the length of leaf that you should limit yourself to taking off at each mow with the reasoning behind it to lessen the stresses on the grass during the destructive mowing process. By removing only one-third of the leaf during a mowing event, you will limit the amount of photosynthesizing material removed and allow the plant to maintain reasonable growth by minimising this stress among others. It is also based on the correlation between the percentage of top-growth removed and the subsequent effect this removal has on root-growth.

It is little-known that root-growth can be severely impeded, and actually cease for a period of time, depending on the amount of top-growth removed. Research that first introduced this theory was carried out by Franklin Crider in 1955 whilst he was an employee with the US Department of Agriculture that he undertook on pasture and forage-grasses. Three separate studies were conducted within his experiment whereby the amount and frequency of cutting of the grass leaves (forage removal) were compared to root-growth. His first experiment evaluated cutting leaf tissue at different intervals on cool-season turf species and Florida paspalum and bermudagrass among his warm-season grass experiments. The second experiment examined the effects of cutting on root-growth in the field and the last experiment examined different percentages of top-growth removed on different grasses for multiple cuttings.

Crider showed that when more than half of the forage is removed from a plant, root growth stops within the first day or two afterward and stays stopped anywhere for a further six to 18 days, with an average of 11 days, depending on the grass-type. For real-world lawn maintenance, this means that if you were to cut more than half of the top-growth of your lawn grass, at an interval of less than 11 days, the roots would never fully recover leading to greater stresses and eventual decline. Crider also showed in his experiments the effect that a single removal of top growth, in 10-percent increments, has on root growth. When 40-percent or less of the forage is removed, 0-percent of the roots stop growing. However, when 50-percent-or-more of the forage is removed, an increasing percentage of the roots stop growing; and when 90 percent of the forage is removed, 100 percent of the roots stop growing. In other words, leaving more than a third of the leaf at any time the grass is mown during the growing season allows the roots to continue to grow. If the roots keep growing, the plant will remain healthy and perform better than under the stresses placed on it by harder mowing and slower root-growth. Although Crider’s experiments were not examined in turfgrass settings, the results are still referred to by today’s turf managers and cited in textbooks on the subject.

There are many parts of grass-physiology that extend to a majority of species, whether they be forage, pasture, or home and sports-field grasses. His research ultimately proved what was theorised; in that cutting too much leaf tissue off results in the stoppage of root-growth and placing unnecessary burden on the turf. The One-Third Rule has been around for decades and is known to minimise plant stress and should be adhered to wherever practical for your own lawn’s best performance. Consistent mowing height and frequency will always put your lawn in a better position to perform well and overcome the various other stresses that inevitably occur with weather and wear and tear. Lawn care doesn’t need to be difficult and simple hints from Lawn Solutions Australia and their network of member turf growers and Lawn Solutions Centres Australia-wide can help with products to keep your lawn in top condition this summer.

The Turf that Stops a Nation

Posted on November 2, 2017July 30, 2019 by Anthony

Many of Lawn Solutions Australia premium Turfgrowers have developed long-lasting relationships with the racing industry and a fair chunk of that turf will be on display when it comes to one of the world’s most prestigious races – the Melbourne Cup. The Cup’s Flemington Track racing surface was completely replaced just over ten- years-ago with the turf still standing up to the punishment dished out in hundreds of races over that time. There was a massive 100,000 square metres – that’s ten hectares of turf – that was installed in small rolls with around six thousand square metres – around a soccer pitch size – laid every day during the process. Premium Eureka Kikuyu was the turf of choice and was oversown with a rye and bluegrass mix with the turf specially-grown at Lawn Solutions Australia turfgrower Anco Turf.

Eureka Kikuyu is a tough and hardwearing variety that is grown vegetatively, with the runners or stolons chopped up into little pieces and planted uniformly usually on a turf farm situation. The addition of the seeded grasses, the rye and blue grasses provides added protection over winter months where these grass-types will keep growing whilst the Kikuyu slows down its growth and becomes dormant over that period. Growing and maintaining a grass surface with a mix of this type then becomes a fine balancing act that can be difficult to continue long-term as the differing grass types try to out compete with one-another. The Turfgrowers, track manages and specialist curators that handle the management of the turf go to great lengths to maintain the health and viability of the kikuyu grass track and provide a safe and uniform surface for each race.

Take a closer look next time you’re near a racecourse and you’ll see how fine-tuned the turf is usually presented and the hard-working grounds people that, even between races on race day, will be seen touching up the track. Be on the lookout for another similar replacement taking place in the next couple of years on the nation’s most famous racing surface with new turf being currently grown for another scheduled new swap-out within the next couple of years. Lawn Solutions Australia turfgrowers ANCO Turf will again be displaying their professionalism when it comes to the replacement, with specially grown Eureka Kikuyu turf from their Victorian Turf Farms.

Behind ‘The Race that Stops a Nation’, there’s a whole raft of behind-the-scenes things going on where there is very close attention-to-detail. The Eureka Kikuyu from Lawn Solutions Australia member grower, ANCO Turf and the quality it presents, is just one of the special features that aids in the high standing of this spectacular, international event. Lawncare doesn’t need to be difficult and simple hints from Lawn Solutions Australia and their network of member turf growers and Lawn Solutions Centres Australia-wide can help with products to keep your lawn in top condition this summer.

Improving Your Soil

Posted on October 31, 2017December 9, 2019 by Anthony

Your soil structure plays a vital role in the success of your lawn and in many cases some improvement work is required to get the most out of it. But first of all let’s have a look at what makes up a soil so that you can get a better understanding of how it all works and why it’s important to carry out any improvements as opposed to just bunging down a few rolls of turf and then wondering why it’s not performing to its best. To understand soil, you need to know how it is made, and what functions its components perform. These are;

ORGANIC MATTER, which is made up of decomposing plants and animals. This improves the structure and also provides essential nutrients to plants and lawns.
MINERALS, which are derived from rocks broken down by weathering. These also provide essential nutrients.
AIR, that exists in pockets amongst the soil particles, which provides oxygen and also helps water to penetrate and drain quickly.
WATER, which contains dissolved nutrients essential to growth in a form that is accessible to plant roots.
LIVING ORGANISMS, which range from micro-organisms, some of which help root growth, to earthworms, which improve soil structure by creating air spaces and breaking down organic matter.

Soils vary a lot because they have different proportions of these components arranged in different ways, and this in turn affects the way they behave. It is important to know what sort of soil you have as this will tell you what you may need to do to improve it to get the most out of your lawn and of course plants. To analyse your soil, you need to have a good look at it. Dig some up and feel it in your hand. Make a note of what colour it is, and how the colour changes with depth.

RIBBON TEST

Now carry out a ‘ribbon’ test to find out what sort and size of particles your soil contains – sand, silt or clay – and in what proportion. Pick up a handful and work it together, adding a little water at a time until it is moist. Note the different textures. Sandy particles are course and easy to fell, while the smoother particles are clay, silt and humus. Now squeeze the sample and try and form it into a ball. If it contains a fair proportion of clay and humus this should be easy, but if it contains a lot of sand it will keep breaking up.

Next, gently squeeze the ball to lengthen it into a strip or ‘ribbon’ and see how long you can make it before it starts to break up. The more clay it contains, the longer the ribbon will get and the more plastic it will feel to the touch. Soil ribbons can range in length from about 5mm – 75mm, with sandy soils being shortest, loamy soils in the middle and clay soils the longest. While soils that contain a lot of clay or sand may need work to improve them, loamy soils are generally ideal. These contain a mixture of sand, silt, organic matter and clay, providing the right balance of nutrients, oxygen, water and drainage which are just what your lawn needs.

STRUCTURE

This relates to how the different soil particles are arranged, the aggregates (clumps) they form and the spaces between them. Well-structured soils will have aggregates firmly bound together, which will help maintain the structure when the soil is wet, but at the same time be loose enough for roots to move through freely in search of water and nutrients. Well-structured soil will also have plenty of air spaces to provide oxygen, allow water to penetrate and facilitate drainage. Poorly structured soils are often hard and compacted, don’t accept water easily, have few air spaces and are subject to erosion. In simple terms they’re bad news for you and your lawn and need to be improved.

SOIL pH ACID, NEUTRAL AND ALKALINE

Your soil’s pH is another important factor, but one that is often overlooked in the eagerness to get your lawn down, but it can greatly affect nutrient intake and so your lawn’s health and appearance, so testing your soil’s pH and making any adjustments plays an important role in your soil preparation stage and is best done before you lay your new lawn.

SOIL TYPES AND IMPROVING THEM

The three main soil types are sandy, loam and clay, with many soils fitting in between these three, a sandy loam or clay loam to give a couple of examples. For general gardening and lawn purposes you can’t beat a loam soil, it’s got all the good gear and the right structure. If you are lucky enough to have such a soil you won’t have to do much soil improvement work at all, perhaps just a touch of fluffing here and there, and fine tuning of the levels. By now you should have a good idea of the type of soil you have. Ideally you need around 150mm of good soil for a successful lawn, at a stretch you might get away with 100mm, but getting away with it is one thing, a good lawn is another, so in some cases you will need to bring in some new soil.

‘Turf underlay’ soil mixes are specialist soils sold at good landscape suppliers and some nurseries, containing around 80% sand, and 20% black soil. They provide good drainage from the sand and some nutrients and water holding capacity from the soil. At the same time, they are easy to spread and so perfect for fine tuning the levels before laying the turf. Even if you have a good soil, a thin layer of turf underlay really helps to get everything spot on. If your soil is pretty ordinary and/or you need to build up your levels, then this is the soil mix to order. River sand is also excellent for levelling and turfing over.

SANDY SOILS

Water drains quickly from sandy soils, which is good in some ways as you are unlikely to have any drainage issues, however as the water drains it takes essential nutrients with it. Sandy soils also dry out quickly due to their open, free draining structure and can become hydrophobic (water repellent).

ACTION

Adding organic matter and a soil with some clay content will improve the nutrient levels and help with water holding capacity due to the clay. You need to mix the organics and new soil into your existing soil thoroughly. This can be done manually with a mattock or hoe, a rather lengthy and labour intensive process, but one that’s ok for small areas, especially if you get a bit of help.

For larger areas a rotary hoe does the job beautifully. You can rent these from hire shops, but familiarise yourself thoroughly with the controls and operating techniques to avoid any accidents. Another option is a mini skid steer loader like a Dingo or Kanga Loader with the rotary hoe attachment. If you have a large area, then a Dingo or Kanga Loader with the 4 in 1 bucket will help here too. Once you get the hang of these machines they are good fun to operate and make light work of the job, especially if you need to move the gear up hill. For the bigger jobs a larger machine with an operator may be the go.

CLAY SOILS

At the opposite end of the scale from sandy soil are clay soils. These hold water and nutrients very well but don’t drain as well as sandy soils, especially if compacted, a common situation for lawns with a clay soil base. Adding organic matter and gypsum and then cultivating to mix these through the soil will work wonders, opening up the soil’s structure, improving the drainage and oxygen levels, and making the nutrients more available.

To work clay soils successfully, the moisture content has to be right. If it’s too dry it will be hard and very difficult to cultivate. If it’s too wet it becomes too slippery and boggy and you’ll probably do more damage than good, not just to the soil but also yourself as you slide around and fall over while trying to hang on to an out of control rotary hoe. A very dangerous situation to be avoided at all costs.

How much organic matter and gypsum you add depends on the soil. For light clay about 1Kg/square meter of gypsum is the usual application rate. 2kg/meter for heavier clays. A layer of about 20-30mm of organics should be plenty before cultivating through the soil. In some cases, with a light clay soil for example, all you may need to do is spread the gypsum and then cultivate before bringing in and spreading your turf underlay soil mix.

VERY IMPOVERISHED SOILS

There are situations – particularly on new housing developments – where most, if not all, of the original topsoil has been stripped away, leaving hard clay that is pretty much useless. You might get some kikuyu to grow in patches, but you’ll have all sorts of problems for years. The best way to deal with this is to bring in new soil and raise the entire area at least 100mm but preferably 150mm. Drainage is a major concern here, so before introducing the new soil, contour the existing clay, sloping it in the direction you want any water to go which will hopefully reduce any pooling and bogginess. It’s important also to mix a layer of the new soil into the existing to facilitate drainage before building up the levels further. Raising the levels may well require some edging or retaining to keep everything in place.

COMPACTED SOILS

A common scenario is to have a decent depth of good soil that has become compacted due to heavy foot traffic over time, or in the case of newly built houses, been neglected and abused during the construction process. Often, all that is needed here is to cultivate the base, perhaps with some gypsum, and then level with a thin layer of underlay.

ADVICE FROM THE PROS

Like with anything around the home and garden, if you have concerns or are unsure about things, get some advice from a professional landscaper or turf grower before going ahead.

Spring Lawn Care

Posted on October 12, 2017September 2, 2024 by Anthony

Thank …. It’s Spring!

Fantastic! The winter colds are done and the weather’s warming up … but your lawn needs a little nursing through the next few weeks and months to achieve peak health for summer. In this blog, we take a look at what lawn care activities you can do this spring.

Test, test, test

Check your soil pH. An incorrect pH means your lawn can miss out on important nutrients and lead to overall poor performance. Test with a basic soil pH testing kit or soil probe. The optimum pH is 6.5. If your pH is higher, use sulphate of ammonia to lower it. If it’s lower, a 50:50 mix of lime and dolomite lime will help to raise it, while adding calcium and magnesium, which are often leached from acidic soils.

Apply a Wetting Agent or Soil Wetter

If you have a clay base, even if you put in new soil when you laid your lawn, the clay will, over time, work its way up through the soil profile to the topsoil through a process called bioturbation. You’ll need to break up the clay by aerating and applying gypsum, else your soil will suffer compaction and not supply adequate oxygen to your lawn’s roots. If your soil is sandy, you’ll need to ensure your soil can hold moisture. Correct this by regularly applying a soil wetting agent like Lawn Soaker. This coats the sand grains and enables them to cling to moisture and nutrients.

Treat the bacteria in your soil as well. Your soil is full of nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as mycorrhiza and rhizobia, and they turn the nitrogen from the atmosphere and fertilisers into a usable form of nitrate for your lawn. During winter they’re dormant, but once soil temperatures rise, they’re ready to work. They love a boost of carbohydrate, so apply a soil conditioner that contains seaweed extract like Lawn Rescue or Lawn Kelper.

Aerate Your Lawn

Aerate your soil to increase the amount of air, water and nutrients it receives. This strengthens grass roots and helps create a healthier lawn. Use a garden fork to do this yourself before fertilising. Aeration decreases thatch and compaction and should be carried out annually in high traffic areas and on hard lawns. Lawns with poorer soil can benefit from aeration too. Aeration can be hard work on some soil types. A garden fork may work well, however sometimes a lawn contractor with specialist equipment may be required. More information about aerating your lawn here.

Apply Fertiliser

Fertilising in your spring lawn care regime can help speed up new growth and establish strong roots for summer.

If you live in a cooler climate, you might need to use a liquid fertiliser like Exceed, as your soil temperature may not be quite warm enough for the bacteria to work its magic for a soil borne reaction using a granular fertiliser. As liquid fertilisers are ingested through the leaves of your grass, you’ll only need a little growth occurring for the liquid fertilisers to give an instant boost. Once the warmer weather really kicks in you can feed your lawn with a granular NPK fertiliser like Lawn Solutions Australia Premium Fertiliser.

But don’t get carried away! You want to be rid of weeds first before feeding them as well. Overfeeding at this time of year may not produce the desired results, with the warmth and light intensity not quite there yet for your lawn to perform its best. A light dusting of either organic or inorganic fertiliser at the specified label rate will give your lawn the boost it needs. It’s a good idea to mow a few times first, assess the weed and lawn growth situation and then further address fertiliser needs.

Remove Weeds

Another important activity you can implement into your spring lawn care plan is weed removal. You can remove most single weeds by hand, preferably before they go to seed. Mow over flat weeds; a healthy lawn will choke most weed types. If you’ve got many weeds or a persistent type, it may be worth calling on your local nursery or local lawn care specialist for advice on the best herbicides to use. Check out our lawn weed removal guide for more information here.

Remove Thatch

If your lawn is “spongy”, this is due to a build-up of thatch. Thatch can be removed by mowing your lawn back to its runners, nice and low. This may take a couple of mows to do so safely and effectively and is best undertaken only during the warmer months when your lawn is growing quickly. Once this is done, fertilise and water it well, to promote speedy regrowth. Scarifying and dethatching machines are also available which in some cases can be the preferred method. For more information on dethatching your lawn visit our blog here.

Top Dressing

It’s also a good time to top dress your lawn if you wish to reduce any unevenness. Mow and fertilise your lawn first and then top dress with coarse river sand, remembering not to cover the entire leaf tip. Once you have your lawn growing at its peak, it will be ready to take on the heat of summer. More information on top dressing your lawn here.

Watering

This time of the year requires minimal additional top-up watering other than natural rainfall, depending on your soil and location. You can increase water application if it’s dry over coming weeks, but a minimalist approach will often be rewarded with a healthier lawn, with stronger, deeper roots.

A deep soaking once a week will train your lawn’s roots to grow deeper into the soil, which will improve your lawn’s drought tolerance.

Just starting your spring lawn care plan now? Here’s a video with some tips…

Installing a New Lawn

Lawn Solutions Australia is a national network of Australia’s best turf suppliers, who supply Australia’s best turf varieties. If you are looking for an expert’s opinion on the right grass type for your space, or a quick and easy online quote, you have come to the right place. Lawn Solutions Australia turf suppliers can help with site preparation, turf supply and installation and provide expert advice for your new lawn all with contactless delivery. Get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier today.

Need a quote?

Get a quote from up to 3 local suppliers for turf, delivery and/or installation via email. With an Australia-wide network, there is an LSA accredited grower or supplier near you.

Get Turf Quotes

Check out our other lawn care blogs for more lawn care activities you can do this spring here.

Dethatching Your Lawn

Posted on October 6, 2017January 24, 2018 by Anthony

If you’ve got a thatch issue going on, it’s a great over the next month to get in a couple of low-mows in the other best time of year is at the end of spring. A study carried out by the University of Western Australia a few years’ ago, compared different types of renovation for turf and they found that the results from a ‘hard-mow’ or ‘scalping’ was just as good as scarifying, coring, or grooming when it came to dethatching a lawn. This should only be done a couple of times a year and works only for warm-season grasses (Buffalo, Kikuyu, Couch and Zoysia) and should be avoided for cool-season types – fescue and the likes as this practice will probably spell the end of your lawn. If your lawn feels ‘spongy’ to walk on then it may be time for such drastic action, but keep in mind that for much of the country you’ve only got a few weeks to ‘get-stuck-into-it’ before it starts to cool off and your lawn doesn’t grow. Attempt it too late and your lawn won’t recover over winter, so if you’re unsure, seek some good advice from your local Lawn Solutions Centre or similar.

This will make your lawn a ‘weed-no-go-zone’

Posted on October 3, 2017January 25, 2018 by Anthony

Pre-emergents are used extensively in agriculture and commercial turf applications The new pre-emergents available for domestic use are a combination fertiliser and herbicide Pre-emergents won’t get rid of your current weeds but will help prevent any more

New for the Australian homeowner, a pre-emergent herbicide and fertiliser blend is now available to help prevent weed-seed germination in home lawns. Something that has long been available in commercial situations, this new pre-emergent herbicide product will give homeowners some added ‘kick-in-their-arsenal’ when it comes to tackling hard-to-manage-weeds; before they can get a chance to take-root and take-hold. These type of controls have been widely used overseas for many years and their use is well understood yet in Australia there is still some confusion on what they can and cannot control.

The idea of using a pre-emergent herbicide is to target weed seeds before they take hold by forming a barrier at soil level that affects the germination of any new seedlings. The new combination fertiliser and pre-emergent product provides an ideal mechanism to take the herbicide to just under the soil and the fertiliser helps give a quick boost to your lawn. Controlling both broadleaf and annual grass-type weeds, the pre-emergent herbicide works by stopping any new seedings in their tracks – yet won’t inhibit any root growth of your established turf. The herbicide active ingredient has a residual effect for around three months, so is ideal to apply seasonally to coincide with the different weed types throughout the year. It’s a lawn care practice that will take some time to get used to as there won’t be any results in applying to already weedy lawns – it will only prevent any new ones from forming. So, it’s a use beforehand type of remedy and if you’ve got a lawn full of weeds now then try and use a control now to get them under control and then look at applying the pre-emergent on a regular basis to keep them under control. Keep in mind however, that keeping a good performing lawn in good condition through regular maintenance and fertilisation will help keep weeds at bay and is a better option than trying to control weeds by spraying all the time. Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser is a pre-emergent herbicide for control of many annual grasses and broad-leaf weeds in warm season turf.

Lawn Solutions OxaFert is registered for use in a variety of recreational turf situations including lawns (domestic & commercial) sports fields, fairways and golf tees. Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser is a convenient ready to use formulation for the pre-emergent control of certain annual weeds in turf and also for fertilisation of turf where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are required. The product should only be used when both functions are required. The product should be applied dry with a hand spreader or similar and to control weeds the application must be made before weeds have begun to germinate. The blend needs to be watered-in by irrigating with 10mm of sprinkler water after application and if longer pre-emergent control is required a repeat application should be made 7-10 weeks after initial application. Ensure you read the product label prior to application for purchase visit our Lawn Store

Top Dressing your Lawn

Posted on September 13, 2017August 4, 2020 by Anthony

Applying a top dressing to your lawn is appropriate when it needs a boost of nutrients, is uneven or contains holes. You should undertake top dressing to repair holes or uneven lawn just prior to the growing season, usually the beginning of Spring; not when the lawn plants are in their dormant phase or you run the risk of damaging or even killing the lawn entirely. Top dressing for nutrients can be applied at any time. Do not top dress on an annual basis regardless of popular belief as this will just accelerate the build-up of thatch. Avoid top dressing if rain is predicted as the wet weather will make the dressing difficult to deal with and make levelling troublesome.

Top Dressing for nutrients

This type of top dressing application places a thin layer of organic soil mixture over the area of your lawn and adds organic, natural nutrients and minerals. You would apply a top dressing for nutrients if your lawn is in need of a boost as it will encourage the production of new shoots and result in a thicker lawn with the added benefit of then hindering moss and weed infestations. Applying a top dressing will introduce materials to your soil that will improve drainage, allow the soil to exchange gases with the atmosphere more effectively while also promoting the development of the soil’s micro-flora and micro-fauna needed to break down thatch and grass clippings. Top dressing matter will feed the earthworms too, releasing nutrients into the soil. An added bonus is that top dressing allows the soil to retain moisture better during drier conditions as well as allowing excess moisture to drain away during heavy rainfall. Bags of top dressing mixtures are readily available from turf farms, lawn care centres and nurseries and provide all the relevant handling and application information. Work out the size of your lawn before you buy; as a general guide a 2kg bag will be enough to top dress a square metre of lawn. Mow your lawn the day before applying the top dressing and rake up and remove any debris to allow the nutrients to effectively penetrate into the soil. Firstly shovel the top dressing into even piles around the area of lawn and then rake the mixture into the lawn until it looks as if the lawn has been lightly dusted and the tops of the lawn plants are above the dressing. Rake in a figure eight motion so that the top dressing mixture is spread evenly. Hose the lawn thoroughly so that the dressing is barely visible.

Top Dressing to fix holes and uneven lawn

Once again mow the lawn the day prior to applying the top dressing; the longer the grass the more sandy loam or clean river sand required to cover the area and a deeper layer of soil will make it harder for the grass to grow through it. Speak to your local landscape supply company for a recommendation on the amount of loam or sand required for the specific area you need to address.

To even out the lawn

If the area of lawn requiring evening out is only slightly uneven then you can apply a top dressing up to 12mm at once. For areas that are deeper than 12mms apply one layer of 12mm first and then add another layer. Shovel the loam or sand onto the lawn in even piles and then level with a garden leveller. The top of the lawn plants should remain visible. Once applied and the lawn is even water in the top dressing.

To fix holes in the lawn

For the repair of a hole deeper than 5cms use a shovel to raise the grass on top of the hole, place top dressing material underneath to elevate the level of the lawn. Then apply the top dressing to address any remaining unevenness as per the instructions above remembering that the tops of the lawn plants should remain visible and the top dressing needs to be watered in once evenly spread.

Fertilise; before or after?

The recommendation is to fertilise the lawn a week to two before applying a top dressing regardless of whether this is for nutrients or to repair holes or an uneven lawn. This boost to the lawn plant’s growth will assist the turf to push through the dressing more easily and quickly. What you should do after top dressing is to water your lawn. Water just after the application and then maintain regular watering to give the lawn plants a boost after what is a stressful process for them.

LSA launches new pre-emergent

Posted on August 22, 2017December 11, 2017 by Anthony

New from Lawn Solutions is Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser is a pre-emergent herbicide for control of many annual grasses and broad-leaf weeds in warm season turf. Lawn Solutions OxaFert is registered for use in a variety of recreational turf situations including lawns (domestic & commercial) sports fields, fairways and golf tees. Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser 16-2-6 + TE is a convenient ready to use formulation for the pre-emergent control of certain annual weeds in turf and also for fertilisation of turf where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are required. The product should only be used when both functions are required.

Will not harm healthy turf
Controls weeds by controlling weed seedlings as they come in contact with the herbicide during germination.
Will not inhibit turf root growth or recovery from damage
Will not prevent roots from tacking down

You can purchase Oxafert Pre-emergant at The LawnStore

Controlling Invasive Grasses

Posted on August 21, 2017November 14, 2024 by Anthony

How to remove invasive grasses from your lawn

Kikuyu and couch are the number one suspects when it comes to lawn invasion, they are fast growing and have fine seeds that can spread very easily. Kikuyu is more aggressive in nature than any other lawn variety, so it’s potential to take over is very high. Kikuyu spreads by both runners and by seed.

Invasion can occur a number of different ways:

Your original lawn and soil not being sprayed out and killed off properly and re-emerging from seeds or runners.
Grass seeds that have travelled to your lawn by the wind, on pets, in bird droppings, on clothing or shoes, or from a neighbouring lawn.

Some lawns, like DNA Certified Sir Walter, have a growth habit that will usually crowd out most weeds and unwanted grasses. Occasionally these undesirables will invade, especially if your lawn hasn’t been well maintained. But it’s important not to confuse your weeds with your grasses. Weeds are generally soft round plants whereas unwanted grasses can include things like paspalum, kikuyu and couch, depending on what lawn variety you have.

Unfortunately in most cases, many warm season grasses are unable to be selectively treated in other grasses. So there are no specific herbicides that can be recommended to blanket treat a lawn without harming the grass you intend to keep as well. But there are other ways to handle the infestation.

Pull it out by hand

If the invading area is only small the most effective way to remove an unwanted grass variety is to pull it out carefully by hand. You can also chip them out with a mattock or a garden spade. This method can be time consuming if the invading grass has spread considerably. But through regular hand weeding, ensuring you remove as much as possible and all of the roots, you should begin to get on top of the infestation. A healthy lawn should also help to thicken and choke out more emergence, so regular lawn care activities will also be important for success.

Spray with a non-selective herbicide

The only other way to remove kikuyu or couch from a buffalo, fescue, rye or bluegrass lawn is through the application of a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate (Round Up).

By using a small paint brush or weed wand carefully brush the leaves of the invading grass. Please be aware that glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide and be careful to only touch the invading turf variety and not your lawn, as it will die also if it comes into contact with the herbicide. Invading grasses like kikuyu, tend to grower quicker and taller, so the best time isolate the grass is to do so when there is a little bit of length to the lawn. This may also allow for careful ‘wick wiping’ of the invading grass if there is extensive contamination across the whole lawn area.

How to remove kikuyu in couch

For a couch lawn that is suffering from an invasion of kikuyu, there are some selective herbicide options that will treat kikuyu but not the couch. There is a commercially available herbicide called Monument, which can be used to suppress Kikuyu from couch lawns. Monument Herbicide is the broadest spectrum selective post-emergence herbicide for turf. Monument is highly effective in controlling Poa annua, Ryegrass, Kikuyu, Sedges and a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds.

Monument Liquid Herbicide is safe to use on – Common Couch, Hybrid Couch, QLD Blue Couch and Zoysia – DO NOT USE on Kikuyu or Buffalo.

How to remove Nutgrass

Nutgrass is another type of grass weed that can invade your lawn. With Nutgrass it is particularly noxious due to its underground bulb. Because of these underground bulbs, it is best to avoid pulling them out by hand and use a specific herbicide like Lawn Solutions Sedge Control for removal.

How to remove Onion Grass

Onion Grass is another noxious grassy weed, which too has an underground bulb. Eradicating onion weed starts with removing as many of the plants as possible. Do not try to pull the plant out of the ground or shake excess dirt back off into the hole or compost. The small bulblets tend to pull away from the mother plant when pulled, which leaves more bulbs in the ground that will rapidly grow. If possible, dig the weed-clump out of the ground with a spade or a trowel, and throw the entire clump away. If you have an extensive problem, Onion weed and onion grass can be treated with a selective herbicide called ProForce Duke 10WG Herbicide.

How to remove Summer Grass, Crabgrass and Paspalum

Summer Grass, Crabgrass and Paspalum are annual weeds which will start to appear in spring and summer as the temperatures begin to rise back up. If there is only a small amount of these weeds growing, the best way to remove the weed is to pull it out by hand. If there is an infestation across the lawn, we recommend using a herbicide with DSMA as the active, like David Greys 500ml Crab Grass and Clover Killer Selective Herbicide. Please note herbicides containing DSMA as the active ingredient are not safe for use on kikuyu, buffalo lawns, and QLD blue couch. Summer Grass and Crabgrass can also be prevented with the use of a pre emergent herbicide like Oxafert.

Removing Winter Grass from your lawn

Winter Grass is a pesky annual grass that will start to grow and germinate in autumn as the temperatures start to cool. This weed will grow in small tufts with distinctive triangular shaped seed heads. To remove Winter Grass, you can either remove it by hand, or use a specific Winter Grass herbicide like Amgrow Winter Grass Killer. Winter Grass can also be prevented by the use of a pre emergent herbicide like Oxafert in mid to late autumn, or just before the temperatures cool in your region.