Lawn paints can instantly improve the colour of a lawn with amazing natural-looking results
Lawn paints come in different types and plant-based pigment types are said to be the safest
Lawn paints can add quick colour to a lawn – ideal for a function or ‘for sale’ photos.
Lawn paint, such as Lawn Solutions Australia’s ColourGuard, can be used on drought or frost affected lawns, and instantly restores the natural colour of your grass while reducing watering needs. ColourGuard lawn paint is actually a natural plant-based pigment that allows your lawn to remain green all year round, even during droughts and extreme temperatures. ColourGuard for example, is 100 percent organic, making it safe for the environment, people and pets. It sounds too good to be true… What’s the catch? If you use high quality lawn paint such as ColourGuard; good news, there is no catch! However, using lower quality lawn paint can make your lawn prone to staining feet, clothing, and fixtures.
Lower quality lawn paints might not be biodegradable. ColourGuard lawn paint allows you to boost your kerb appeal, ideal for ensuring your property is sold for the highest price possible. A glowing, green lawn is also a must for backyard parties and BBQs, or for just showing off your lawn. When using ColourGuard, if you accidentally spray a hard surface, simply wash off the spray into the lawn with hosed water. Your lawn will take about two hours to dry in full sunlight, or slightly longer if your lawn isn’t in full sun. ColourGuard is a permanent colourant, it will only disappear as the grass blade grows, it will not be washed off by rain or water, once the spray has dried.
Other benefits of ColourGuard for the home lawn:
ColourGuard instantly restores the natural green colour of grass – year round
Substantially reduces watering needs and stays green during droughts and water restrictions
Is UV fade resistant and won’t bleed, run, or stain once absorbed into the grass
Is organic and natural – no harmful chemicals and safe for the environment, pets and people
Works in extreme heat, cold and frost
Reduces the amount of fertiliser and water used on lawns to achieve amazing results
Can be simply applied by the home-owner as easy as applying a spray fertiliser
Buy ColourGuard lawn paint online
It’s easy to buy ColourGuard online direct from the Lawn Store, in two sizes:
Organic debris like leaves and clippings can be left on your lawn to breakdown as mulch
Mowing in the same pattern is not recommended
Watering occasionally is better for your lawn than ‘little-often’
Collect your grass clippings?
Many believe leaving grass clippings on your lawn will create thatch. Grass clippings breakdown quite quickly, are estimated to be made up of 85-95 percent water and add to the organic layer below your lawn. Grass clippings act as a natural fertiliser, with beneficial nutrients like potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous. If it’s been a while since you mowed or the length has gotten away from you, then try bringing the height down over a few days so there’s not too much (greater than about 25mm – or 1 inch) clipping left on your lawn as too much clipping left on the lawn can cause problems.
Strict mowing pattern?
While regular mowing is important, mowing in the same patterns causes your lawn to develop a ‘memory’, making the blades fall the same way. This can eventually deprive your lawn from sunlight and water. You can also track ruts into your lawn from going over the same wheel marks all the time. Simply mow in alternate directions and change your patterns to ensure a more evenly cut, with less compaction and a better-looking lawn.
Don’t leave leaves on your lawn!
While a heavy layer can smother your lawn, a moderate to light layer of leaves can be mulched back into the lawn, providing nutrients for your grass. Shredding the leaves as you mow the lawn is all you need to do.
Overwatering your lawn
If you take care of your lawn properly, the need for water is minimal. Deeper, less frequent, watering is much more beneficial than the mindset of “the more, the better” when it comes to your lawn. Overwatering can result in short roots, fungus, and a high bill from your water company! Sticking to this routine – even if you have an automated sprinkler – will ensure your lawns root system is delving deep for moisture and will survive dry periods with less stress.
Overnight or afternoon watering is best
Many people believe that watering your lawn in the afternoon after the sun has gone down or at night is best, but this is not the case! When you water your lawn at night or in the afternoon, your lawn will be sitting damp till the next morning. This is not good for your lawn as it can then be susceptible to fungal diseases. The best time to water is in the morning, before the heat of the day.
Cutting grass shorter will make it grow slower
Cutting the grass too short can harm the roots and stunt growth. It’s important to mow at the appropriate height for your grass type, and to avoid cutting more than one-third of the blade at a time.
Lawns and lawn care are boring to talk about!
Talking about your love for your lawn can be a great icebreaker, especially when you have some hilarious puns to go with it. Just ask the specialists at Lawn Solutions Australia . . . they’re easy to ‘get-a-lawn-with’!
Measuring a soil’s pH is easy to do and doesn’t involve a complicated scientific experiment, all you need is a pH testing kit. These are available at hardware stores and nurseries on online at www.lawnstore.com.au
As the sun gets lower in the sky, the amount of sunlight your lawn will receive will decrease – but how much shade can your lawn tolerate, and what can you do about it? When most new lawns go in following housing construction, quite often shade is overlooked as a factor as any trees and shrubs are often newly planted as well and won’t affect the lawn for some time. With shrinking block sizes and larger homes becoming more of the norm however, shade can be an issue for your lawn from neighbouring buildings.
How to help a shaded lawn
Water your lawn less frequently in shaded areas
Prune trees and shrubs back to allow more sunlight to your lawn
Never mow off more than one-third of the leaf at a time
Choose a shade tolerant turf variety
Consider the effort stadiums go to these days to manage their turf with massive grow-light setups and closable roofs and you’ll get an idea of how the professionals try to manage shade. Managing the shade itself at home if you can is also a priority and may require routine pruning of trees, bushes and other foliage to allow as much sunlight as possible onto your lawn. Avoid over-watering, as shade prevents the quick evaporation of dew or surface water and continued dampness encourages diseases that inhabit growing grass.
It is best to water shaded areas only when absolutely necessary and then water deeply. When mowing, never cut more than one third of the length off the blade. It can be best in shady areas to remove clippings to allow as much light as possible to reach the soil. If your lawn refuses to grow in a high-shade-area regardless of what you do, unfortunately the last option could be to remove the lawn and replace it with a new pathway or garden bed, or – we hate to say it – artificial turf.
Choosing a Lawn for a Shaded Area
The amount of shade will vary with the time of year and the aspect of the lawn area to these structures. In these circumstances it helps from the outset to choose the right lawn type to keep your lawn alive in heavy shade. Soft Leaf Buffalo grasses like Sir Walter DNA Certified in Australia tend to do the best in the shade with most tolerating 50 to 70 percent shade. This is about three to four hours of direct sun each day, or speckled sunlight from trees for the majority of the day.
Sir Grange Zoysia is a new highly shade tolerant turf variety which requires very low fertilising and inputs due to it’s extremely slow growth habit. As a result, Sir Grange doesn’t require as much sunlight, so it can survive in areas of high shade, once fully established.
Another turf variety that has impressive shade tolerance qualities is TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. TifTuf has increased gibberellic acid production which results in superior stimulation of photosynthesis. This greatly assists in its winter colour retention as well as the plants ability to have increased photosynthesis, meaning it has a greater ability to absorb sunlight. TifTuf needs around 5-6 hours of direct light per day to thrive.
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. You can see who your local turf suppliers are here.
The builders have left a mess . . . What’s the best way to prepare the soil for new turf?
Successful establishment of all lawn types relies on proper soil preparation
Keep drainage and the grade of your lawn area in mind as it should slope enough to allow surface water to drain away quickly
Steep slopes or batters can be sometimes addressed with retaining walls or garden beds.
By following this list of tips and tricks ‘built’ just for preparing soil, you should have a happy and healthy new lawn.
Preparation for establishing a lawn usually begins after construction activities have finished, or before topsoil has been introduced.
Successful establishment of all lawn types relies on proper soil preparation. Without preparing your soil properly, your lawn can suffer from poor soil drainage, compaction, pH or fertility problems that could have otherwise been simply prevented.
Keep drainage and the grade of your lawn area in mind as it should slope enough to allow surface water to drain away from your house yet be gradual enough to allow for easy maintenance and outdoor activities.
Where steep slopes exist (over 40%) or grades change drastically, consider installing retaining walls or other surface plantings in these areas as mowing and other maintenance may become difficult after you’ve finished.
Removing weeds and debris is important when preparing your soil. One of the best methods for eliminating weeds is using an environmentally-friendly herbicide, such as a non-residual glyphosate herbicide like Roundup.
It is recommended to strip the top layer of your soil by around 150mm (six inches) and this will ensure the removal of any debris, clay or poor growing medium.
Beware of areas where mortar or ‘brickies sand’ were stored as they can cause high pH issues in your soil, it’s the last thing you want to happen after getting your turf established.
When setting up levels, establish and stake or mark out subgrade and topsoil levels, keeping to requirements for any drainage, irrigation and shaping work.
Lawn Solutions Australia has an extensive selection of specifications for lawn establishment and to see further details on preparing your soil, click here
If you own pets, such as dogs and chickens, and they like to scratch and dig, they can be an obvious cause. If so, the best thing to do is to try to keep your pets away from the little sandpits in your lawn. Chickens aren’t the easiest animals to train and more-often-than-not, fencing off your lawn isn’t the most practical option. Lawn tractors allow your chickens to have access to your lawn, under your control. For more details on chicken-proofing your lawn, see our Tips to Protect your Lawn From Chickens article. Dog urine on your lawn will usually kill the affected area, leaving a small brown spot. The high nitrogen content is responsible for the burning, and the brown spots will repair within a week or two. There are mineral based ‘dog rocks’ available that can be placed in the dog’s drinking water. These dog-safe rocks filter out impurities from the water, such as ammonia and nitrates, to make the urine less likely to burn the lawn. Most healthy lawns will overcome pests and disease if it’s not too severe. To ensure your lawn is in best health, it’s best to look at simple measures in your lawn-maintenance program and include periodical aerating and top-dressing on top of your regular fertilising, mowing and watering when required. If there are dry spots in your lawn, then lack of water or poor soil and drainage is the culprit. As a quick fix; look at applying a wetting agent solution over your entire lawn, with more focus on the affected area. Water the affected area very well with a hose, followed by watering the entire lawn.
Lawn grubs and worms can be a problem at certain times of the year and can be hard to diagnose. When breeding and environmental conditions align they can be a problem and can cause dead patches. Try placing a wet hessian bag or old towel on your lawn overnight and then lift it up in the morning to see if an abundance of creepy-crawleys are the cause. Talk to your local nursery supplier or closest Lawn Solutions Centre for the best method of eliminating grubs – depending on the time of year and severity of the infestation. Lack of sunlight is another common cause of bare patches. Heavy pruning of surrounding foliage to allow more sunlight onto the lawn, or reassessing if the lawn should be in the shaded area are the best solutions. It’s also important to ensure you have the right lawn type for your environmental conditions and it’s a good idea to talk to your nearest Lawn Solutions Australia member turfgrower to check on your next best steps in getting the most out of your lawn.
Rye grasses are the most common causes of pollen-induced allergies, hay fever and asthma
Many Australian turf-types are warm-season-grasses meaning they have runners and not much seed or pollen
A healthy lawn can help reduce pollen in the air by trapping these minute particles as well as dust and other pollutants
It’s been one of those seasons it seems this year where high pollen counts have caused havoc for people with allergies and hay fever or asthma sufferers. Many sources cite Australia as now being the ‘hay fever capital of the world’ with over 40 percent of young adults suffering symptoms of a runny nose and itchy eyes. Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) now affects 1 in 5 Australians and predisposes people to more frequent sinus infections.
Pollen from rye grass is the main culprit identified in causing hay fever and rye grass can produce over half a tonne per hectare of pollen that cause allergic responses in susceptible people. Rye grass is literally everywhere and is found in lawns and turf used in many home gardens, roadside verges, parks, sporting fields and tracks as well as pastures. Pollens from a range of other grasses, weeds and trees also contributes to allergic reactions and in addition, non-pollen causes, such as fungal spores and house dust mites may also cause such reactions. (source Asthma Australia)
When it comes to enjoying time in your own backyard and living with an allergy it is often best to look towards a warm-season grass type – one that grows vegetatively – and not cool season grass types that tend to throw a lot more seed.
Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo for example, is a turf variety that has been specifically tested for allergens and has no known issues. Unless left un-mown or lacking in fertiliser, Sir Walter DNA Certified produces few – if any – seed heads. Native Australian grasses such as kangaroo grass, wallaby grass, weeping grass, and red grass produce a lot less pollen than many other grasses, but are difficult to establish into viable lawns. Buffalo, Kikuyu, Couch and Zoysia grasses are all warm-season grasses that have runners (stolons) and are usually the best turf-type choices when it comes to home lawns in Australia. Ironically, a thick and healthy lawn is a very effective pollen trap. When airborne pollen’s land on a well-maintained lawn, the pollen grains fall between the grass’ many, long leaves and find their way into the thatch where the pollen is trapped and eventually breaks down. Some varieties of lawn produce more seed-heads and pollen when under stress, so ensure your lawn is well maintained, well fertilised, mowed regularly, and watered occasionally and thoroughly to minimise stress conditions. Some children, people and even pets have reactions to lawn-types that are far beyond the scope of these pages, so if you find yourself suffering in your backyard, talk to your medical practitioner about the cause.
You might then be able to seek out a local Lawn Solutions Australia Turfgrower to check out their turf-types to see how you react to their many varieties that they would have on show. By installing the right grass variety, you can hopefully enjoy a luscious, green lawn without the allergy symptoms. 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.
If you find your lawn afflicted with the curse of the lawn grubs don’t despair. Treating and eradicating these pests is relatively easy. You will need to be particularly vigilant as the weather warms up, usually September to March, and after heavy rain. Couch and Kikuyu varieties are usually the most prone to attack and Buffalo to a lesser extent. Once you have determined that you are indeed under attack you must defend your lawn without delay.
Symptoms
As a result of extensive root damage caused by these larvae or lawn grubs, your lawn can no longer take up the moisture and nutrient it requires efficiently. This causes the grass to become dry and straw like, as it would during severe drought conditions.
When at its worst, the grass will actually be able to be peeled back easily from the soil surface as the roots have been eaten away. This is when you will inevitably find a large number of feeding larvae.
Common signs of a lawn grub infestation
Increased bird activity on your lawn
One of the most easily spotted symptoms is an increase in bird activity on your lawn. These grubs make a great snack for the local birds and you’ll find them popping over to your place for lunch!
Spongey lawn
A spongy lawn can also be a good indicator of grub activity.
Brown patches in your lawn
Brown patches that gradually spread may also be a sign that grubs are present.
But if you are looking to confirm for certain if they are there then there are a couple of tests you can try.
How to identify a lawn grub problem
First test is to lay a wet towel, hessian bag or piece of carpet on the lawn overnight. In the morning, lift it up and see if anything has come to the surface and is underneath it.
Second test is to mix together a bucket of soapy water and pour it over the edge of an affected area. Keep any eye on it and after about 10 minutes or so, usually if there are grubs there, they will come to the surface. This is best done at dawn or dusk when they are most likely to be active.
So, you’ve done the tests and you do have a grub problem, but how do you fix it?
Treatment
Due to the rate at which lawn grubs feed (and move across your lawn), the amount of eggs they lay and the sheer numbers involved in an infestation delaying treatment can be disastrous. Your local turf farmer, online lawn care product provider or nursery can supply advice and a fast acting insecticide such as Battle Insecticide to get the job sorted quickly and easily. Always follow the manufacturer’s handling and safety instructions and use a product that is designed especially for the type of lawn you have. Each different insecticide product type requires a different method of application so it is essential that you read all instructions to receive the outcome you need; no more lawn grubs. Because lawn grubs bury themselves in the soil during the day and come out to feed at night the most effective time to apply the treatment is as late in the day as possible while the adults are active.
If you are treating during a dry spell remember to water the insecticide into the lawn. If you are lucky enough to have rain coming then use the opportunity to your advantage; apply the treatment while the rain is falling. To ensure the grubs are eradicated, apply the treatment again in two weeks. This is especially important because eggs can take two to five weeks to hatch. A re-application at this point will ensure that any missed eggs or grubs are eliminated.
Prevention
Unfortunately attack by these grubs can happen to any lawn and can occur numerous times during a season.
This is why we recommend Grub Guard Ultimate, Acelepryn GR and Acelepryn Liquid. Acelepryn provides safe and effective control of black beetle while minimising the impact on the environment and non-target organisms, such as bees and earthworms.
Acelepryn targets pests such as black beetle, stem weevil, cut worm and army worm. The great thing about Acelepryn in comparison to other pesticides, is that it’s preventative. This is why spring is a great time to spread it out and protect your lawn for up to six months.
Black Beetle Larvae
Black beetle eggs are laid in spring and early summer. After several weeks the eggs hatch and the larvae or grubs emerge that then feed on the grass roots. It is when large numbers of these eggs hatch that it is a serious problem for some lawns. These larvae develop through 3 stages, the fully-grown larvae at the end of the third stage are around 25mm long. You will need to be particularly vigilant as the weather warms up, usually September to March, and after heavy rain.
The larvae then move into pre-pupae and pupae stages which cause no damage to your lawn, before developing into adults after about 2 months, in late Summer or early Autumn.
From Queensland to Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra there isn’t really a perfect grass variety, but HAL (Horticulture Australia Limited) with the help from some research carried out in WA, set out to find which variety was the best for the area. According to recent research done by the Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (HAL project TU04013), available at http://era.deedi.qld.gov.au/1764/ * they found Sir Walter Buffalo grass was a good one. 13 buffalo (Stenotaphrum secundatum) cultivars were tested at 7 locations for their colour, turf quality and thatch development. The tables below is a summary of the results for 4 of those cultivars. (0=worst, 9=best)
Cultivar
Total Of Colour Scores
Average Colour
% Diff From Control
Palmetto
64
5.8
4
Sapphire
62.9
5.7
2
Sir Walter DNA
66.7
6.1
9
Shademaster
61.1
5.6
control
Cultivar
Total Of Quality Scores
Average Quality
% Diff From Control
Palmetto
61.8
6.2
-2
Sapphire
60.7
6.1
-3
Sir Walter DNA
64.8
6.5
+3
Shademaster
63.1
6.3
control
((0=bare ground (no thatch) 9=heaviest thatch))
Cultivar
Total Of Thatch Scores
Average Thatch
% Diff From Control
Palmetto
36.3
4
-13
Sapphire
39.3
4.4
-5
Sir Walter DNA
40.1
4.5
-2
Shademaster
41.6
4.6
Control
* When we combine these scores with the thatch score as a negative to give a true overall figure, we get:
Cultivar
Colour+Quality-Thatch
% Difference From Control
Palmetto
89.5
8
Sapphire
84.3
2
Sir Walter DNA
91.4
10
Shademaster
82.6
control
* Sir Walter DNA Certified, according to this research is a good one, that’s why it is the most popular and biggest buffalo in Oz (data available from TPA research). Following are some other interesting statistics from the same recent research highlighting Sir Walter’s characteristics. Sward height Turf sward height (mm) on irrigated swards of 4 buffalos grown under shade at Redlands Research Station Qld. Oct 07-May 09
Cultivar
Total Height
Av. Over 9 Measurements
% Difference From Control
Palmetto
525.1
58.3
+1
Sapphire
546.8
60.7
+5
Sir Walter DNA
536.6
59.6
+3
Shademaster
518.8
57.6
Control
* All varieties grew to about the same height with Sapphire needing slightly more mowing to look acceptable. NB, These results differ greatly from other non-independent research posted elsewhere on the web. Wear Percentages of bare ground determined visually for 4 buffalos that have undergone wear treatments in Aug 08 at Redlands Research Station Qld
Cultivar
% Bare Over 14 Wks,10 Readings
Acceptable Level Achieved At Wk
% Difference From Control
Palmetto
26.2
13
+209
Sapphire
51.9
13
+415
Sir Walter DNA
16.3
9
+130
Shademaster
12.5
9
control
*Sir Walter Buffalo & Shademaster had about half the wear of Palmetto whereas Sapphire wore twice as much. Palmetto & Sapphire took 4 weeks longer to reach an acceptable level after being worn than Sir Walter. Drought tolerance Total clippings produced (g/m2) by 4 buffalo grass genotypes irrigated at 80%, 50% or 33% replacement of net evaporation, for 98 days in plots at Shenton Park WA (summer of 07/08). Plots were mown weekly at 25mm.
*Sir Walter Buffalo produced more clippings under extreme drought than Palmetto or Sapphire meaning it is more drought tolerant. Root mass Total root mass (kg dry mass /m3) of 4 buffalo grass genotypes. Samples taken at – 12mths (Nov 06) and -24mths (Dec 07) after planting from irrigated plots irrigated at 80% replacement of net evaporation at Shenton Park WA
Cultivar
Increase Kg/M3
% Increase
% Increase Over Control
Palmetto
5.51
177
-21
Saphire
5.78
193
-13
Sir Walter DNA
8.3
230
+24
Shademaster
6.68
225
Control
*In the 2nd year of your lawns life, Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo will increase its root structure 51% more than Palmetto and 44% more than Sapphire. Root depth Root distribution 12mths after planting (21/11/06)
Cultivar
Root Depth
Palmetto
<50cm
Sapphire
<50cm
Sir Walter DNA Certified
50-100cm
Shademaster
50-100cm
*After only 12 months, Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo roots exceed 50cm in depth Leaf water content Leaf water content of 4 buffalo grass genotypes irrigated at 50% or 33% replacement of net evaporation for 56 days during summer of 06/07. Shenton Park WA.
Cultivar
@50% Replacement Of Net Evaporation. Ml/G Dry Mass
@33% Replacement Of Net Evaporation. Ml/G Dry Mass
Palmetto
<2.5
<2
Sapphire
<2.5
<2
Sir Walter DNA
>2.5
>2
Shademaster
<2.5
<2
* Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo loses the least amount of moisture from the leaf in extreme dry conditions. Shade Subjective turf quality rating (0=dead, 6=acceptable and 10=excellent) at end of 10wk trial (11/5/09) Qld
Cultivar
0%
30%
50%
70%
90%
Palmetto
5.3
4.7
3.7
3.7
1.0
Sapphire
7.7
6.3
5.0
4.0
1.7
Sir Walter
6
5.0
4.3
4.0
1.7
Shademaster
7.3
5.3
5.0
3.7
0.7
* Sapphire & Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo have similar shade tolerances at high levels of shade. Palmetto & Sir Walter may have scored better if the initial (0%) turf quality was better. Winter growth Comparison of winter growth of 4 buffalo grass genotypes, samples taken winter July 07 at Wembley Golf Course WA
Cultivar
Winter Clippings G/M2/Wk
% Difference From Control
Palmetto
.22
-21
Sapphire
.35
25
Sir Walter DNA
.76
271
Shademaster
.28
control
*Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo grew right through winter, producing 3.5 times the growth of Palmetto & over twice that of Sapphire, making it a true winter active lawn being more capable to handle the wear and tear of the average Aussie back yard. Winter colour Comparison of summer vs. winter colour of 4 buffalo grass genotypes. Measurements taken Feb 07 & Jul 07 at Wembley Golf Course WA
Cultivar
Summer Hue Angle
Winter Hue Angle
Change Indicating Winter Decline
Palmetto
114
101
-13.2
Sapphire
118
111
-7
Sir Walter DNA
114
106
-8.5
Shademaster
112
98
-14.8
*Sir Walter DNA Certified & Sapphire buffalo had the least loss of colour in winter, whereas Palmetto nearly lost as much colour as Shademaster. NB, These results differ greatly from other non-independent research posted elsewhere on the web. * Denotes editor’s comments.
