Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

Aeration 101 | What, Why, When and How

Posted on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 by Sarah

From improving drainage to alleviating compaction, aeration has so many great benefits for your lawn’s health! So when should you aerate your lawn, and how should you do it? In this blog, we will look at all you need to know about aerating your lawn.

Firstly, what is aeration?

Aeration is the process of decompacting your soil by either punching holes into the soil profile with a garden fork, aerator sandals or extracting cores of soil by using a tyne aerator.

Why should I aerate my lawn?

Aeration has many benefits to the overall health of your lawn. Decompacting the soil base helps allow for air, water and nutrients to more freely travel down to the roots of your lawn. This will help the lawn grow its roots deeply to produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn.

A few common lawn issues that aeration can assist with include:

Helping your lawn to grow thicker and stronger.
Help alleviate soil compaction from high amounts of foot traffic and wear.
Assisting where drainage is poor.
Help your lawn spread back over bare sections of lawn.
Better allow for nutrients to reach the roots of your lawn.

When should I aerate my lawn?

Aeration can be done at any time throughout the year, but the most common time to do this is in spring and summer when grass is actively growing. This is particularly the case when core aerating as there will be holes left in the profile where the soil has been removed. When doing this in spring and summer, this means that the grass will be able to grow back over at a faster rate.

Aeration can still be done throughout the cooler months, but you may not see the full benefit till the grass begins to actively grow.

How do I aerate my lawn?

There are a few different tools you can use to aerate your lawn:

Aerating with a garden fork is one of the most common ways to aerate your lawn. This method involves you driving a sturdy garden fork into the ground then giving it a good wiggle back and forwards to help break up the surrounding soil. Then continue this across the lawn, aiming for spacing around 8-10cm apart.

Aerating sandals are also another way to aerate the lawn. With aerating sandals, you attach the sandal to your shoe, then walk across your lawn. These sandals are a less labour intensive, however may not be quite as effective as other methods.

Core aeration is another method of aerating where the tines will remove plugs of soil from the ground. This particular method of aerating allows more space for your lawn to breathe and is ideal where there are high amounts of compaction present. Core aeration can be done using a manual core aerator fork, or if you have a larger area, you can hire out a mechanical core aerator.

How can I aerate if my soil is too hard?

If your soil has become too compacted and is difficult to get the tines to penetrate the soil, give the lawn a good water a few hours beforehand. This will help to help soften up the soil.

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

5 Lawn Outlaws This Spring

Posted on September 27, 2024October 29, 2024 by Sarah

As temperatures rise and your lawn starts to green up, there’s a band of notorious outlaws ready to invade—pesky weeds! This spring, keep an eye out for some of the worst offenders: Clover, Creeping Charlie, Creeping Oxalis, Summer Grass, and Cudweed. In this post, we’ll break down the best ways to identify and take down these lawn outlaws before they take over your turf.

How Do I Remove Clover from My Lawn?

Clover is one of the most common weeds that can grow in your lawns. It can be identified by its oval-shaped leaves, which commonly have white circular markings across the group of leaflets. Usually, these leaflets will have three leaves, but four if you’re lucky!

Clover will have low-growing creeping stems that grow roots where they touch the ground. When the weed flowers, it will produce either a white or pink flower, depending on the species.

To remove Clover, the best and easiest way to get it under control is to use a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control.

All Purpose Weed Control is safe for use on most common lawn types.

How Can I Remove Creeping Charlie from My Lawn?

Creeping Charlie, also known as ground ivy, is a weed that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This family of plants also includes mint, lavender and oregano. Creeping Charlie can be identified by its kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and violet-blue flowers. It has viny stems that can root to the ground at each node.

To remove Creeping Charlie, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die.

What is Creeping Oxalis and How Can I Remove It from My Lawn?

Creeping Oxalis, commonly mistaken for Clover, is another common weed that can grow in spring. Creeping Oxalis can be identified by its small heart shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers. Like Clover, it has low growing stems and will run along the surface of the soil.

Creeping Oxalis also tends to spread quickly by seed. Once its seed pod matures and then dries out, it will explode, causing the seed to spread.

To remove Creeping Oxalis from growing in your lawn, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide. Something like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die is ideal for removal.

To help prevent the spread of its seed, we recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide called Oxafert and Oxafert Plus.

These styles of herbicides work by stopping the weed seedlings when they are germinating.

How Do I Remove Summer Grass from My Lawn?

Summer Grass is an annual weed that appears in the warmer months of the year. It has soft, hairy leaves that grow close to the ground in clusters. The grass grows roots at the node, and the sheathes of the leaf are usually purple-tinged in colour at the base. This weed will spread by its seeds, so it is best to target it before the plant produces its seed pod.

If there is only a small amount of Summer Grass growing there, the best and easiest way to remove it is to pull it out by hand. Another effective way to tackle Summer Grass is to treat it with a DSMA-based herbicide. However, it is important to note that these herbicides are not suitable for use on Buffalo or Kikuyu lawns.

If you have had a previous infestation of Summer Grass, we recommend using Oxafert or Oxafert Plus to help prevent it from growing this year.

For more information on how to remove Summer Grass from your lawn, please check out our blog here.

How Do I Stop Cudweed from Growing in My Lawn?

Cudweed is another common weed that you might see growing in your lawn over spring. It has flat, shiny, green, glossy leaves in a rosette shape and a white furry underside. As this weed has glossy leaves, it can sometimes make herbicide removal a bit more difficult. A surfactant is often needed to help the herbicide better adhere.

For its removal, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide. Something like All Purpose Weed Control or Amgrow Bin Die is ideal.

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

The Low-Down on Liquids |Liquid Fertiliser Products

Posted on September 27, 2024October 24, 2024 by Sarah

Liquid fertiliser products make a great addition to your lawn care routine, with a range of different options available with varying functions. In this blog, we look at some of the key liquid fertiliser products we have available and when to use them.

Liquid fertilisers are commonly formulated to assist in seasonal transition or to promote a quick boost in colour, with others aimed at reducing heat stress or enhancing plant and soil health.

Exceed Foliar Fertiliser – Seasonal Transition & Foliar Nutrient

Foliar fertilisers in liquid form are products that are absorbed by the leaf of the grass when applied. These types of fertilisers are ideal for correcting nutrient deficiencies quickly. They will also address stress-related issues or for a general boost to overall health.

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is a premium, professional-grade foliar fertiliser. Liquid fertilisers like Exceed will provide a much quicker response from your grass than a granular fertiliser. The key nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are almost immediately available when absorbed through the roots or leaves rather than through the soil.

Granular fertilisers are still very important for seasonal application particularly in spring and autumn. But a liquid like Exceed is great when a boost is required during seasonal transition, before a renovation or when a quick improvement is required for the health of your lawn.

exceed liquid fertiliser hose on — Exceed Hose-On

Lawn Kelper – Condition Soil and Boost Health

Seaweed or kelp is a very popular form of organic fertiliser and soil conditioner. It can play an important role in your lawn care routine, particularly during the warmer months.

Lawn Kelper is a liquid nutrient package with trace minerals like manganese and zinc. It is designed specifically for lawns to increase turf vigour, stimulate leaf growth, and to strengthen roots.

Your soil’s health plays a significant role in the success of your lawn. Incorporating soil conditioners like Kelp into your lawn care routine will go a long way to enriching your soil.

Iron Guard – Aid in plant strength & Colour retention

Lawns need iron because it plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis. Iron is a micronutrient that aids in the production of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is green pigment in plants responsible for absorbing sunlight and converting it into energy. Without sufficient iron, lawns can develop chlorosis, a condition where leaves turn yellow.

Iron Guard Plus is a turfgrass-enhancing bio-stimulant that contains iron and amino acids. It will help maximise turfgrass colour retention and promote lateral growth, making it ideal for improved winter dormancy transition.

If you are looking to use it for the first time or if you want to use it regularly as part of a lawn care program, it’s best to apply at a lower rate.

When applying liquid fertilisers, like all products, it is best to ensure you read the label instructions and apply as per the specific application rates provided. By doing so, you will ensure the product and your lawn perform to their full potential.

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

Can You Renovate Buffalo Grass?

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Sarah

As lawn renovation season rolls around, the common question arises: can you renovate buffalo grass? The short answer is yes, but there are a few precautions you need to take to ensure you don’t end up causing harm to your lawn. In this blog, we take a look at the best way to renovate a buffalo lawn.

Why Do I Need to Take Precautions When Renovating Buffalo Turf?

Buffalo grass mainly grows by its above-ground runner system and doesn’t have a strong rhizome like couch and kikuyu grasses. With couch and kikuyu, when renovating, you can almost take the lawn back to dirt as the underground runners of the grass will be able to grow back through the soil to repair. With buffalo you can remove the top layer of overlapping stolons, however you will need to ensure that there is still stolons present and attached to the soil so that the grass can still grow back and repair.

How to Dethatch Buffalo Grass with a Mower

One method to dethatch buffalo grass is to give the lawn a low mow to pick up and remove the dry thatch material within the profile. When doing this, we recommend dropping the height down slowly to ensure you are not removing too much of the plant material. Drop the height on your mower, then review how much material is removed. If needed, drop the height again and mow back over the area. You can repeat this process until you are happy with how much of the grass runner is still present.

How to Scarify Buffalo

If you choose to use a scarifying machine on your buffalo lawn, we always recommend testing the scarifier on a small area while on its highest and least aggressive setting. If you are then happy with the results, and most importantly, there are runners of the grass still in tack, continue across the whole lawn.

How to Use a Scarifying Rake on Buffalo

If you want to use a scarifying rake, give the area a light rake, monitor how much material is removed, and ensure runners are still in the tack.

How Do You Top Dress Buffalo Grass?

When top dressing buffalo turf, we recommend using an 80% sand 20% loam mixture if you are wanting to improve the soil profile. If you are wanting to top dress for level improvement, we recommend using a washed or screened river sand.

When topdressing evenly apply the soil to the area, then rub it into the profile by using the back of a rake or a soil leveller.

When top dressing, ensure the top of the leaf is still popping through the sand/soil. You shouldn’t apply more than 5-10mm thickness at one time. If you require more top dressing to level out your area, doing this over a few applications over spring and summer is best.

What Products Should I Apply After a Lawn Renovation?

After a lawn renovation, we recommend applying a fertiliser to help give your lawn a boost in growth and nutrients. We recommend using a well-rounded granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This has a combination of slow and fast-release granules, giving the lawn a good upfront boost while continuing to feel the lawn after it is repaired.

There are also a few preventative style products we recommend looking into using after a renovation. To help prevent damage-causing insects, we recommend using an Acelepryn powered product like Grub Guard Ultimate. If you want to help prevent weeds this spring and summer, we recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert or Oxafert Plus.

For more lawn care tips and advice, please check out our other lawn care blogs here.

Ultimate Guide to a Successful Lawn Renovation

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Sarah

If you are planning to renovate your lawn this spring and want to ensure you can get the best results possible, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog we will share some of our top tips on how to get the most out of your lawn renovation.

Should I Remove Lawn Weeds Before or After Renovating My Lawn?

For best results, we recommend removing weeds before commencing your scalp/dethatch. If only a few weeds are present, the best and easiest way to remove them is to pull them out by hand. Alternatively, you can look at using a targeted herbicide.

To remove common broadleaf weeds like Clover, Bindii, and Oxalis, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control.

When Should I Renovate My Lawn?

Although it is tempting to start renovating your lawn after the first warm day in spring, it is best to wait until temperatures are consistently warmer. But what does this mean? Well, you need to wait till your lawn is consistently growing. This is once you have noticed that the grass needs to be mown regularly. By doing this, you are ensuring that the grass will be able to repair itself quicker and, therefore, get your renovation results sooner.

Before commencing your renovation, we recommend looking at your region’s extended forecast. See if any potential cold snaps could impact your lawn during its recovery period.

How Do I Dethatch and Scalp My Lawn?

When dethatching and scalping your lawn, it is important to know what type of lawn you have to avoid damaging your turf.

Kikuyu and Couch lawns can be scalped and dethatched more aggressively than other turf types as they have a strong underground rhizome from which they can repair. With Zoysia grasses, we recommend dethatching and scarifying lightly as zoysia is a slow grower. With Buffalo grasses, as they mainly grow by their above-ground runner system, it is best only lightly to dethatch and scarify. You will need to ensure that there are still the above ground runners in tack for the grass to repair from.

How Do I Top Dress My Lawn?

When top-dressing your lawn, we recommend ensuring the top of the leaf blade is still popping through. It is important not to go too heavy and completely smother the grass, as it can deprive the lawn of sunlight and oxygen.

When choosing your top-dressing material, it is important to consider your goals. Are you top-dressing to improve the levels of the lawn and correct any depressions? Or do you want to improve the soil profile? If you want to perfect your lawn’s levels, we recommend using a washed or screened river sand. If you are wanting to improve the soil profile, a sandy loam with 80% sand and 20% loam is ideal.

What Products Should I Use When Renovating Your Lawn?

With all lawn renovations, it is recommended to apply fertiliser to help boost the turf’s growth while the lawn is being repaired. We recommend using a granular fertiliser, something like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is ideal.

This time of year is also ideal to get your prevention products down now. To help prevent the growth and spread of seasonal grassy weeds like Summer Grass, Crab Grass, and Crowsfoot, we recommend applying Oxafert or Oxafert Plus. Both of these products will help stop the germination of weed seedlings before they become a problem in your lawn.

Now is also ideal for getting your application of an Acelepryn powered insecticide like Grub Guard Ultimate. Grub Guard Ultimate, powered by Acelepryn delivers excellent preventative control against a large range of damage causing pests, including African Black Beetle, Armyworm and Argentine Stem Weevil.

Following your renovation, ensure you are irrigating the lawn regularly while it is vulnerable, especially if you do happen to encounter a few hot days following your renovation.

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

How to Patch Up Bare Areas with New Turf

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Sarah

Do you have large bare patches in your lawn but need to figure out the easiest and fastest way to repair your lawn? In this blog, we walk you through some quick and easy steps on how to fix bare patches in your lawn so your area can get back to looking its best.

How Big is the Bare Patch in Your Lawn?

Generally, if your bare patch is larger than an A4-size piece of paper, it is best to use a roll/slab of turf to patch up the lawn. This will be a much more efficient and quicker method to get your lawn looking its best.

If your bare patch is smaller than an A4 piece of paper, it is best to encourage the surrounding grass to grow and spread back over. For more information on how to do this, please check out our blog here.

Matching Your New Piece of Turf with Your Existing Lawn

In order to get the most seamless match to your existing lawn, you firstly need to know what type of grass your main lawn is. When identifying your lawn type, you will need to look closely at the runner of the grass and analyse the grasses leaf and stolon structure. If you don’t know what to look for when examining your turf, check out our handy grass identification video here or our blog here.

If you are still unsure what type of grass your main lawn type is, get in contact with us or your local turf supplier for an identification.

Preparing the Area for Turf

To prepare the area for turf, you will first need to rake out any of the dry or dead plant material that is currently there. If there are any weeds growing there, you will need to remove them as well. Either pull these out by hand or look at removing them with a non-selective herbicide like Roundup or Zero. When preparing the area, try to make the patch as square as possible to make installing the turf as easy as possible.

Following this, turn over the soil base with a garden fork to help decompact the soil profile. Then if you need to raise the soil levels, bring in some new sandy loam or turf underlay mix.

Repairing the Bare Patch with Turf

After preparing the area, get in contact with your local Lawn Solutions Australia member and pick up the amount of turf you need.

Once you have picked up your turf, it is best to install it as soon as possible. This will prevent the turf from drying out, especially if doing this on a hot day.

Cut the turf to the required size and shape, then lay it over your prepared area. If you have any leftover soil, you can use this and lightly top dress around the joins between your existing turf and the new grass. Water in the turf well, as you would a new lawn.

How Do I Care for the New Turf?

For the next few weeks as the new turf establishes, ensure you are watering regularly to help prevent the roots of the grass from drying out.

For your first mow, it is best to wait till it has had a chance to establish its roots down into the soil base before mowing. You can test if your turf has grown into the soil by gently pulling up a corner of the new turf. If the turf does not lift, it is ready for a mow.

Over the coming weeks post-installation, your new turf patch will be able to knit together with your existing lawn. Ensure you are mowing the area regularly and keep up with regular lawn maintenance to get the most out of your lawn.

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

Did You Forget to Apply a Pre-Emergent?

Posted on September 2, 2024September 19, 2024 by Sarah

Why You Should Remove Weeds Growing in Your Lawn Now

Did you know that spring is a great time to tackle weeds in your lawn? Treating them now will help prevent the spread, and if you’re lucky, stop weeds before they have a chance to go to seed.

What Weeds Commonly Grow in Spring?

During spring, it is common that you will still see some broadleaf weeds like Bindii and Creeping Oxalis. Once the temperatures have warmed back up, you may notice seasonal summer weeds like Crabgrass, Paspalum and Summer Grass growing.

When Should I Remove Weeds?

This is a common question that we get, and the answer is always when you see them. The benefit of doing this is stopping them before they have a chance to go to seed, and can spread further throughout your lawn, and before they can grow and take over more sections of your lawn.

Why Should I Remove Broadleaf Weeds Now

Broadleaf weeds can increase in growth when temperatures rise. Some common broadleaf weeds that will grow throughout the warmer months are Bindii, Clover, Creeping Oxalis, Chickweed, Lambs Tongue and more. These broadleaf weeds can be treated relatively quickly using a broadleaf herbicide. Popular herbicide options include hose on All Purpose Weed Control or concentrate Amgrow Bin Die.

Why You Should Remove Bindii Now

If you happen to have the dreaded Bindii growing, now is an ideal time to treat it before it produces its prickly weed pods. It is these seed pods that contain the prickly seeds that cause pain to our bare feet when walking on your lawn. So, if you happen to have Bindii growing in your lawn, it is best to treat it now before it goes to seed. For removal, use a broadleaf herbicide.

How Can I Limit Weeds in My Lawn?

Ensuring your lawn is thick and healthy will create less space in the profile for weeds to grow. With a healthy and thick lawn there will be increased competition for resources including soil, nutrients and sunlight. With this, it will become more difficult for the weeds to grow. For more tips and advice on how to help get your lawn thick and healthy this spring, check out our Spring Lawn Care blog here.

Ensuring you are mowing your lawn regularly will further help limit weeds in your lawn. Regular mowing will also help weaken the weed while it is using a large amount of energy to grow.

Should I Use a Pre-Emergent Herbicide?

Pre-emergent herbicides, as the name suggests help stop weeds before they start to emerge. They target weed seedlings while they are germinating before they start to appear in your lawn. Oxafertand Oxafert Plus pre-emergents will target seasonal summer weeds, including Summer Grass, Crab Grass, Crowsfoot and Creeping Oxalis.

It is important to note that timing your application is also important to ensure you stop the weeds before they start to germinate and grow. For summer weeds, it is best to apply your pre-emergent in early to mid-spring or when the temperatures are starting to warm back up in your region.

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

Why Now is the Best Time to Spring Your Lawn into Shape

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Sarah

Did you know that now is the best time of the year to start getting your lawn into shape? Whether you need to give your lawn some much-needed TLC or want to start fresh with a new lawn, spring is the ideal time to get started!

Why is Spring an Ideal Time to Fix Your Lawn?

With temperatures set to warm up over the coming weeks our lawns will start to actively grow again. The temperatures are usually warm enough for new growth, but not hot enough that the grass will be under stress from the scorching summer sun. This makes it an ideal time to focus on repairing any damage that may have occurred over winter or address any underlying issues the lawn may be facing.

Should I Remove Weeds from My Lawn in Spring?

If there are weeds growing in your lawn, it is best to treat them as soon as possible to help prevent them from spreading further. Treating weeds now will also limit the competition your lawn will face, allowing the turf to grow stronger and thicker quickly.

When treating common broadleaf weeds like Clover and Bindii, you can look at using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control. If you are not sure what weed type you have growing in your lawn, check out our Ultimate Weed Guide for identification and removal tips here.If you want to get ahead of the game and prevent weeds before they start to appear in your lawn, look into using a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert and Oxafert Plus.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Fertiliser Application This Spring

When applying fertiliser to your lawn this spring, timing is key. If your application is too early, before temperatures start to warm back up, your lawn won’t be growing at a fast enough rate to use the fertiliser effectively.

So, when should I apply fertiliser to my lawn this spring? The answer is when the temperatures are consistently warmer and when you have noticed that the lawn has begun to actively grow again.

If you are wanting a granular fertiliser, our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser, available in both a 4kg bucket and a 10kg bucket. This fertiliser contains both a fast and slow-release granule to give your lawn a good upfront boost heading out of winter dormancy, and also contains a slow-release granule that will continue to feed the lawn for 12 weeds for a sustained boost. This fertiliser contains a balanced ratio of nutrients and trace elements to encourage strong growth and rich colour.

If you prefer to use liquid lawn care products, a great fertiliser option is Exceed Liquid Fertiliser, available in both a 2L Hose-on bottle and a 2.5L concentrate.

Should I Aerate My Lawn this Spring?

Over the last six months we have been experiencing high amounts of rainfall. With this and increased cloud cover, it has made our lawns sit damp for longer periods of time. When this occurs, with combined foot traffic, the soil underneath can become compacted. This compaction can make it difficult for air, water and nutrients to reach the roots of your lawn. To help alleviate this compaction, it is recommended to aerate your lawn.

Aeration typically involves using a garden fork, tyne aerator or aerator sandals to create space within the profile. When aerating with a garden fork or tyne aerator, simply drive the fork into the profile and give it a good wiggle back and forth to fracture the soil profile. Repeat this across the whole lawn. If you have a larger area that is too big to aerate by hand, you can look at hiring a mechanical aerator.

This process will help your lawn become healthier, stronger and thicker.

Do I Need to Renovate My Lawn This Spring?

If you’re looking to get drastic results with your lawn this spring or are needing to give your lawn some extra TLC, look at renovating your lawn this spring. Lawn renovations can help improve soil quality, compaction, improve your lawns levels, and remove thatch, all improving the all-round appearance of your lawn.

Typically, lawn renovations will start off with removing all weeds from your lawn. A few weeks after this and when temperatures are consistently warmer, you can then scalp or dethatch your lawn, aerate, fertilise and top dress. Initially after this process your lawn won’t look the best, but over a few weeks, your lawn will improve drastically!

For more information on how to complete a lawn renovation, check out our Lawn Renovation video series here.

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

Beware Plants That Can Hurt Your Dog

Posted on August 20, 2024October 31, 2024 by Sarah

Did you know that some common house plants can be toxic to pets? Pets are curious creatures and can get into our garden beds, flower beds, and house plants, so ensuring the plants around them are safe is vital. In this blog, we look at what plants are safe for pets and what plants are not.

What Makes Plants Toxic for Our Pets?

Different types of plants contain various substances, all which can differently impact our pets. While some plants are harmless, others can cause mild side effects, and others can cause significant harm. There are some factors which can increase the severity of a reaction, including the amount ingested, size of your dog, age and overall health of the dog.

Common Symptoms Your Pet May Have from Plant Poisoning

Some common symptoms that your pets are experiencing plant poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, tremors, pain, difficulty breathing and heart rhythm abnormalities. If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is best to consult with your local vet as soon as possible.

What Can I Do to Help Prevent My Dog from Getting Sick?

The first step is to know what plants your pets are exposed to at home. Then you will be able to assess the plants toxicity. For a full and detailed list of that plants are toxic to your pets, check out ASPCA’s extensive list here.

What Plants Are Not Safe for Dogs?

There is also a wide variety of plants that you should be cautious about when you have pets. Below are ten common plants that are not safe for your dog:

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis). Aloe Vera is safe around dogs but can cause harm when ingested.
Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp.). This plant contains lycorine at its bulb which is not safe for pets.
Azalea (Rhododendron spp.). Azalea’s contain cardiovascular toxins which can weaken the heartbeat of your pets.
Begonia (Begonia spp.). Although the most toxic part of the plant is underground, it is best to keep your pets away.
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.). Chrysanthemums contain chemicals including pyrethrin and sesquiterpene which are toxic to pets.
Cyclamen (Cyclamen spp.). Cyclamen contains triterpenoid saponins, which can cause extreme irritation. This plant contains its highest concentration of triterpenoid saponins at the plant’s roots, so if your pet happens to get the plant roots, it can cause serious health effects.
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.). Daffodils flowers and underground bulbs contain the toxin lycorine. Like other plants with bulbs, the highest concentration will be at the bulb of the plant.
Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.) Dieffenbachia if ingested can cause burning and swelling of the mouth.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Although these plants are stunning to look at, they can be highly toxic if eaten, causing sever nausea and vomiting.
Lantana (Lantana camara) Lantana is not only a noxious weed but is toxic to pets. If you do happen to spot some of this plant growing in your garden, it is best to remove it as soon as possible.

What Plants Are Safe for Use Around My Dogs?

A wide variety of plants are safe for use around dogs. A few of our favourite plants are:

African Violet (Saintpaulia)
Petunias (Petunia)
Callistemon (Bottlebrush)
Grevillea (Spider Flower)
Sunflowers
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Zebra Plant (Aphelandra squarrosa)
Magnolia Trees

10 Facts About Grass You Probably Didn’t Know

Posted on August 19, 2024August 19, 2024 by Sarah

Grass is everywhere! It’s in our parks, at our homes and in fields where our food grows. But there are some facts about grass that you probably don’t know! Test your turfgrass knowledge and see which facts you do and don’t know.

Fact 1 – 1 Acre of Grass (4,047m2) Will Supply Enough Oxygen for 64 People a Day!

This accounts to 63m2 creating enough oxygen for one person per day (Maryland Agricultural Statics Service). This is far greater than trees, where 1 acre will produce enough oxygen for 18 people per day (Growing Air Foundation).

Fact 2 – Wheat is a Type of Grass!

Wheat, the most widely grown crop in the world is actually a type of grass! All grains, including rice, corn and oats are all examples of different grass types.

Fact 3 – The Leaf of Grass is Made up of Around 75% – 85% Water

Grass is mostly made up of water! This is similar to selected veggies and other plants, with lettuce up to 96% water, celery and tomatoes being 95% water and cauliflower 92% water.

Fact 4 – The Temperature on a Natural Green Lawn in Summer Can Be 10 Degrees Less than Bare Soil, 20 Degrees Less than Asphalt, Concrete or Pebbles and 40 Degrees Less than Synthetic Grass!

You want your home to be as cool as possible on hot summer days. A natural turf surface can significantly help cool your home! On a 28-degree day in Sydney, a synthetic sports field measured a whopping 88 degrees, posing serious health hazards (Turf Australia).

Fact 5 – There are Currently 11,500 Accepted Species of Grass.

Another estimated 1,500 species of grass taxonomists (biologists who group organisms into categories) have yet to be added to this list as it is still considered a work in progress (National Museum of Natural History).

Fact 6 – Zoysia Grasses Have More Genetic Diversity that a Plant Breeder Can Use to Create New Grasses Compared to Other Grasses like Buffalo.

Zoysia grasses have around 600 unique Zoysia plants that have been collected from across the world. These 600 grasses are used as the foundation for breeding new Zoysia grasses. Whereas buffalo grasses have around 30-40 plants to create new buffalo grasses.

Fact 7 – Pink Flamingos Are the Most Popular Lawn Decoration

Did you know that around 250,000 pink flamingo lawn decorations are sold each year? Although these are not a common decoration here in Australia, they are more commonly found on lawns across the United States.

Fact 8 – Frank J. Scott Wrote the First Lawn Care Book in 1870

The first lawn care book, The Art of Beautifying a Suburban Home Grounds, was written by Frank J. Scott, in New York, USA. This book has more recently been selected by scholars as being culturally significant, therefore it has been preserved, reproduced and is generally available to the public.

Fact 9 – Grass Grows on Every Continent, including Antarctica!

Yes, even grass grows in Antarctica! One of the main grasses growing in the cool regions of the Antarctic Circle is Deschampsia antarctica, more commonly known as Antarctic Hair Grass.

Fact 10 – TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Was Hand Selected Out of Almost 30,000 Different Bermuda Turf Varieties

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda was bred by one of the world’s leading turfgrass breeders, the University of Georgia. This grass was chosen out of almost 30,000 other grasses due to its superior qualities in drought tolerance, shade tolerance, wear tolerance, and winter colour. TifTuf is also the only turfgrass in Australia to be awarded with the Smart Approved Watermark. This award is for its superior drought tolerance, needing on average 38% less water than other turf varieties.

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