Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia - Page 17 of 27

How to Fix Tyre Marks in Lawns

Do you have unattractive tyre marks in your lawn? In this blog, we look at a few methods you can use to help repair these, plus tips on how to avoid ruts from occurring.

What causes tyre marks or ruts?

Ruts can occur when objects like cars, motorbikes and even the kids’ bikes move over grass with saturated soil. When this happens, the soil can often sink and become compacted, creating divots.

Assessing the damage

The first step is to assess the damage. Are the ruts only shallow (up to 10 cm deep) or deep (over 10cm deep)? After you have determined this, we can look at the best way to repair it.

Small ruts

Small ruts up to 10cm deep can be fixed by loosening up the soil base below the lawn.

To do this, use a garden fork and insert it underneath the rut. Then pull the fork down, lifting the turf back up. It is best to lift the affected turf a few cm above the unaffected turf so it can level out over the coming days. Continue to do this around the affected area.

Big ruts

For larger ruts there are a few extra simple steps to follow.

Firstly, use a spade to cut 3 sides along the rut. Then lift and fold the grass over so you can access to the soil underneath the rut. Then use a garden fork or your spade to loosen up the soil underneath. If your soil is not level after this, bring in some sandy loam or turf underlay to bring the soils level back up. Then you can fold your turf back onto the soil and let it grow back in

If the turf in the rut is badly damaged, you may want to look at using a few turf rolls from your local turf supplier. When doing this, it is best to use the same variety as your existing lawn. Cut the turf to the required size and lay it over the prepared soil.

After repairing your rut, it is important to keep traffic in the affected area to a minimum while the grass is repairing itself and irrigate regularly. In winter, most warm season grasses like buffalo, couch, kikuyu and zoysia will need the warmer temperatures in spring to start repairing. In spring, you can also give these areas a fertilise to help promote extra growth.

tyre mark on lawn repair

How to avoid ruts in your lawn

The easy answer, stop people driving and parking on your lawn.

Roping off your area is an easy way to help stop others driving on your lawn. You can place small stakes into your grass and tie rope to them. This will act as a small reminder to others to not drive on your lawn.

Another option is to add a sign on your lawn to keep off the grass. Like this one available at Bunnings.

keep off grass sign

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

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What You Shouldn’t Be Doing to Your Lawn This Winter

During winter, most lawns across Australia will enter a level of dormancy, slowing down the growth of your lawn. In this blog, we look at what lawn care activities you should avoid over the winter months.

Scalp/Dethatching Your Lawn

Scalping and dethatching involve giving your lawn a low mow to remove the excess build-up of thatch. Scalping can also be done to reduce the height of your lawn, especially if it has grown too long in between mows, or during a lawn renovation.

Scalping/dethatching is beneficial when done in spring and summer. Removing this thatch layer will help aid more nutrients and air reach your soil profile so it can more effectively feed your lawn. It will also help allow for proper drainage, helping prevent the risk of fungal issues.

When this is done, your lawn will often need a few weeks to grow back to repair itself. If this is done when heading into or in the cooler months, the lawn will not be growing at a fast enough rate for it to repair itself. Therefore best to avoid doing this to your lawn over winter and wait till spring and summer.

dethatching

Top Dressing

Top dressing is also best avoided in winter. This can be done to either help improve the nutrients in your lawns soil base or to help fix holes and uneven lawn. Top dressing will help increase nutrient retention, improve drainage, and increase disease and pest resistance. This will also help reduce the accumulation of dead grass clippings and stems, known as ‘thatch’.

When top dressing to improve levels, it is often best to use sand. When top dressing to improve the soil profile it is best to use a sandy loam that contains a blend of sand and organic material.

Although top dressing does have many benefits, it should only be done throughout the warmer months. If top dressing is done in the cooler months the lawn will often not be growing at a fast enough rate to repair itself, smothering the lawn and limiting all/most sunlight for extended periods of time. Therefore it is best to avoid top dressing your lawn in winter.

top dress

Watering

For the most part, fully established lawns shouldn’t need much additional irrigation. However, throughout the warmer months in spring, summer, and autumn, additional irrigation may be needed if:

  • The leaf is wilting or losing colour.
  • If a footprint is left behind on the lawn when you walk across it. If your lawn is well hydrated it should be able to bounce back.
  • During hot weather, if it is looking dry, taking on a brown colour, there’s a good chance it needs water.

If your lawn needs water, it is best to irrigate it early in the morning. This will help reduce water loss due to evaporation and limit fungal disease. In winter, rainfall should provide sufficient irrigation to your lawn. During winter most lawns will receive less light throughout the day. When additional watering’s are done, the lawn can often sit damp without the opportunity to dry out. In some cases, this can lead to the grass developing fungal diseases.

watering lawn sprinkler

Granular fertilising

Granular fertilisers are a great way to help give your lawn a sustained boost, delivering nutrients that your lawn needs to thrive. These fertilisers are best used throughout the warmer months when your lawn is actively growing. When the lawn is actively growing, it can absorb these nutrients as they are released.

fertilise lawn

If your lawn looks like it needs a boost during winter, it is best to use liquid fertiliser products like Exceed and soil conditioner like Lawn Kelper.

exceed liquid fertiliserlawn kelper

While all these lawn care activities are and provide many benefits for the lawn, they should be avoided during the cooler winter months. For more information on what lawn care activities you can do during the cooler months, check out our winter lawn care blog here.

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Attracting Native Birds to Your Garden

Native birds are an important part of many ecosystems, pollinating plants, seed dispersal, and insect and rodent control. By attracting more native birds to your lawn, you will help keep your local ecosystem balanced. But how can you attract these native birds to your garden?

Birds native to each region

In different regions you can expect to see different types of native birds.

In Sydney, some native birds you can see outside the city include Nankeen kestrel, Superb fairy-wren, Rainbow lorikeet, Red wattlebird and more.

Native birds you can encounter in Melbourne include White-plumed honeyeater, Bell miner, Eastern rosella, and more.

For more information on what nativebirds you can find in your backyard, check out the Australian Museum page here.

native birds australia

Plant native plants around your lawn

Using a variety of native plants in your garden will help create a comfortable environment to attract native birds to your area. When planting to attract birds, we recommend using a variety of low lying and medium size shrubs and high trees. By using a variety of plants, you will provide more options for all bird sizes on your area.

Low growing plants will help attract many smaller native birds like Wrens and Finches and members of the Honeyeater family.

Medium shrubs provide a safe place for many smaller birds as they can provide a place to hide from danger.

If space allows high trees provide a high vantage point for birds allowing them to feel safe as they can see their surroundings and food sources.

Different native plant options include Grevilleas, Bottlebrush, Banksias and Gum Trees.

Some native plants are better suited to different regions of Australia, so it is best to chat with your local nursery to see which plants are suited to your region.

native birds australia

Bird baths and water features

Birds are attracted to areas with water. Bird baths as the name suggests provide a place to bathe and drink and socialise. Bird baths are best placed near surrounding trees and shrubs and placed off the ground. This will help them feel safer with their surroundings. It is also best to add a few rocks or sticks in the middle of the bird bath to help make it easier for smaller birds to use. Keep your bird bath clean with fresh water will help make it a more attractive place for birds to stop

Did you know that birds are also attracted to running water? The sound of moving water can attract birds to stop and drink, rest and bathe. If your budget allows, it can be a great feature for us to enjoy and the birds too!how to attract native birds

Nesting boxes and nesting material

If you have large trees in your garden, you might want to try adding nesting boxes! These will provide a space for birds and other animals to live, rest and take refuge. You can buy nesting boxes from a local garden or hardware store or even build your own!

We also recommend leaving out nesting material like sticks, grass clippings and fallen leaves for birds to use.

nesting boxes birds

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

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Trending Landscape Materials with Charlie Albone

The last few weeks have been big in the landscaping calendar with the eyes of the horticultural world set firmly on a small square of land in London’s glitziest suburb of Chelsea. The most prestigious flower show in the world “The RHS Chelsea Flower Show” is known for setting the trend when it comes to materials, plants, and techniques for building for years to come and after a brief covid hiatus the 2022 year was a big welcome back.

This year’s show had a huge movement to rewilding the landscape. Making it look and feel untouched by human hand. The top honours and ‘best in show’ award went to a landscape that had been created as if beavers had been reintroduced into the English countryside. Although I can appreciate the artistry in making a landscape look untouched, I’m more of a ‘working with nature to achieve a garden that can be used an appreciated by the owner’ type of guy.

I’m sure most of us don’t or can’t really imagine having a beaver sanctuary rather than a garden. But it is food for thought on the way we create our gardens moving forward. How can we be lighter on our environment? How can we be lighter with our own personal spaces when creating gardens so wildlife (insects, bees and native animals like wallabies, possums, and echidnas) can still have a place in our gardens. Many of the show exhibits on display had an area dedicated to such a space, a bug hotel, a bee hive or a pile of twigs for lizards to live in. I feel this is something easy to do and beneficial for all gardens, no matter the location.

bug hotel

Many of the gardens had changed hard paved pathways and surfaces for gravel. This allows water to get into the ground quicker and lessen run off easing the strain on our drains and waterways. Most English people don’t go outside without shoes for the fear of frost bite so I can understand the heavy use of gravel. My alternative a well-maintained lawn will also allow water into the ground slowly but be easier on the eye and softer underfoot! I’m a huge fan of Sir Grange Zoysia for its soft foliage, but any of the premium Lawn Solutions turf varieties, Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo or TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda will do just the trick.

tiftuf

Closer to home the Australian garden is moving towards more plants to offset the often heavily constructed outdoor landscape. We tend to design our garden to be practical so we can make the most of our amazing climate. This comes with large areas of paving, pavilions or pergolas, bench seating and swimming pools. To really make these elements stand out in the garden you need large areas of garden beds and lawns. This will help offset the built elements and help them sit comfortably in the landscape.

Almost every design I have completed since the beginning of the pandemic includes a veggie patch or a space to grow your own herbs. With more people spending time at home and reflecting on their lifestyle a space to turn the dirt regularly and produce even the smallest number of edible plants is highly sought after. Displaying this area has become more than just a steel raised bed. Clients investing in sturdy, long lasting construction methods, such as brick, stone, or timber. This shows it’s a trend that is here to stay.

With more plants comes the need to improve soil more. This will help get the best out of the investment you plant into the ground. With the inundation of rain the east coast has of recent times, getting the drainage right for contemporary plantings of succulents and cacti is imperative. Getting the soil right for turf grasses is also vital for their success and consideration of surface run off into these areas should also be looked at when planning a space.

When it comes to a swimming pool the filtration system needs to be considered. Often the water from a pool will end up in your garden beds and lawns so less chemicals are preferred. Enviroswim and magnesium filtrations are really being pushed as a great alternative as the wash they create is easy on the plants and surrounding soils.

swimming pool

With our hard landscapes, stone and tiles have become more and more popular. They add texture, warmth, and a point of interest in the garden. Walling stone has more of a rustic touch with free from stone. Stone has being seen in various applications like feature walls, benches and boundary fences and pillars. Getting the right stone mason for the installation of these products will make or break the success of the stone in the garden. Get it right and the feature is a standout. Getting it wrong leads to an expensive problem. This problem will need to be fixed as if designed properly this will be a key area that needs to be perfect.

Feature tiles are showing a bit of an emergence, being used outdoors like they are used indoors. Fluted marbles and textural basalts are being used for key areas where the vista requires a standout element. The pros of this trend – it looks amazing. The con – the cost!

Landscape trends are forever changing with elements and products swapping place on the main stage. My best piece of advice is to select materials and finishes that you love. That way even if they are not ‘trendy’ they will put a smile on your face and enrich your lifestyle.

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Guide for Fertilising TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is a low input grass and when it comes to fertilising a less is more approach is best for great results. As TifTuf is already a fast-growing grass, applying too much fertiliser will increase this growth rate and can create a few issues if applied too frequently. So, how much fertiliser should you be applying to your TifTuf lawn and when? Let’s find out…

Why is applying the correct amount of fertiliser important?

When the correct amount of nutrients is applied, your lawn will be able to grow and perform at its maximum potential.

If it is lacking nutrients, your lawn may look hungry and need a boost of nutrients to get back to its former glory.

When too many nutrients are applied, in many cases the lawn will have a surge in growth and will begin to grow excess thatch. This will often leave the grass needing a renovation to remove this in spring and summer.

What fertiliser rates should you be using?

TifTuf is best fertilised with no more than 1.4kg per 100m2 of actual nitrogen every calendar year. For a larger area this equates to 14 kg over 1,000m2. It is best not to exceed this to help avoid a build-up of thatch.

Our recommendations

Granular fertiliser

If you want to use a granular fertiliser, we recommend applying Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser 2 times a year at 2.5kg per 100m2 (0.8kg of actual nitrogen). This will ensure you don’t over-apply nitrogen for the year.

For best results we recommend applying once in spring and again in autumn. This will provide your lawn with adequate nitrogen year-round, while giving an allowance for the nitrogen component within other forms of fertilisers applied to your lawn throughout the year.

lawn fertiliser

Liquid Fertiliser

For liquid fertilisers we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Exceed Liquid Fertiliser. When applying Exceed we recommend applying this 4 times a year. Once in spring, summer, autumn, and winter at the application rate of 194ml per 100m2. This application rate will ensure you can apply it with the recommended amount of granular per year as outlined above, without exceeding the recommended amount of actual nitrogen.

exceed liquid fertiliser

Is your TifTuf growing too fast in between mows?

If you can’t mow TifTuf as regularly as you would like, a Plant Growth Regulator (PGR) like Primo Maxx can come in handy.

PGRs will suppress the lawns vertical growth diverting its energy into lateral growth activity, helping it become denser. This will significantly reduce your required mowing frequency. These plant growth regulators are best applied during the warmer months when the lawn is actively growing.

primo maxx

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

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What is the Best Lawn for Pets and Kids?

Our pets and kids are often the ones who will spend the most time out on the lawn. Finding a grass that can thrive while receiving lots of wear will ensure your lawn will look and perform great in the future. This blog looks at the characteristics you should look for when choosing the best variety.

What characteristics should I look for when choosing turf? 

When looking at varieties that are best suited for pets and kids, we recommend making sure the grass has a soft leaf that feels great underfoot for the kids to play on, has a high wear tolerance, and has a fast-repairing nature so that if damage occurs it can repair quickly.

Sir Walter Buffalo kid friendly grass

How much sunlight does grass need?

Sunlight is another crucial consideration when choosing the best turf variety for your area. If your area receives quite a lot of shade, you will need to make sure you are choosing a shade tolerant turf variety. On the other hand, if the area you want to install turf gets plenty of sun, you will have more options.

grass in shade

What grass should i install for a high-wear area?

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda 

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is an excellent choice for high-wear areas due to its fast-repairing nature. This means if it gets damaged by pets, kids or general wear and tear it can repair itself quickly. This grass is loved not only for its fast-repairing nature but its beautiful soft fine leaf that feels great underfoot.

Not only does this grass perform well, it also looks fantastic! TifTuf is a well-known grass in the turf industry for looking great, especially where other grasses fail! TifTuf can be mown as short as 5mm for a manicured look. For this reason, it has been the grass of choice across many sporting fields not only in Australia, but across the globe!

It is the only grass in Australia to be awarded with the Smart Approved Water Mark for its water saving abilities both throughout establishment and after. When choosing TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda we recommend that your area receives at least 5-6 hours of direct light. This varieties fast repairing nature can require a few extra mows throughout the warmer months as it grows at a quicker rate.

You can find more information on TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda here.

greener environments

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What grass should i choose for my family?

Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo 

Sir Walter is the grass of choice for many Aussie families. This is a versatile grass with a beautiful low allergenic soft broad leaf well suited to the Australian climate.

This grass has a soft leaf that can stand up to wear and tear from pets and kids. Sir Walter has a lush green leaf and a dense growing nature giving your lawn look lush! This dense growing nature can also help block out many weeds from growing in your grass.

Sir Walter DNA Certified is a versatile grass that can handle full sun and shaded areas. It needs a minimum of 3-4 hours of direct light per day or scattered light throughout the day. This variety is low maintenance grass. It is best mown between 30 to 50mm high, shorter during summer and longer in winter.

Sir Walter DNA Certified has stood the test of time since it was introduced to the market in 1997. It has remained Australia’s best buffalo grass.

You can find more information on Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo here.

Sir Walter Buffalo DNA Certified turf

For more specific advice on choosing the best lawn to suit your family’s pets and kids, it is best to chat with your local Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier. You can see who your local Lawn Solutions turf suppliers are and their contact details by using this link and entering your postcode here.

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Laying Turf in Wet Weather

When laying turf in wet weather, you can take a few extra simple steps to ensure you get the best results.

Ground preparation for turf

When preparing an area for turf we recommend using a non-selective herbicide like Roundup or Zero. When spraying is best to wait for a break in rainfall. This will help ensure that the herbicide won’t wash away, increasing its effectiveness. After your application has taken effect, give the area a low mow. This will help pick up all the dead plant material. This is best done a few weeks before your turf arrives to ensure you have enough time if repeated applications are needed.

Soil for turf

We recommend bringing in at least 100mm of sandy loam (80% sand, 20% loam) when installing grass. For Sir Grange Zoysia, an underlay of 100 – 200ml of washed river sand is recommended.

We recommend bringing in your soil a few days before when laying turf in wet weather. This will help avoid the soil washing away. When bringing in soil, avoid it sitting in an area that regularly has water running when it rains, e.g., near a drain. Spreading out soil will be a bit more of a labour-intensive task. It is best to wait in a gap of heavy rainfall and spread the soil out evenly. We recommend using a rake or a lawn leveller to help make the base level. Once the area is level, keep off the area until installing your lawn.

soil

Laying turf

When your turf arrives, it is best to install it as soon as possible. If your soil levels have been disturbed, it is best to use a lawn leveller or rake to even out the soil. Start by laying out your turf in a brickwork pattern at the furthest away from the exit.

laying turf

Caring for a new lawn

After laying turf in wet weather it is important to avoid walking on the lawn until the lawn is established. This will firstly help keep your lawn level (stopping any footprint divots in the soil base) and will help ensure the grass can establish its roots into the soil base as soon as possible. If the soil base still isn’t level, once the lawn is established you can top dress the lawn to improve levels. Please note it is best to only top dress in spring and summer while the lawn is actively growing.

top dress

If your area continues to receive rainfall after instillation, you will need to adjust your watering. For example, if you area is getting lots of rain, you will not need to water. However, if you do have a break in rainfall may need to irrigate the area. As the roots of your lawn grow into the soil base, you can reduce any additional irrigation. For specific advice on irrigation for your current conditions, it is best to have a chat with your local turf supplier.

Due to the wet conditions, weeds have a higher rate of infiltrating your lawn. After establishment, if you notice weeds popping through the lawn it is best to simply remove them by hand. It is best to avoid using herbicides on the lawn until the lawn is established.

When there are periods of excessive rainfall, the nutrients in your soil base in some cases can be washed and drained away. This is known as soil leaching. To remedy this loss of nutrients you can apply a well balanced fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser or Exceed.

lawn fertiliserexceed liquid fertiliser

Your new lawn should be ready for its first mow once the roots of the grass grow down into the soil profile. To see if it is ready, try to lift the corner of a turf roll from the ground. Your lawn will be ready to mow if you can’t lift the roll from the ground.

Lawn Mowing Getting the Basics Right

For more specific advice on installing turf in your area it is best to have a chat with your local turf suppliers. You can see who your local suppliers are here.

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How to Help Your Lawn Repair After Grub Damage

Lawn grubs have been particularly prevalent this year, affecting and damaging many Aussie lawns. If your lawn has been impacted by grubs, you may be wondering what the best way is to help your lawn repair itself. In this blog, we look at a few simple steps to help get your lawn on the mend.

Are grubs in your lawn?

If you have just noticed that your lawn has become damaged by grubs or armyworm, it is best to treat them as soon as possible so less damage occurs. For removing grubs and armyworm we recommend a fast-acting insecticide like Battle Insecticide for treating the adult Black Beetles as soon as possible.

battle insecticide bifenthrin

Prevention is the best solution

To help prevent another grub and armyworm invasion on your lawn apply a preventative insecticide like Grub Guard Ultimate, Acelepryn GR and Acelepryn Liquid. One application of Grub Guard Ultimate will protect the lawn for 6 months. 2 Applications of Grub Guard Ultimate will provide a year’s worth of protection for your lawn.

Grub Guard Ultimate is one of the safest insecticides on the market. It works by targeting a specific muscle receptor that is common with damage causing insects like armyworm and grubs. Other non-damage causing organisms like bees, earthworms, birds, fish, and mammals don’t use the same muscle receptor making it safe to use around other non-target organisms.

grub guard ultimate

Ensuring grubs are fully removed

Lawn grubs and armyworms have different stages in their lifecycle. This often means it can take a few repeated applications of a fast-acting insecticide 7 days apart to fully remove them.

If you are unsure of whether there are still grubs and armyworm in your lawn it is best to do a grub test. To do a grub test, mix a bucket of soapy water and pour it over the edge of an affected area (where the grass is brown or dry). Keep an eye on it and after about 10 minutes or so, usually if they are there, they will come up to the surface. This test is best done at dawn or dusk when they are most likely to be active.

lawn grub

Rake out the dead material

If there is a lot of dry and dead plant material present, give the area a light rake. Removing any dry and dead material will help the lawn thicken up and recover quicker. Be careful to not remove too much of the grasses runners as it can still grow back and repair from here.

Irrigation

After a grub attack, a lot or most of the leaves of your grass may have been removed. This too will remove a lot of the moisture from your lawn. To help replace lost moisture, irrigate regularly during the recovery period. You can adjust the duration and number of times you need to water to suit current conditions.

watering lawns

Mowing

While the grass is repairing itself you still want to ensure you are mowing frequently. Mowing is important to help ensure your lawn stays healthy during recovery. By mowing regularly, you will help encourage lateral growth and further thickening of the lawn.

As a general guide it is best to mow frequently enough so that only one third of the leaf is removed with each pass. This will help reduce stress on the lawn, especially while it is repairing.

mowing height

Fertilising

Following grub damage it is best to hold off from fertilising your lawn until your lawn can green up naturally. It is best to wait until the lawn has had about 50% green up/recovery to then apply a fertiliser. This may seem tedious to wait and then fertilise, but you want to ensure you won’t be causing any extra stress and possible fertiliser burn.

After you the lawn has naturally greened up apply a fertiliser. We recommend using our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser as it contains both fast and slow release granules packed with nutrients your lawn needs to grow and repair itself. This fertiliser continues to release nutrients to your lawn for up to 12 weeks, for a sustained boost.

lawn fertiliser

Lawn Kelper is another great option to help give your lawn a boost during the recovery period. Lawn Kelper is a liquid nutrient package designed to increase turf vigour, stimulate leaf growth, and strengthen roots. This can be applied at monthly intervals.

 

lawn kelper

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

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Getting to know Sir Grange Zoysia

Sir Grange Zoysia is one of the world’s best-looking grasses. It’s beautiful carpet like appearance when cut short or its high-end landscaped appearance when left unmown, make it one of the most versatile grasses available.

The Sir Grange Story

Sir Grange is a fine bladed Zoysia Matrella that was hand selected from over 10,000 different turf cultivar varieties.

With geographical adaptability, tolerance to varying pH levels and soils, and a built-in mechanism to extract salts from the soil, it offers great versatility.

Sir Grange was developed by one of the largest turf grass breeders, Blade Runner Farms in Texas by Mr David Douget. Bladerunner Farms has the largest privately owned zoysia grass research facility in the world.

Sir Grange is sold in the USA and Asia under the trademark of BRF Zeon Zoysia. Sir Grange’s superior traits and beautiful dark green leaf have seen it become the top-selling zoysia grass in the USA.

This grass has been used on many world-famous projects such as on the Rio Olympics Golf Course and can also be seen on several courses designed by Greg Norman and Tiger Woods.

Sir Grange was originally developed for the golf industry, but it was soon discovered that due to its characteristics, it would make a fantastic home lawn.

sir grange zoysia

Sir Grange Establishment

Once Sir Grange establishes a root system of 200mm or more it is extremely shade and drought tolerant.

It requires a good sand or sandy loam base of at least 100mm. In cooler climates like Victoria a straight washed sand is recommended to assist in quicker establishment, the more you have the better the lawn will perform.

It is a slow growing lawn so it can take up to 18 weeks of warm season growing conditions to fully establish, however once this is achieved the result is very rewarding.

soil test

Sir Grange Maintenance

When fully established it will use very little fertiliser and water, will have high shade tolerance, and require a lot less mowing than most varieties.

  • Requires up to 50% less mowing than other common turf varieties
  • Can be mowed at a wide range of heights
  • Requires 75% less nitrogen than other common turf varieties. In many cases will need little to no fertiliser at all.

You only need to water your established lawn if it looks dry or conditions are extreme. Sir Grange can be mown at regular intervals at a height you desire between 10 and 50mm. Or you can even leave it unmown for landscaped areas of the garden, edges, or slopes.

sir grange grass

Fertilising

Fertiliser use should be minimal; only fertilise if your lawn looks hungry and loses colour. If you fertilise, try to use a lawn blend with little to no nitrogen. Something with an NPK blend of 5-5-10, or at 25% of the label rate of a standard lawn fertiliser.

Sir Grange Zoysia is the only licenced and pure source of BRF Zeon Zoysia in Australia.

When purchasing your Sir Grange Zoysia lawn, make sure you are dealing with a genuine Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier.

 You can find the contact details of these suppliers near you here.

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Getting to know TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda has been taking the lawn industry by storm in recent years. TifTuf has superior drought tolerance, speedy recovery, and just like its name is tough and hardy. Because of traits like this, TifTuf is now commonly referred to as the ‘smart grass’ or ‘alpha grass’.

The TifTuf Story

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is the product of almost 25 years of research and development from one of the world’s leading turfgrass breeders, the University of Georgia in Tifton. Tifton is famous for grasses like Tif Eagle, Tif Sport and now TifTuf.

TifTuf was hand selected out of almost 30,000 different Bermuda or couch grass varieties, showing superior qualities in drought tolerance, shade tolerance, wear tolerance and winter colour, while maintaining excellent turf quality.

The breeding program out of Georgia in recent years was focused on finding grasses that were more environmentally friendly and drought tolerant.

This research resulted in TifTuf, or DT-1 as it is scientifically known, meaning drought tolerant number 1. DT-1 was developed by industry renowned turf scientists, Drs Wayne Hanna, and Brian Schwartz.

Further extensive independent trials and assessments were then conducted on TifTuf in Australian conditions. This grass was a clear stand out performer in these trials outperforming all other available couch grasses.

tiftuf roots

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda’s release to the Australian market

TifTuf was then released to the Australian market exclusively through the Lawn Solutions Australia national network of turf suppliers.

Here in Australia TifTuf is the first and only grass to be awarded the Smart Approved Water Mark for these exceptional water saving benefits that it was bred for.

TifTuf can be established with a fraction of the water that most other varieties require. Part of this is due to its rapidly establishing root system that can see it take root in less than 7 days, which can be up to 75% quicker than other varieties.

TifTuf has a very fine leaf blade with dense growth, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications. Its density enables it to handle high wear situations like backyards and sports fields whilst its fine blade ensures shade tolerance and a very soft leaf to walk on.

tiftuf

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Maintenance

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is a fast-repairing grass, so when damage does occur it is able to bounce back fast. With its fast-growing nature comes a bit more mowing throughout the warmer months.

If are unable to mow for a few weeks while the turf is actively growing the lawn can get a little long and the likelihood of scalping is possible. When this happens, it is best to reset the height of your lawn.

To do this, mow the lawn a notch or two below your preferred mowing height. Please note after this the lawn won’t look great for the first few weeks, but TifTuf is tough and will bounce back quickly.

On your next mow, raise your mower to your preferred mowing height and continue to mow regularly. Doing this will bring down the grasses stem height so the new green leaf can grow in at a lower height.

We only recommend doing this in the warmer months when the lawn is actively growing.

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR)

If you can’t mow TifTuf as regularly as you would like, a PGR like Primo Maxx can come in handy.

PGR’s will suppress the lawns vertical growth diverting its energy into lateral growth activity helping it to become denser. This will significantly reduce your required mowing frequency.

primo maxx

Fertilising Rates

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda has been bred to require fewer inputs. For TifTuf we only recommend giving the lawn a fertilise twice a year, once in Spring and again in Autumn.

In the warmer summer months, fertilisers are often not needed at all. Excessive fertilising with high amounts of nitrogen should be avoided.

If you want genuine TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, contact your local Lawn Solutions Australia accredited turf member.

What is Australia’s toughest turf variety? It’s TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda.

laying turf

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