Author: Sarah

Are you wanting to know all there is to know about lawn care or need a quick lawn care knowledge refresher? In this blog, we look at the A to Z of lawns!

A – Aeration

Aeration helps the roots of your lawn grow deeply to produce a stronger and healthier lawn. Aeration helps decompact the soil base of your lawn, better allowing for nutrients and water to get to your lawn’s roots. There are a few different tools that you can use to aerate: garden fork, tyne aerator, and aerator sandals.

B – Buffalo grass

Buffalo grasses are a warm-season variety, Native to North and South America, parts of Africa, and the Caribbean. Most Buffalo varieties on the market in Australia are soft leaf buffalo.

Buffalo grass has a broadleaf and only has above-ground stems known as stolons to establish from.

One buffalo variety that has stood the test of time and become an Aussie favorite is Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo.

C – Couch grass

Couch grass (sometimes called Bermuda) is another warm-season variety. Couch is native to most of the eastern hemisphere. This grass is known for its fast growth rate, wear, and drought tolerance.

Couch as a fine leaf and grows from both above and below ground runners.

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda (couch) has a superior drought tolerance, is tough, and has a speedy recovery if it gets damaged. TifTuf is also the only grass in Australia to be awarded the Smart Approved Water Mark for its ability to stand unto drought conditions and save you water.

D – Dogs and your lawn.

Dogs are an important member of many Aussie families, and they spend a lot of their time out on the lawn. With this a few issues like wear and tear, compaction, digging and urine burn can occur. Making sure your lawn is still a place for both you and your pets to enjoy is important. Check out our blog here for more information on how to keep your lawn looking and performing great for both you and your best friend.

E – Ergo Weed Puller

The Ergo Weed Puller is a great tool that helps you pull out weeds without straining your back. It quickly and easily digs down underneath the weed and when extracted removes the entire weed, roots, and all.

F – Fertiliser

Fertilising your grass is not only a great way to keep your lawn looking its best but will also provide the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. There are a few different fertilising products on the market from granular, liquid, slow-release, fast release, and controlled release. Some of our top picks for fertilising all lawns are the Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser and Exceed Liquid Fertiliser.

G – Grubs

If there is a large infestation of grubs or they are causing damage to your lawn, quick action may be required. When grubs damage a lawn, the grass will become dry and straw-like as it would in a drought in patterns across the lawn. If there is an infestation or damage, we recommend using a fast acting insecticide like Battle Insecticide or Grub Guard. Follow-up applications may be needed to ensure the whole lifecycle has been treated. You can also prevent grub and other pest attacks on your lawn by using a preventative product like Grub Guard Ultimate or Acelepryn GR. Please have a look here for more information.

H – HOC (height of cut)

Height of cut refers to the height that your lawn mower cuts at. If you have a cylinder mower you will be able to get a much lower and cleaner cut for your lawn compared to a rotary mower. With varieties like couch and zoysia, you can maintain a lower HOC and other varieties like buffalo prefer a higher HOC due to their above ground runners.

For more information on mowing heights and mowing tips, check out our blog here.

I – Irrigation

Watering your lawn for longer less frequently is best. This will encourage the roots of your lawn to grow deeper into the soil, helping it become more drought tolerant. Watering in the morning before the heat of the day is best. Avoid watering at night, this will help stop the lawn from being damp overnight which can encourage fungal disease.

J – Japonica

Japonica is one of the 3 main types of Zoysia grasses: Zoysia Macrantha, Zoysia Matrella, and Zoysia Japonica.

One of the common types of Zoysia Japonica that are available around Australia is Platinum Zoysia. Japonicas have a medium leaf texture, fair shade and wear tolerance and are more suited to the warmer climates of Australia.

K – Kikuyu grass

Kikuyu grass is native to the highland regions of East Africa. This grass is most well known for being a rapid grower, loving full sun areas and is a great choice for homes, larger spaces, racecourses, and parks.

Kikuyu has a medium-sized leaf and grows from both above and below ground runners.

Eureka Kikuyu is Australia’s number one Kikuyu grass. It has a bright yellow-green colour, superior disease resistance, deep root base and loves full sun.

L – Laying a new lawn

Laying a new lawn can instantly improve the appearance of your garden! When you do lay your new lawn there are a few simple steps to ensure your new lawn thrives once it is installed from choosing the right turf variety for your family and area to preparing your soil base.

For more information on how to install a new lawn, click here.

M – Mowing

Mowing regularly will help your lawn stay healthy and look great! As a rule of thumb, it is best to remove no more one-third of the leaf blade with each mow (except when dethatching).

For more mowing tips, click here.

N – Nitrogen

Nitrogen is one of the key components that your lawn needs to stay healthy. When adding nitrogen to your lawn, it is key to ensure the amount used concedes with the lawns growth rates. Spring and summer are the primary seasons when your lawn will be growing the fastest and searching for a bit more nitrogen. In autumn, little nitrogen is required and in winter not much at all is needed.

O – Oxygen

Oxygen is absorbed through transpiration points on the grass’s roots and leaves. Aeration helps your lawn better absorb oxygen by fracturing up the soil profile, letting air, nutrients and water penetrate to the roots of your lawn.

P – Pigments

Lawn pigment products like ColourGuard Plus are a great way to give your lawn an instant green up! ColourGuard is easy to apply and can be used at any time of the year!

You can find out more information on ColourGuard Plus here.

Q – Quality

All Lawn Solutions Australia Turf Suppliers are committed to supplying our customers with a high-quality turf product. All Lawn Solutions Australia Turf Suppliers are AusGAP Certified; AusGAP helps throughout the entire production process to ensure the turf you receive is a high-quality product, free from weeds, pests, and diseases.

R – Renovation

Lawn Renovations are a great way to help bring your grass to the next level. A typical spring renovation will include getting on top of any weeds that are growing, dethatching, aerating, fertilizing, and top dressing.

For more information on how to renovate your lawn, check out our video series here.

S – Stripes

Lawn Stripes are one of many ways to bring your lawn to the next level. Stripes are made when mowing either with a rotary mower with a roller attachment or with a cylinder mower. When the roller bends the grass towards you, the grass will look dark and when bent in the opposite direction it will appear lighter.

Looking to stripe your lawn? check out our lawn care blog here.

T – Traffic

If a lawn has regular traffic, the soil base underneath your turf can become compacted, impacting your grass. One of the best ways to help alleviate soil compaction caused by traffic is to aerate.

U – Urine burn

Urine burn is often one of the main causes of dead patches on our lawns. As dogs’ urine contains a concentrated amount of nitrogen, grass can become burnt and die off.

For more information on how to help prevent urine burn from occurring, check out our blog on urine burn here.

V – Varieties of grass’s

There are many different varieties of grasses available on the market. From cool season grasses like Fescue and Ryegrass to more common warm season grasses like Buffalo, Couch Kikuyu and Zoysia.

Lawn Solutions Australia has a great range of specialty grasses. You can view our range of turf varieties here.

W – Weeds

Most lawn weeds are simple and easy to remove. For common broadleaf weeds like clover, bindii, cudweed, oxalis, and catsear a broadleaf herbicide All Purpose Weed Control will be able to remove this quite quickly. Other weeds may require a specific herbicide.

For more information on how to remove weeds from your lawn, check out our lawn care blogs here.

X – Xylem and phloem in grass

Xylem (plant vascular tissue) and Phloem work closely together, Xylem is responsible for the transport of water from the roots of the grass to its stems and leaves. Phloem is used mostly to transport food created from photosynthesis from leaves to roots and stems.

Y – Young grass

After installing your lawn there are a few simple lawn care activities you can do to ensure your grass thrives.

• Keep traffic to a minimum for the first few weeks of laying your lawn will help it establish down into the soil profile faster.
• Water regularly, ensure the roots are staying damp and not drying out.
• To see if your lawn is ready for its first mow, try to lift a corner of the turf roll. If the roll lifts it isn’t ready. If the roll does not move and is rooted down into the soil it is ready to mow.

Z – Zoysia

Zoysia is a warm-season grass native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. There are 3 main types of zoysia’s, Zoysia Macrantha, Zoysia Japonica, and Zoysia Matrella.

Zoysia’s have a relatively fine lead of up to 5mm wide and are spread by both above and below ground rhizomes and stolons.

Sir Grange Zoysia is a Zoysia Matrella that has a stunning fine leaf that has a beautiful dark green color. Sir Grange has a slow growth habit, can be mown short or left unmown, loves full sun and when once established has an excellent shade tolerance.

You can find more lawn care tips and advice here.

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This summer is a bit different from what we’ve had in the past. La Niña has caused cooler day time temperatures, increased rainfall, and warmer temperatures at night, but what effect does this have on your lawn?

Sunlight

With the increased rain, we are getting less sun and more overcast cloudy days – this can cause issues as your grass is not getting the light it needs. Turfgrass needs sunlight to produce sugar. This energy is then used to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose. After glucose is created it is used throughout the turf for growth. Grass also uses sunlight to produce a pigment called Chlorophyll which in turn makes your lawn green.

Rainfall

If there is an increased amount of moisture in your lawns soil and conditions don’t allow for the area to dry, this can cause diseases to develop in your lawn. Diseases can develop in your lawn when there are damp and humid conditions, common with La Niña.

Tips for your lawn during La Niña;

Aeration

Aeration will help fracture up your soils profile to improve your soils drainage. This will help excess moisture in your soil drain away to help avoid fungal diseases from occurring. To aerate your lawn, you can either use a garden fork or tyne aerator to punch holes into your soil, allowing water to move through the soil profile. This will help stop the pooling of water on your lawn. You can find out more information on aeration here.

Soil health

During periods of extended rainfall, nutrients in your soil can leach and drain away. To help replace these nutrients you can apply a soil conditioner like Lawn Kelper to help replace these nutrients. Lawn Kelper is a natural bio stimulant that enhances nutrient efficiency and encourages beneficial micro-organisms within the soil. Along with the main ingredient Kelp, Lawn Kelper includes a balanced ratio of macronutrients including Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, with trace elements including iron, manganese, and fulvic acid.

Gypsum and dolomite are also advantageous to be applied to improve soil health.

Mowing

During extended periods of rainfall and overcast skies, your lawn will continue to grow but may become long and straggly (mainly upright leaf growth looking for sunlight).

If the lawn has grown a bit longer than you like between mows it is best to raise your mowing height slightly to avoid scalping the lawn once the rain has finished.

Fertilising

During extended periods of rainfall where you are unable to mow, it is best to stop encouraging extra growth by fertilising your lawn. This will help your lawn grow at a slower rate when it might not be able to get frequent mows.

Plant Growth Regulator (PGR)

Plant growth regulators like Primo Maxx can be used to help slow the growth of your lawn down while you are unable to mow frequently. Please have a look at our blog on PGR’s here for more information.

Irrigation

During La Niña, in most cases you won’t need any additional irrigation to your lawn. While it is raining frequently it is best to turn off your irrigation and stop watering.

Insect and disease pressures

La Niña is also a time where insect and disease pressures are extremely high. For insects, preventative control is your best option. We recommend using a preventative insecticide like Acelepryn GR or Acelepryn Liquid every 6 months.

The most common diseases that occur from rain, overcast conditions, and extended leaf wetness are – dollar spot, grey leaf spot, brown patch, and fusarium. These can be treated with contact and preventive fungicides. Please have a look here for more information.

For more free lawn care tips direct to your inbox, click here.

When using specialised lawn care products on your lawn, calibrating your sprayer is important to ensure the correct amount of product is applied to your lawn size. In this blog, we look at how to calibrate your sprayer and how to apply a few different commercial grade lawn care products.

Important Note Before Reading:

When applying each of these products, please ensure you are wearing the correct PPE for each product, as stated on the product label.

When using these types of products, always read the label before application.

Different types of sprayers

There is a wide range of different types of sprayers that are on the market. Backpack sprayers are better suited for larger areas as they usually hold a larger amount of water and can be easier to use when spraying for longer. Other handheld sprayers vary in size and design are better suited for medium to small lawn sizes.

As every different type of sprayer and brand of sprayer will disperse water at different rates calibrating your sprayer is important especially when applying commercial grade products.

Why is calibrating your chemical sprayer important?

When applying products to your lawn it is important to ensure you are applying the correct amount of product for your lawn size. This will help avoid either not spraying enough or too much product to your lawn.

How to calibrate your sprayer

To calibrate your sprayer, you will need to find out how much water your sprayer takes to spray 100 m2 and add the label rate of the product to that quantity of water.

To find out how much water your sprayer takes to spray 100m2, best to spray a 10m2 hard surface like concrete and multiply it by 10. From this you can determine that if it’s going to take say 5L of water for you to cover 100sqm, then that’s the required amount of water you need to mix the product with.

When calibrating your sprayer, it is also important to walk at the same speed as this will also affect your calibration.

Best to check your sprayers nozzle regularly for any blockages and wear and tear as this can also affect your sprayer.

Applying Primo Maxx (Plant Growth Regulator)

When applying Primo Maxx, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

For Buffalo, Common Couch and Hybrid Couch add 10 to 40mL of Primo Maxx per 100m2. For Kikuyu add 20 to 80mL of Primo Maxx per 100m2.

Please have a look at the Primo Maxx Label for further information.

Applying Monument Liquid Herbicide

When applying Monument Liquid Herbicide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates do change for Monument depending on what weed you are wanting to target. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rates for the weed you are targeting. The below details how you can convert mL/ha to mL/100m2.

150 mL/ha (for Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch only)

Therefore, 150 mL per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 1.5 mL per 100 m2

Then add 1.5mL of Monument (for Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch only) to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Monument Liquid Herbicide Label for further information.

Applying Heritage Maxx Systemic Fungicide

When applying Heritage Maxx, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

For Heritage Maxx, the label rate is:

6L/ha

Therefore, 6L per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 60 mL per 100 m2

Then add 60mL of Heritage Maxx to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Heritage Maxx Label for further information.

Applying Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide

When applying Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates do change for Duke depending on what weed you are wanting to target. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rates for the weed you are targeting. The below details how you can convert g/ha to g/100 m2.

150g/ha (for Winter Grass and Ryegrass only)

Therefore, 150g per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 1.5g per 100 m2

It is best to mix the herbicide with a small amount of water first to ensure the product is properly dissolved and then add to your sprayer.

Then add 1.5g of Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100 m2.

Please have a look at the Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide Label for further information.

Applying Lawn Solutions Sedge Control

When applying Lawn Solutions Sedge Control, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

For Sedge Control, the label rate is 1.3g/100m2.

It is best to mix the herbicide with a small amount of water first to ensure the product is properly dissolved and then add to your sprayer.

Add the 1.3g of Lawn Solutions Sedge Control to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Sedge Control information guide for further information.

Applying Agador Insecticide

When applying Agador Insecticide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rate for Agador does change for the pest which you were wanting to target.

For Couch Mites use 10 to 20 mL per 100m2. For Ring Nematode and Sting Nematode use 20mL per 100m2.

Please have a look at the Agador Label for further information.

Applying Battle Insecticide

When applying Battle Insecticide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates do change for Battle depending on what pest you are wanting to target. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rate for the pest you are wanting to treat.

12ml/100m2 (for Lawn Armyworm).

Add 12ml of Battle to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Battle Insecticide Label for further information.

Applying Barricade Pre-emergent

When applying Barricade Pre-emergent, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates for Barricade do change depending on what weed you are wanting to prevent. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rate for the weed you are wanting to prevent.

1 to 2 L/ha (for Winter Grass)

Therefore 1 to 2L per 10,000 m2

Therefore 10ml to 20ml per 100 m2

Then add 10 – 20ml of Barricade to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Barricade label for further information.

Have a ColourGuard RTU and want to use it in a knapsack?

If you have a ColourGuard hose on bottle and are wanting to apply it through a sprayer, use half the 2L bottle of ColourGuard and apply with 3.5L of water. This will then be able to cover up to 100m2.

When applying each of these products, please ensure you are wearing the correct PPE for each product, as stated on the product label.

When using these types of products, always read the label before application.