Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

World Cup Worthy Turf

Posted on November 10, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

STRI LEADING THE WAY IN ELITE SPORTS SURFACES

Through its joint venture Aspire Sports Turf, STRI has put its sports turf and elite event expertise to good use to ensure FIFA standards are met at all World Cup venues in Qatar.

In 2015, the Aspire Zone Foundation in Qatar were looking to bolster their expertise in sports turf and engaged STRI Group to help. Aspire Sports Turf (AST) was then born – the joint venture between the two organisations.

In the months following introduction to the market, AST were awarded two major contracts; the maintenance of all sports facilities managed by the Ministry of Culture and Sport in Qatar, and the design, construction supervision and maintenance supervision of all pitches for the Qatar 2022 World Cup on behalf of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (The SC).

AST’s team comprised of multidisciplinary individuals with world class experience in sports turf consultancy from New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. AST’s research capabilities were bolstered by Carlos Sartoretto, who moved from South America to join the team, and later became Research and Business Development Manager at STRI Australia.

The team at AST continued to grow as the stadium pitches and training sites went from design and research, to construction, grow-in, turf management and tournament delivery. What began as a small team of four is now over 60.

The Challenges

Climate presented a considerable challenge in preparing elite level turf surfaces. Qatar is one of the driest countries on the planet, with less than nine rainy days per year and average highs of 41 degrees Celsius.

An understanding of these conditions resulted in moving the tournament from its usual summer slot to November and December, meaning that it would be staged over a shorter window of time than usual (28 days). This, paired with the fact that there would be eight host stadiums rather than the standard ten, meant that the pitches needed to be designed to withstand significantly more play than previous World Cups.

The climate, and the fact that this is the first ever World Cup in the Middle East, also brought several unique and significant challenges to the design and delivery. To mitigate this, AST built a research facility on site to carry out meticulous testing and ensure that the demands of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy were met.

The Solution

The research facility provided vital knowledge ahead of the construction of a turf farm on the outskirts of Doha. It enabled extensive studies into optimising turf quality for the tournament, as well as identifying the most efficient and sustainable water management practices to be used in that specific climate, by replicating trials that would ordinarily have taken place at STRI’s research facilities in the UK and Australia.

The research also helped to establish the signature pitch design to be used at the Qatar World Cup, a unified design to be used across all venues to ensure maximum consistency of surface characteristics. In addition to pitch design, AST also defined the specifications for construction and liaised with the Supreme Committee and other stakeholders for approval on all aspects.

Following this, the Supreme Committee put the construction project out to tender and split the construction between various local businesses to reduce the build time. Consistency was ensured as all companies were working to the exact same design and specification, as well as the supervision and management of the construction being overseen by AST itself.

Running parallel to the early phases of the journey, AST also ran an educational programme, which became the Qatar national training programme for all turf construction and management. The research facility was a focal point for the educational programmes, aimed at upskilling contractors who had limited experience of elite sports surfaces due to lack of demand in the country previously. This training programme ensured that all contractors were trained and accredited by AST prior to any work taking place, enabling them to deliver pitches to the exact specification, and arming them with valuable transferable skills for the future.

Following completion of the research, design, construction, and maintenance phases, AST will now move into the delivery phase for the tournament itself. This will focus on implementing a team of high-end consultants to ensure elite standards are in place for such a prestigious event.

The Project in Summary

All pitches delivered in line with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy
Stadiums ready in line with Supreme Committee’s timings
Pitch designs in place which mitigate extreme climates and meet elite standards required for the World Cup
Research facility now being used for a wide range of projects from across the world
Aspire Sports Turf continuing to operate in Qatar, using skills gained on sports facilities managed by Ministry of Culture and Sport

Nutrients Your Lawn Needs to Thrive

Posted on October 27, 2022May 12, 2025 by Sarah

When it comes to nutrients for lawns, we can break it down into two different sections, micronutrients and macronutrients. Macronutrients are the primary nutrients required for plant growth. Micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts to assist in the growth and development of your lawn.

Skip to: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Micronutrients Your Lawn Needs, Fertilisers for Your Lawn,

Macronutrients N, P & K.

The primary Macronutrients required for the health of your lawn are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Let’s look at these and why they are essential for plant health.

(N) Nitrogen

Nitrogen is mainly responsible for the growth of leaves on the plant and colour. It is the most talked about nutrient when it comes to lawns. It is usually the highest percentage of your NPK ratio.

Lawns love Nitrogen, but it is essential to strike a balance between strong leaf growth and strong roots capable of supporting it, which is where Phosphorus comes in.

(P) Phosphorus

Phosphorus is largely responsible for root growth and is quite a low percentage of the overall NPK ratio. This nutrient moves slowly through the soil, and isn’t used in great amounts by your lawn, so some is needed but not large quantities.

Phosphorus usually comes in the following forms: Water Soluble, Citrate Soluble and Citrate Insoluble.

(K) Potassium

Potassium is a nutrient that helps the overall functions of the plant to perform correctly. It is an essential macro-nutrient used in the largest quantities by plants for vigour and growth. Potassium comes in the form of Sulphate as soluble potash which helps grass withstand drought and disease. It also helps the plant to use Nitrogen more efficiently.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities than macronutrients, however, will still aid in creating a healthy lawn.

Calcium

Calcium helps stimulate the plant’s stem and roots, while also helping with the plant’s metabolism and enzyme activity.

Iron

Iron helps grass photosynthesis and create chlorophyll. It will improve colour and helps it to carry out cellular functions.

Manganese

Manganese is necessary for your grass to create chlorophyll. If Manganese levels are too high, grass may produce brown spots, and if it is too low it may produce grey or tan spots.

Zinc

Zinc helps to regulate metabolic activity and combined with other elements allows the production of chlorophyll.

Fulvic Acid

Fulvic acid helps with the transport of nutrients from the soil to the grass. It will also help contribute to a fertile soil.

Fertilisers

When it comes to using fertilisers, there are a few different options to look at using. For a granular fertiliser we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This fertiliser has a well-balanced ratio of both NPK and Micronutrients your lawn needs to stay healthy.

lawn fertiliser — Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser

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For a liquid fertiliser, we recommend using Exceed. Exceed has a carefully balanced NPK ratio will provide health and colour to your lawn and can be used all year-round. Additional micronutrients including Iron and Manganese are also important inclusions.

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For short cut and manicured lawns, we recommend using our ProPlus Mini Prill Fertiliser. Lawn Solutions ProPlus Natural Carbon Fertiliser includes nitrogen, potassium, sulphur and other micronutrients. For lawns that are cut short and highly manicured, the mini-prill can easily make its way down into the lawn canopy to the soil where it can be absorbed by the plant’s roots as required to sustain even plant growth.

proplus carbon fertiliser — ProPlus Mini Prill

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

Lawn Care Jobs when Preparing for a Wet Summer

Posted on October 27, 2022November 25, 2025 by Sarah

There is plenty of movement in the garden this season, buds are bursting, shoots are springing to life and blossom fills the air. It is predicted that it will be a wet summer so to make the most of your garden maximise your blooms and deal with the rain you need to act now and carry out a few gardening jobs.

Weeding your lawn and garden

A job in the garden that can always be done is weeding. We get a little break over winter but really you need to dedicate some time every week to keep on top of the weeds in the garden and in the lawn, especially now. Weed seeds are germinating so rough them up whilst they are small. They should dry out and not take hold. For larger areas you can spray with a weed killer as this is more effective on smaller fresh weeds. A small screwdriver is great for prising out small weeds before they take hold. One of the benefits of a wet season is the ease in which weeds can be pulled out!

I like to apply a soil wetter to the garden. This prevents hydrophobia in the soil as the weather heats up. It also helps ensure all the rain we are having and will continue to have will soak in effectively. The next job on the list is mulching the garden beds. You want to make sure the water that percolates through the mulch continues down into the soil and to the root zone rather than reaching the soil and running off the surface. Think of soil wetters for the soil as you would a moisture for your skin. They will allow the water in and help to retain it there. Unlike a moisturiser you should only use them once a season at most.

With your mulch apply a layer 75mm thick. This will allow water through but help to conserve water through evaporation. It will also help to suppress any weed growth and make the garden look much more presentable.

Fertilising your garden and lawn

Fertilising now is a great way to support all the new growth that is happening with your plants. I like to take a two-pronged approach to feeding the garden. Firstly, a slow-release pelletised food such as chicken manure or blood and bone is great for all round health and will last well into summer as the heat in the soil releases the nutrients as needed. I then apply a liquid fertiliser to those plants that have buds actively forming. Reach for a fertiliser specific to fruit and flower as this is higher in potassium, which plants needs to maximise their blooms. By applying a liquid fertiliser to the leaves and root zone the plant can absorb it immediately and effectively.

The issue with lots of rain and fertiliser is the liquid takes the nutrients down and leaches them out of the soil. Try to avoid liquid feeding before rain as it is a waste of fertiliser and an unnecessary stress on the environment.

Lawn renovation

Another great garden job to tackle now is a lawn renovation. As your lawn wakes up from winter it’s the perfect time to scarify, aerate, top dress, and fertilise. Scarification removes all the dead thatch from the lawn. This helps reduce the possibility of fungal issues (that occur in wet weather) as well as making way for fresh new growth. You can rent a scarifying machine easily and they work like pushing a lawn mower around so it’s not difficult or skilled. Aeration is important to allow air and water down to the root zone of the lawn and help to de-compact the lawn. I like to aerate a small lawn with a garden fork but again, you can rent machinery for larger lawns.

The depth of which you scarify depends on the variety of the lawn you have. For Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo or Sir Grange Zoysia you only want to go lightly whereas Kikuyu, Nullarbor Couch or TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda can be heavily scarified.

Top dressing your lawn will stop the new aeration holes from collapsing in on themselves. Top dressing will also help smooth out any lumps and bumps. A nitrogen rich fertiliser will boost the growth and deepen the rich green colour. Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo and Sir Grange Zoysia should only have a light sandy mix cast over the top and you can be a little heavier with couch, and kikuyu.

It may seem like a strange thing to do when so much of Australia has been suffering from floods but installing a water tank now will beat the rush when the drought inevitably returns and of course it will be full of rainwater too. Setting up an irrigation system off the rainwater tank is an excellent way to use the water. With internet and WIFI your system can be Smart – only watering when the garden needs it, so little is wasted.

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

How to Get Golf Quality Turf

Posted on October 27, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

Have you ever wondered how golf courses get their playing surfaces in top condition or what maintenance is required? This blog looks at how you can get your lawn up to a golf course standard.

What grasses are mainly used on golf courses?

For Fairways, Tees, and surrounds, most golf courses within Australia use a Couch or Kikuyu turfgrass, depending on location. More recently, courses have been able to start using new turfgrass like Sir Grange Zoysia available to the Australian market. For greens courses will generally use Couch grass, for cooler states Bent grass is used.

Mowing Requirements

Different areas of a course will have different mowing requirements. The mowing requirements across other areas will change depending on climate and season. For greens, some courses will need to be mowed once a day. Fairways too will need to be mown often, in some cases once every second day. Other areas including the tees and rough’s can be mown less frequently, sometimes 2-3 times a week.

If you want to get golf quality turf at your home, you will need to be mowing frequently enough so that only one-third of the leaf is removed with each pass. This way you will be minimising stress caused to the lawn, helping avoid scalping from occurring and keeping the grass healthier.

Type of mower

As different areas have different mowing requirements, various mowers are used. For tee boxes and the green surrounds, walk-behind & surrounds ride-on mowers (3 reels) are used. For fairways – cylinder fairway mowers (usually 5 reels), some courses still use tractor gang mowers. The greens use cylinder mowers, both walk behind & triplex ride-on mowers. Rough areas will usually use a rotary mower.

When getting that golf quality turf at home, we recommend either mowing with a cylinder mower. With a cylinder mower, you will get a much cleaner cut as it won’t tear the grass like a rotary mower. With any mower, it is important to ensure your blades are sharp for the best cut possible.

Products used

Insecticides

When using insecticides, using a preventive product is a more economical option. In addition, as courses need their turf to look and perform great year-round, it is better to use a preventative option rather than treating if damage occurs, as it can disrupt play.

One preventative insecticide option available for the domestic market is Grub Guard Ultimate and Acelepryn.

Herbicides

Like insecticides, it is much better to prevent weeds before they appear. A pre-emergent herbicide designed for a home lawn is Oxafert. Oxafert will help prevent seasonal grass weeds like Winter Grass, Summer Grass, Crab Grass, Crowsfoot, and Creeping Oxalis.

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR)

PGRs are commonly used on commercial areas as they can reduce grass growth (reduced mowing requirements), increase root density, and increased durability, along with many other benefits. As mowing requirements can take up large portions of a green keeper’s time, using a PGR can help with this, especially throughout the growing season. A PGR that is available for the domestic market is Primo Maxx.

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

Different Ways to Utilise Lawn in a Good Garden Design

Posted on October 26, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

With Charlie Albone

As a landscape designer I ask and discuss with my clients the preparation of a wish list of items they would like to see in their new garden. 99% of lists have a lawn in there for entertaining, children playing, sunbathing or simply because they like the look of it! Lawns are a great tool in creating the perfect garden design no matter the style of garden.

I love a lawn as a practical space, a space that you can see yourself using. I also like lawns for the breathing space it gives a garden. A lawn works well as a contrast to a more textured and layered garden bed like one of those films where the lead actor and support are equally as good as one another.

Often when people try to design their own garden, they try to fit too many things in at once and it feels cluttered. A great way to combat this is to start with your lawn and pick a spot in the garden that is the most suited to the variety you are growing. Often this the sunniest most free draining area of your property. From this, you can easily build the rest of your garden.

Incorperating shapes into your garden design

In a design, squares, rectangles and even circles are perfect shapes for a formal lawn, and they allow you to start your design with a structured element to work from. These shapes will set the tone for the whole garden and their simplicity works to draw you into the space. By having simple shapes when it comes to maintenance you get crisp edges and can even incorporate striping via a cylinder mower to take your garden to the next level.

If you prefer a freer flowing naturalistic design style turf is the perfect filler between your garden beds, bringing a breathing space, a moment of clam before the riot of planting in the surrounding beds. Curves in the lawn work well to direct the traffic around the garden, creating a soft pathway that should be walked barefoot to engage with the garden on all senses.

Lawns as soft pathways

Lawn turfs make a great cost effective and soft pathway around a garden, if they get sufficient light to perform well. I like to use a grass walkway around a garden and have the centre of the garden filled with perennials. This may seem counterintuitive however the perennials will stand taller and more upright with the extra sun they receive in the centre of the garden and the lawn makes a delightful boarder to walk around on to observe.

Lawn also makes the perfect surrounding to a swimming pool as it accentuates the flat surface of the water giving the effect of a larger space. Grass never gets too hot so its excellent to walk on barefoot and sunbath on. If designing a lawn around a pool, make sure you have a sufficiently dimensioned coping stone to stop clippings flying into the pool when you mow the grass.

Choosing the right turf variety for your area

When it comes to selecting the right variety of grass for your garden design it is important to carry the theme of the garden through to your selection. It’s the small details that will make the design a successful one. For a formal design, getting the right leaf texture is key so you want to use something fine like Sir Grange Zoysia as it has a luscious deep green and soft fine texture leaf so is perfect but if you are in a low water area TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda will be more successful in the long run so a better choice whilst maintaining the fine formal leaf look. To make a more relaxed garden or those that will experience heavy traffic such as a play lawn DNA Certified Sir Walter is a great choice, as would the TifTuf be too. For a tropical garden the wider leaf of the Sir Walter Buffalo will suit the bolder, more foliaged based planting scheme.

Spring Lawn Care Quiz

Posted on October 26, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

The weather is finally starting to warm back up and your lawn is starting to grow at a faster rate. Take our spring lawn care quiz to test your knowledge of the do’s and don’ts this season.

Are you looking to get your lawn back in shape for the warmer months? By following some simple lawn care tips you will be able to get your grass back in shape. Not sure how, check out our spring lawn care blog here.

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

How to care for a new lawn

Posted on September 29, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

So, your new lawn is now installed, and you’re unsure what to do next? This blog covers a few simple steps on how to care for your new lawn.

Watering For a New Lawn

Ensuring your lawn has enough water, especially for the first few days after installation, is essential to help stop the grass roots from drying out.

For the first few days after receiving your lawn, you will need to irrigate more frequently. This is because the grass roots won’t have had the chance to grow into the soil. The duration and number of times you need to water will depend on a few factors, including temperatures, location, and rainfall.

As a general guide, you want to ensure your grass roots stay damp. If you are experiencing lots of rainfall in your area, you may not need additional irrigation. However, if your temperatures are hotter without rainfall, you may need to irrigate a few times a day.

For more information on watering your lawn, it is best to reach out to your local turf supplier. They will be familiar with the current weather conditions and local area.

Once the roots of your lawn have established into the soil, you can start reducing the number of times you need to irrigate. Once your lawn is fully established, you should only need to irrigate when there is not enough rainfall to meet the needs of your lawn. Some tell-tale signs that your lawn needs water are:

Leaf is wilting or losing colour.
If you walk across your lawn and leave a footprint behind, then your lawn is likely lacking in water. If it bounces back, your lawn should be well hydrated. This is known as the footprint test.
During hot weather, if it’s looking dry.

Mowing Your Lawn For the First Time

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

With your first mow, raise the mower’s height so only the top of the leaf blade is removed. Then, slowly bring the height back to your preferred mowing height over the next few mows.

Should I Fertilise My New Lawn

Once the lawn has been down for 6 – 8 weeks, it will be ready for its first fertiliser application. For fertilising a new lawn we recommend using a well-balanced fertiliser, like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This contains all the nutrients your lawn needs to thrive over the coming months and is safe to use on lawn types.

If you want to apply products during the lawns first few weeks, you can use a soil conditioner like Lawn Kelper, this will help stimulate and strengthen roots and shoots.

Can I Use Herbicides on a New Lawn?

If you notice weeds starting to grow in your new lawn, it is best to hold off from using herbicides till the lawn has fully established. However, most lawn weeds should be able to be removed by hand.

If we haven’t touched on any inquiries you have about caring for your new lawn, reach out to your local turf supplier, or get in contact with the Lawn Solutions Team.

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

What Weed Is That?

Posted on September 29, 2022January 21, 2025 by Sarah

Does your lawn have weeds but not sure what type they are and know the best way to remove them? In this blog, we look at common lawn weeds that could be growing in your lawn, provide tips on identifying different weeds, and recommend the best way to remove them.

Bindii (Jo-Jo)

Bindii can be one of the more annoying and painful weeds to have growing in your lawn. This weed is low-growing, with its flower at the centre of the plant. Bindii will start to grow in winter and will grow a green carrot-like leaf. As the temperatures warm up in spring and summer, the plant will begin to dry out and leave behind its prickly seeds.

Bindii can be removed with most broadleaf herbicides like All Purpose Weed Control, Estate Herbicide or Bin Die if you have available. Estate Herbicide 250ml Concentrate has recently been introduced to replace the recently discontinued product Bin Die Concentrate.

Clover (Trifolium)

Clover is another weed commonly found in many Aussie lawns. This weed can be identified by its oval-shaped leaves. These leaves also have a white circular marking across all the leaves and will produce either a white, pink, red or yellow flower.

We recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control or Estate Herbicide to remove clover.

Crowsfoot/Crabgrass (Eleusine Indica or Digitaria)

Crowsfoot is an annual summer weed that grows in easy-to-identify tufts, staying fairly flat to the ground with almost white flat sheathed stems and smooth strap-like leaves. Seed heads usually appear from late spring or early summer. These seed heads can have as many as ten spikelets on each long stem. In an unhealthy lawn, if left to seed and spread, Crowsfoot will quickly infiltrate right through the entire lawn. Crowsfoot is commonly found throughout most Australian states.

If there are only a few tufts of crowsfoot growing, the best way to remove the weed is to pull it out by hand. If there is an infestation across the lawn, we recommend using a herbicide with DSMA as the active, like David Greys 500ml Crab Grass and Clover Killer Selective Herbicide. Please note herbicides containing DSMA as the active ingredient are not safe for use on Kikuyu, buffalo lawns, and QLD blue couch.

Cudweed (Gnaphalium spp.)

Cudweed has glossy light green leaves in a rosette shape. Under the leaf, it is white and furry. It has various flowering habits from mid-spring to early summer, or in autumn.

When treating Cudweed, it is recommended to use a surfactant or add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the herbicide, to help it adhere to the leaf. We recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control or Estate Herbicide to remove this.

Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus)

Nutgrass is a noxious Sedge weed that gets its name from its nut-like tubers found on the plant’s roots. It is usually identifiable from its lighter green leaves that grow taller than the rest of your lawn. It has 3 blades that will shoot up from the stem. The stem will be triangular rather than circular stem like most grasses.

If your lawn has nutgrass, it is not recommended to pull them out by hand as the bulbs will be left in the soil, and the plant will reappear. To remove nutgrass, we recommend using a selective herbicide like our Lawn Solutions Sedge Control.

Creeping Oxalis (Oxalis corniculate)

Creeping Oxalis has small light green heart-shaped leaves, very similar in appearance to clover. (Oxalis have heart-shaped leaves while clover has oval-shaped leaves.) The flowers are small, about 3-4mm in diameter, and bright yellow in color containing five petals. Creeping Oxalis, as its name suggests, quickly runs along the surface of the soil and produces roots from the leaf as it goes and creeps under and through your lawn.

The removal of Creeping Oxalis is similar to clover, requiring a broadleaf herbicide. We recommend using either All Purpose Weed Control or Estate Herbicide, suitable for most lawn varieties.

The LSA App

Did you know that we have an app? Our Lawn Solutions Australia app provides handy resources to help you identify different types of lawn weeds while recommending the best way to remove them. Check out our app if this blog doesn’t mention a weed growing in your lawn.

Our app also provides:

Information on identifying lawn pests and diseases.
Lawn care blogs.
Promotions
Contact details of your local turf suppliers and free online turf quotes.

You can download the Lawn Solutions Australia app here.

Spring Lawn Care on a Budget

Posted on September 29, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

Are you wanting to get your lawn on the mend but not sure if you can fit it into your budget? This blog looks at how you can get your lawn looking its best, even when working on a budget this spring.

Aerate Your Soil

Aerating your soil will help create space below ground for your soil to take in air, nutrients, and water. This will help stop and avoid many problems associated with compaction, like drainage issues, bare patches, weeds, dry spots, and fungal diseases. Aerating your lawn will also help the grass roots grow deeper into the soil base so the grass can grow stronger and more vigorously.

To aerate your soil, you can manually use a sturdy garden fork and drive it into the ground. Give it a good wiggle back and forward to help decompact the soil base. Continue this process across the lawn and aim for around 8 – 10cm apart.

Weeding Your Lawn

One of the quickest and easiest ways to remove most types of weeds is to pull them out by hand.

Remove weeds when they are small to help prevent them from spreading. At this stage, they are also unlikely to have gone to seed, preventing them from spreading further.
Remove all the weed’s roots.
Break up your lawn into smaller sections. Remove weeds from one area daily to help make the task seem less daunting.
Weed after rain. This is when the soil will be damp, making it easier to remove weeds.

Please note that some weeds are not recommended to be removed by hand, including Nutgrass, Soursob, and Onion Weed. Please have a look for more information here.

You Should Mow Your Lawn Regularly

Mowing your lawn regularly will not only help your lawn look tidy but will improve the health of your lawn. By mowing your lawn regularly, you will:

Encourage lateral growth, helping your lawn become thicker.
Help reduce stress on the lawn when removing too much of the leaf at once.
Help encourage a consistent growth pattern.
Help your lawn be less susceptible to disease, weeds, and pests.

So how often should you mow? We recommend mowing your lawn frequently enough so that only one-third of the leaf will be removed with each pass. In the warmer months, while the lawn is actively growing you will need to mow more frequently. In the cooler months, the lawn will slow down in growth and will require less frequent mows.

Mowing frequently will also help make mowing easier as you won’t need to push the mower through tall grass.

Should I Mow with the Catcher Off?

Your lawn’s clippings are a great source of nitrogen and can act as a natural fertiliser for your lawn. When leaving your clippings on the lawn, it is best to ensure you frequently mow and that only a small amount of the leaf is removed. This will help avoid the grass underneath becoming smothered.

When Should I Fertilise My Lawn?

If there is room in the budget, fertilising your lawn will help provide essential nutrients to the lawn. This will help give your lawn a boost and will help provide the nutrients your lawn needs to stay healthy.

When choosing a fertiliser, we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This fertiliser has a well-balanced ratio of nutrients and is suitable for all lawn varieties.

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

Guide to Buying a Lawn Mower

Posted on August 26, 2022November 15, 2024 by Sarah

There are so many options to choose from when buying lawn mowers, from self-propelled, battery powered, cylinder mowers, the list goes on! With this, it can be difficult to know what type of features in a lawn mower to look out for. This blog looks at a few different mower types and their features to help you choose the best mower for you.

Mowers for Small Home Lawns

For smaller lawns, you won’t need a very large mowing deck and can get away without using a self-propelled mower.

The Victa 18’ Classic Cut Mulch Or Catch Petrol Lawn Mower has a smaller cutting deck of 18’ and features an easy start setting. This mower mulches the grass clippings, so you can leave the clippings or bag if you prefer. The mower hasa mowing height range of 11-76mm, making it ideal for most lawns. Customers have liked that the mower starts with the first pull and have easy access to oil and fuel.

Features:

Briggs & Stratton 500E series OHV engine 6.8Nm torque
5-year domestic warranty – Lifetime catcher warranty
Mulching Functionality
Rapid start ignition for easy starting
Dual swing back blades cutting system

Battery Powered Lawn Mower

Battery Powered Mowers are a more environmentally friendly mower option compared to the classic petrol-powered mowers. The newer battery-powered mowers on the market are much more powerful than they once were. Most batteries for battery-powered mowers are also compatible with other tools that the specific brand produces. So, if you already have a battery-powered tool from one brand, it is more economical to use a mower for which you already have batteries for.

The Ryobi One+18V 37cm Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower Kit is ideal for small to medium size lawns (37cm mower). It doesn’t have any pull cords and fuel or oil to worry about. One benefit of this mower is that it includes the required Ryobi battery and fast charger. In addition, users have loved the height adjustment range, ability to fold up quickly for storage, and 40L mesh catcher.

Features:

6 Position height adjustment
40L Full mush catcher
Includes battery and fast charger
37cm Mower
Polymer deck

Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Self-propelled mowers are ideal when mowing medium to large lawns or when mowing up a slope. This will help limit fatigue and help you cover your area faster than the standard push mower.

The Honda 21’ Self Propelled Mower is packed with features that provide an excellent mowing experience while providing a great cut. In addition, users have loved that it is easy to start and helps reduce the mowing time.

Features:

Powerful GCV170 4 stroke engine with more power and torque
Self-propelled mower
Heavy-duty 21” durable steel deck
Low noise and vibration
3 in 1 Clip Director for mulching, bagging, or discharging versatility. No attachments required

Automower

The robot lawn mower is one of the newer mowing options to hit the market. Robot mowers work similarly to robot vacuums. These mowers will work within a parameter set by you and will automatically return to the charging station once the lawn is cut or if it has a low battery. There are a few different robot mowers on the market. Some can be controlled by your phone, and some can mow up steep inclines, while delivering excellent cutting results.

The Husqvarna Automower range is a popular robotic mower option. They have a great range available to suit all lawn sizes and areas. You can find more information on the Husqvarna Automower range here.

Small Cylinder Lawn Mowers

If you are following any lawn care pages, you have probably seen the hype around the Ozito Cylinder Mower. The precision-ground steel cylinder blades can provide a clean and precise cut like the bigger and much more pricey cylinder mowers on the market. The Ozito mowers adjustable cutting height is between 14-38mm, cutting a bit higher than larger cylinder lawn mowers.

The Ozito Cylinder Mower is battery powered. You do need to buy the rechargeable battery separately. This battery is also compatible with a range of other Ozito home and garden tools.

Features:

Battery powered cutting action
5 Precision ground cutting blades
45L Grass catcher
4 Cutting heights
Compatible with all Ozito PXC batteries – sold separately

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