Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

It’s Not Easy Being ‘Green’

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Sarah

By Bryan Tolar, Tolar Capitol Partners

“It’s not easy being green,” goes the saying. As far back as 1975, the legendary country and blues singer Ray Charles of Georgia, USA, with the 1960’s hit “Georgia on My Mind” recorded the song “Bein’ Green.”

“It’s not easy being green,” he sang. “It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things, and people tend to pass you over …”

It’s not easy, either, for turfgrass growers and associated businesses, for whom “green” is crucial to the industries they have built and the jobs they have created for so many. Their customers and the communities they serve strive to be green.

So perhaps it’s fitting that it is Ray Charles’ home state of Georgia that has produced a turfgrass cultivar that demonstrates amazing potential: TifTuf bermudagrass is anything but ordinary. The environmental community, utility managers and economic developers are seemingly eager to embrace the water conservation characteristics of TifTuf.

How has this happened?

For well over a decade, in Georgia and in communities across the globe, outdoor water use has been vilified, often labeled as wasted water. The numerous benefits of turfgrass have been overwhelmed by the bully pulpit of government leaders and activists, their viewpoints regurgitated in media outlets that buy ink by the barrel. A conversation about turfgrass management has historically been a non-starter – until now.

Yes, green is the colour of spring… and TifTuf personifies the green of conservation, and for the first-time environment-focused communities are taking notice.

TifTuf has captured the attention of one of Georgia’s fast-growing conservation communities, Athens-Clarke County. Normally this local government focuses on water re-use and storage, low-flow fixtures, and changes to lifestyle practices to conserve. They have now discovered the benefits of TifTuf through water conservation advocacy efforts of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council, the state’s premier green industry association for professionals involved in all sectors of the landscape industry.

In April 2021, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government awarded the “Water Conservation Leadership Award Winner for an Individual” to Dr. Brian Schwartz and his work to produce the drought-tolerant bermudagrass TifTuf. The reduction of water use by 38% over the most popular bermudagrass cultivar and the expanded availability of TifTuf across the USA and in Australia were key to him winning this special, well deserved recognition.

In addition to being intensely focused on environmental stewardship, Athens-Clarke County also happens to be home to the University of Georgia (UGA), the flagship turfgrass research institution where the cultivar TifTuf was bred under the leadership of Dr. Schwartz and his turf research staff. TifTuf can be found on the beautiful and iconic quad of UGA’s North Campus, covering the area between the famed Arch and the UGA President’s Office. It endures frequent foot traffic from students and tolerates moderate tree canopy shade, performing beautifully for more than five years.

Presenting the award, Athens-Clarke County’s Water Conservation Coordinator Laurie Loftin acknowledged this: “Thank you, Dr. Schwartz, for your efforts to help us all use water efficiently while maintaining a beautiful lawn.”

This was by no means the first special recognition of TifTuf or Dr. Schwartz, but it was the first by a local government with a laser focus on water conservation. In 2020, both the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate recognized TifTuf for its characteristics as a high quality turfgrass with extraordinary water conservation characteristics. In doing so, they also lauded the research of Dr. Schwartz, as well as his predecessor Dr. Wayne Hanna.

In addition, the Smart Approved Watermark label established by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is an important component of consumer recognition. With water use reduction of 38% over the most popular bermudagrass, the conservation benefit reputation resonates.

At the same time, there is an expectation that consumers and property managers take action to reduce irrigation and to adapt their turf management habits for TifTuf to make its mark. There is no doubt the Smart Approved WaterMark label educates consumers who clearly want to make informed choices when seeking products that use water efficiently, thus reducing per capita water consumption.

A recent move to advance the drought-tolerant characteristics of TifTuf in a large population center took place in June 2021. The metro area around Atlanta, Georgia, is the ninth largest and one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. It serves over 6 million people and grew over 15% in the last decade. Oversight for water conservation and planning for the communities in this area is the responsibility of the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District. After months of engagement by landscape industry advocates, along with supporting testimony from Dr. Schwartz, the planning district’s board voted to support and promote education to the public that “encourages the installation of drought tolerant turf such as TifTuf.”

This includes updating the district’s printed and digital education materials on landscape and irrigation resources to include drought-tolerant turfgrasses. TifTuf is the only cultivar specifically mentioned.

Much as the song by Ray Charles begins as a self-pitying list of disadvantages of meeting the challenges of being green, it evolves into a full-throated embrace of the many benefits of being green. After all, as the song goes,

“Green is the colour of spring…I’m green and it’ll do fine. It’s beautiful and I think it’s what I want to be!”

With over 25 years of research, TifTuf is now in its sixth year of commercial production and expected to surpass 10,000 acres in the United States this year. By any measure, this is an incredible milestone for such a short time in commercial production. In 2020 alone, over 21.3 million square metres of TifTuf were installed, bringing the total to nearly 69.5 million square metres since its release in 2015.

So, what does this mean for being green? The 2020 figures indicate that over 41.7 billion litres of water have been saved through the use of TifTuf. As the strength of sales continues through 2021 and the future, we will soon see total installations exceed 93 million square metres. Imagine the billions of litres of water saved each year. Indeed, “It’s beautiful and I think it is what I want to be,” could be the TifTuf anthem.

TifTuf and the tireless efforts of Dr. Schwartz and others like him, along with many turf and landscape leaders, will continue to make being green even more positively impactful in the future. Sharing the TifTuf conservation story with those in the environmental community is deservedly a point of pride. Environmental stewardship is a responsibility we all share and to which we all can contribute.

Congratulations to Dr. Brian Schwartz and the University of Georgia Turf Team on this special recognition of their water conservation leadership. TifTuf and the industry’s continued dedication to research that advance water conservation objectives show that being green is indeed the best colour to be. The legendary Ray Charles says so.

City of Busselton Try Tough New Turf

Posted on October 14, 2021October 14, 2021 by Sarah

Brad Reynolds, Parks Coordinator – City of Busselton

The City of Busselton were looking for a way to improve the new diversion entry statement to the city. The road realignment and construction work were carried out with an emphasis on making the entrance to Busselton something special for everybody who drives into the town.

The entry statement consisted of a mix of native couch and kikuyu and looked unsightly. After a consultation process with council staff and local turf supplier Down South Turf, where turfing options were discussed, it was decided to use TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. The reasons for this choice were simple – green colour year-round, low cost in maintenance, drought tolerance and speed of establishment.

Soil preparation for the area was limited, with no special or extensive site preparation completed prior to the sprigs being planted. The existing soil profile was simply levelled with a small amount of topsoil incorporated into gravel and road base subsoil. A small amount of fertiliser was then applied in preparation for planting.

The 3,000 square metre area was planted by a local contractor with stolons in August 2020 at a rate of 10% of area coverage. Once the stolons were planted the area was oversowed with ryegrass to provide some quick green up and coverage. The unwashed stolons were planted across the area without any irrigation used during the establishment. Not sure if this was good judgement, timing or grass selection, but rainfall figures tell a story of the months following installation.

During the establishment period Busselton received 555mm rain for a 10-month period. While the two hottest months of the year, December and January only received 2.4mm and 0.6mm of rain respectfully. From around October the TifTuf was starting to take off and by November/December it was really starting to dominate and quickly cover across the ground. The ryegrass died out naturally during the warmer, drier months. The December average temperature was 24.2 degrees and January 27 degrees, with humidity averaging 71%.

A second application of fertiliser was applied in February and the council have been super impressed with the result. The entry statement area is mowed by council staff on a 4–6-week roster, with the area classified as a rough-cut area.

The success has now led Busselton Council to look at other opportunities within the region where they can utilise TifTuf to replace existing ground covers for a natural green environment with ease of maintenance and the saving in water use. The City of Busselton is building a new sports precinct called Dunsborough Lakes, where a number of new sports fields will be established for the community. TifTuf is proving to be the preferred turfgrass for these ovals based on what the council has seen with its performance at the entrance to the region.

The Busselton entry statement is now incredibly inviting and showcases a natural green environment for the community.

Trialling Turf in the Tropical North

Posted on October 14, 2021October 14, 2021 by Sarah

Turf is an essential part of the Australian landscape and choosing a variety for your specific climate and use is important to get right.

Many different varieties and cultivars are used as a turf cover for lawns, for sporting fields and local council areas. Turf is also integral to some of the most important places around our country, such as parliament house.

The hard work that goes into research and development of these turf varieties can sometimes go unnoticed, but the extensive trial process, usually conducted over many years is critical to their success.

Most of the current varietal stock in Australian trials has come from the University of Georgia, Bladerunner Farms and Texas A & M in the United States. The world’s leading institutes for turf breeding and research.

In Australia, trials and assessments have been conducted on these grasses by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI). STRI is the world’s leading research and consultancy organisation for sports turf. STRI manages trial protocols at each of the trial sites in Australia in conjunction with AusGAP, the Australian Genetic Assurance Program for turf. Many of the current grasses under assessment have been in these trial programs since 2016.

While maintaining genetic purity of certified grasses is the primary focus for AusGAP, they also play a big part in the expansion of trial assessments across different geographical and environmental localities. Testing couch grass, buffalo, and zoysia turf varieties in different climate zones provides an insight into their ability to maintain turf quality in a wide range of conditions.

AusGAP is currently working with different organisations on sites located in New South Wales, Victoria, Southeast and North Queensland. AusGAP recently announced the expansion of 12 new varieties chosen by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to be added to the already extensive trial area in North Queensland on the property of Harden Park Lawns (HPL) in Edmonton QLD. STRI evaluations led to these 12 grasses being selected with superior traits being observed during assessments.

There are now 44 different varieties of buffalo, couch and zoysia under assessment in Northern Queensland. This includes trials on some exciting native zoysia’s, as well as varieties of zoysia japonica, macrantha and matrella, along with sites also in Victoria and Southeast Queensland. It will be interesting to see how these varieties go in North Queensland at HPL given the climates extreme growing conditions of high humidity, rainfall, heat, and cloud cover. Michael and Melissa Denney at HPL are very invested in the trials with the excitement of hopefully finding new varieties suited for their tropical environment.

These new grasses have been subjected to monthly assessments over the last 18 months. Leaf texture, uniformity, density, plant growth and overall appearance all being observed.

Some of the trial grasses have had rust issues and thatching, a lot of seed heads. Michael noted that some other grasses however look like they might be great for the northern tropical and sub-tropical regions, with great lateral growth and minimal vertical growth, minimal thatching and no disease recorded to date. All samples have withstood all chemical applications at various temperatures with no adverse effects, so no trial plots have been removed from the program at this stage.

The trial work will continue for up to another 18 months to collaborate with other site data, with the hope of finding a turf variety or varieties that excel. Consideration will include varietal features that are suitable for applications such as presentation lawn areas, home lawns, fairways, stadium surfaces or putting greens standard. There is always the hope and possibility of finding one specific variety that can deliver the required traits for all applications and in all climates, which would be the ultimate achievement.

Identifying Lawn Seed Heads

Posted on September 28, 2021November 21, 2024 by Sarah

As each turf type has a different seed head, it can sometimes be difficult to know what a seed head is and what is a weed. In this blog, we look at what seed heads look like in different grass types, why they grow, and how to help stop them from growing.

They will usually only appear in lawns for a few weeks a year, usually when the temperatures are changing. Although they do have a tough feel underfoot, they won’t cause any damage to your lawn.

Buffalo

Buffalo seed heads will grow from the runner, also known as stolon. The seed head will be thicker with exposed seeds and will feel tough. They also have a very similar appearance to asparagus. They usually grow at the same height or just above your lawns leaf height.

Most buffalo seeds are sterile. This means that the grass cannot be spread by its seed.

Couch

Couch seed heads too can be mistaken as weeds. They can be green to purple in colour and will grow on a stem above the grass level. At the top of the stem, there will be a cluster of spikes (usually two to six spikes) that hold the seeds. These spikes are around two to five cm long.

Most turf sold as a solid turf variety like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda and Nullarbor Couch will produce a sterile seed head that cannot spread.

Kikuyu

Kikuyu’s grows pollen sacs that extend above the grass leaf on white filaments, and are often mistaken as a web. These filaments will grow in a cluster of 2-4 flower spikelets. Kikuyu seeds are produced within the leaf sheath, and are not visible.

Zoysia

Zoysia seed heads will either be white or purple in colour. They will feel ‘tough’ to touch and will come from one stem with small flowers that hold the seeds.

Why has my lawn gone to seed?

Seed heads primarily start to grow for 2 main reasons.

The first being a change in seasons. Seasonal changes can cause a bit of stress on your lawn. In most varieties this will occur once or twice a year and should be considered completely normal. If your lawn has been well watered and fertilised recently, it’s likely the seed heads are nothing to worry about and you can simply cut them off next time you mow the lawn.

Another reason seed heads can occur though, is due to plant stress. This will usually be from a lack of water or nutrients, compacted soil or from mowing too low and scalping the crown of the plant. Seed heads are your lawns way of crying out for help.

How to help limit the occurrence of seed heads

If your lawn has gone to seed, in most cases the grass will stop producing seeds over the coming weeks. The best way to help stop your lawn from going to seed is through regular mowing, watering, and fertilising.

When mowing, only remove one third of the leaf blade off at once to help reduce plant stress. In the warmer months, you may be required to mow at least once a week depending on your climate and turf variety. Watering your lawn less frequently for longer is best. For fertilising, a slow-release granular fertiliser that has a good ratio of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) like Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is ideal to help encourage strong growth for a healthy lawn.

A plant growth regulator (PGR) like Primo Maxx will limit your lawns vertical growth and can help reduce the number of seed heads that your lawn produces. Regular mowing, twice a week, and the use of a PGR at full rates will minimise the seed head from flowering.

pH test

If your lawns seed heads don’t go away after a few weeks after increasing watering, fertilising, regular mowing, and aerating, it is worth doing a soil pH test.

Water Saving Tips for the Lawn and Garden

Posted on September 28, 2021September 29, 2021 by Sarah

Lawn Solutions Australia is proud be a sponsor of Water Night 2021, brought to you by the Smart Approved WaterMark. Click here to find out how to get involved.

As tonight is Water Night, we’ve put together a few water-saving tips you can use to help save water around the garden!

With the warmer weather well on the way, many of us will start to use more water for our lawns, gardens, and pools. By making sure we are smartly using water, your garden can still thrive, while reducing your water usage!

Only water your garden when it needs it

Regular rainfall is usually enough to meet your lawn and gardens water requirements. If there is an extended period without rainfall your lawn may need water. Your lawn will start to show signs that it needs water when the leaf curls up, is wilting, or losing colour.

Water for longer less frequently

If your garden is needing water, water for longer less frequently. By watering your garden and lawn less frequently for longer, the roots of the plant will be encouraged to grow deeper into the soil base. This will help increase the drought tolerance of your lawn and plants.

Water early morning to prevent heat-related evaporation

The best time to water your lawn and garden is early morning when there is no wind and less chance of water loss due to heat-related evaporation. Watering in the mornings is also best to help stop fungal diseases from growing in your lawn and on your plants.

Rainwater tank

Rainwater tanks are a great way to save water. By having your tank collect water from the roof of your house you can have a handy supply of water to use in and around the garden or top up your pool or spa. These tanks can save the rainwater and is store it ready for you to use. There is a range of tank sizes available to suit all houses.

Use leak-free hoses with a trigger hose nozzle

Make sure your hose is free from any leaks. A quick tightening of a loose hose connection is often the fix. If the hose or fitting is looking a bit worse for wear it might be time to invest in a new hose or connection. Trigger hose nozzles allow you to have complete control when watering. This helps you avoid spraying out water to surfaces like concrete and footpaths.

Choose hardy droughtproof plants

When looking at putting in new plants, look at plants that are well suited to your natural environment that won’t need much additional care once installed. This can help reduce the amount of watering your plants need.

For drought-resistant turf, you can’t look further than TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. TifTuf has a superior drought tolerance compared to other turf varieties. It is the only variety to have the Smart Approved WaterMark. This grass can take root in less than 7 days during the growing season, reducing the amount of water needed during establishment. Once established, TifTuf can better withstand longer periods without water than other varieties.

Mulch in garden beds to reduce evaporation

Did you know that mulch can reduce evaporation by up to 70%? Mulch also helps stop weeds from growing in your garden beds! Wood chips, pine milch and hard-bark mulch is best for stopping evaporation.

Use mats and covers for pools and spas

Pool mats and covers are great at helping reducing evaporation. Evaporation will usually occur early in the evening when the air cools down and the water is still warm. Simple leaf cover pool blankets can reduce around 40% of evaporation and thicker blankets can reduce evaporation from around 90%. These can help reduce the number of times throughout the year you need to top up the pool with water.

Make sure your sprinkler goes on your garden

When putting out a sprinkler in the garden, watch over the area to ensure the sprinkler is reaching where you want it to go and not out any concrete paths or on paved areas. This will help increase the amount of water your lawn and garden receive while stopping water from running off.

For more information on how you can participate in water night and water saving tips, click here.

Preventing a grub attack | Acelepryn

Posted on September 28, 2021March 13, 2024 by Sarah

Armyworm, African Black Beetle larvae (lawn grubs), Cutworm, and other grubs can all quickly cause extensive damage to your lawn. But what if there was a way you could prevent these damage causing grubs from crawling throughout your lawn? Well, Grub Guard Ultimate Powered by Acelepryn is your answer!

Prevention is the best solution

Grubs will often target the healthiest looking lawn on the street as their next tasty meal. When lawns get attacked by grubs, they often will have already created extensive damage before being noticed. Following an attack, the lawn can take a few weeks or a few months to fully repair itself. Instead of going through the long process of nursing your lawn back to health, prevention is a far better solution.

What is Grub Guard Ultimate?

Grub Guard Ultimate Powered by Acelepryn is an insecticide that provides your lawn with 6 months of protection from grubs and caterpillars like Armyworm in one single application. Grub Guard Ultimate works by targeting a specific muscle receptor that is common with damaging causing insects. Other non-target organisms like bees, earthworms, birds, fish, and mammals don’t use the same muscle receptors, making it one of the safest insecticides on the market!

When should you apply Grub Guard Ultimate?

As a general guide, Grub Guard Ultimate is best used in September/October and March/April to prevent a grub attack year round. One application of Grub Guard Ultimate will provide you with protection for up to 6 months. So, two applications per year will ensure your lawn is protected from grubs throughout the whole year.

How to apply Acelepryn based products?

For treating beetle larvae including African black beetle, Argentine Scarab, Argentine Stem Weevil larvae and Billbug Larvae, spread the granules evenly, 1-2kg per 100m2. We recommend using a calibrated spreader to ensure the granules are spread evenly to the lawn. You can also spread the granules by hand. After the granules have been spread out, give the granules a water in with a minimum of 3mm irrigation.

For Caterpillars including Cutworm, Armyworm, and Sod Worm, spread the granules evenly, 1kg per 100m2. Again, we recommend using a calibrated spreader for an even application. You can also spread the granules by hand. After application, delay mowing and watering for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, water the granules in.

Acelepryn Liquid

For treating Lawn Curl Grub (Beetle larvae including: African Black Beetle larvae Argentinian Scarab larvae), Argentine Stem Weevil larvae and Billbug larvae, you can apply through a garden sprayer or watering can. For a garden sprayer use 8 – 15 mL per 5-10 L of water per 100 m2. Wheh applying with a watering can, mix 1.5 mL in 9 L of water and evenly apply to 10 m2. Apply the higher rate for up to 6 months residual protection, cases of high pest pressure, and late in season when mature grubs are present. Lightly water in immediately after application when applying by garden sprayer.

For treating Caterpillars including Lawn Armyworm, Black Cutworm, and Sod Webworm, apply through a garden sprayer. Use 8 mL per 5-10 L of water per 100 m2. To ensure optimum control, delay watering or mowing for 24 hours after application.

Common signs of grubs

When grubs are present in your lawn, they will eat through your lawn’s roots. As the turf can then no longer absorb nutrients, the grass will become dry and straw like. When there is an infestation, large areas of the lawn will be affected quickly.

How do I know if my lawn has grubs?

If you think your lawn may already have grubs, it is best to do a quick lawn grub test. To do this, mix a bucket of soapy water and pour it over the edge of an affected area. Keep an eye on it and after about 10 minutes or so, usually if there are grubs there, they will come to the surface. This is best done at dawn or dusk when grubs are most active.

What to do if you already have grubs?

If your lawn already has a grub infestation, it is best to act quickly to help prevent further damage. Delaying treatment can cause a substantial amount of damage as the grubs will move fast along the lawn while laying eggs and increasing in numbers.

After you have identified there is an infestation, we recommend using a fast-acting product for a quick knockdown. We recommend using Battle Insecticide to get the job done quickly. When using insecticides, it is always best to check the label for application and safety instructions.

The best time to apply the treatment is in the late afternoon/dusk when the lawn grubs are most likely to be active. To ensure you have treated the full lifecycle of the grubs, apply a second treatment in 2 weeks. This will help ensure that any eggs that may be in the lawn have been treated, avoiding a second attack. If you do still see these grubs after this, reapply every 2 weeks until they are gone.

Grub Treat and Protect Bundle

Protect your lawn from lawn pests with this one-two punch to treat an existing infestation and to protect your lawn for up to 6 months. If you have noticed damage to your lawn caused by black beetle larvae or Army worm, this bundle provides Battle Insecticide for a fast knock-down treatment, along with Grub Guard Ultimate – the best product on the market for lawn pest prevention in lawns.

Shop Online Now

For more information on lawn grubs and pests, check out our other blogs here.

How to lay a new lawn in spring

Posted on September 28, 2021September 2, 2024 by Sarah

Spring is one of the best times throughout the year to lay a new lawn! The temperatures are just right and the lawn will be actively growing for a quicker establishment. In this blog, we will look at why you should lay a new lawn now and how to do it!

Why lay a new lawn in spring?

Less irrigation is required as temperatures are not too hot, reducing the amount of heat related evaporation.
Instal turf now for an established lawn for summer.
The lawn will be actively growing, helping your turf establish a deep root system ready for summer.

Measuring out how much turf is needed

When measuring out an area for turf, it is best to sketch out the area first. With your sketch, then break up the area into basic shapes, then measure and record your measurements. You can then calculate the amount of turf needed by using our online calculator. We recommend adding an extra 5% to factor in cutting the turf into odd shapes around your lawn.

Soil preparation

The first step when preparing your soil is to remove any existing vegetation. We recommend using a non-selective herbicide containing glyphosate such as Roundup or Zero. After applying this it can take a few days to take effect. Then give the area a low mow over to remove the dead plant material. Follow up with a repeat application of glyphosate. With some lawns, you may need to 3-4 repeat applications of glyphosate to fully remove all the vegetation. On your final application, hoe and turn over the existing base to de-compact the soil profile.

For most turf varieties, a 100ml underlay of sandy loam (80% sand, 20% loam) is recommended. Before you do start to lay your lawn, level out the soil underlay with a rake or a lawn leveller.

The thickness of the turf also needs to be considered, especially if you are wanting your lawn to sit flush with concrete or another surface. Turf will usually be cut 30-40mm thick, so you will need to leave this much space for the turf. For more specific information on how thick your turf will be cut at, it is best to have a chat with your local turf supplier.

Laying turf

After your turf arrives, it is best to start laying it down as soon as possible to prevent it from drying out. If you are installing your turf on a hot day, we recommend that you water each section as soon as it is laid to avoid it drying out.

Lawn starter fertilisers like Lawn Launcher can be spread out onto the soil before the new turf is laid to help give the lawn an extra boost.

*When installing TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda in spring and summer we don’t recommend using a starter fertiliser as it is a fast-growing grass.

Start off laying the turf furthest away from your exit to avoid walking over the freshly laid turf. Lay the lawn in a brickwork pattern with the edges butted up against each other while ensuring the roll has good contact with the soil underneath.

If you need to cut turf to fit around trees and corners, use either a spade or shears. With the excess pieces, do not throw them away until the whole area has been covered.

After the lawn is laid, give it a good water.

Aftercare

For the first few weeks, the most important thing to look out for is the roots drying out. Keep the roots of the lawn damp and not waterlogged or dry. If you are unsure how often you should water a new lawn, dunk a tea towel into water when you water your lawn and hang it on the line when you are done. When the tea towel is dry again it’s time to water your lawn!

After the lawn is fully established, it is best to only water the lawn as it needs. Watering in the morning for longer around 30 minutes less frequently will help encourage your lawn to grow down further into the soil profile.

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 roll of turf from the ground. If you can’t lift the roll from the ground, it is ready to mow. With your first mow, raise the height of the mower on a slightly higher setting than what you would normally mow at. Over the next few mows then slowly bring the height back down.

Once the lawn has been down for 6 weeks, it should be ready for its first feed. We recommend using a slow release granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser.

Is a Rotary Mower Right for You?

Posted on September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 by Sarah

Are you in the process of buying a new mower and not sure where to start looking? We’ve put together an overview of different types of rotary mowers plus a few mowing tips to help you get started…

Rotary mowers are one of the top choices for mowing Aussie backyards. There are quite a few different options including self-propelled, mulching mowers, battery powered mowers, and robot mowers. With so many options available it can be hard to know what choice is right for you.

How do rotary mowers work?

Firstly, let’s look at how rotary mowers cut grass. Rotary mowers have a cutting deck with rotating blades on a singular vertical pivot point. The size of your cutting deck will determine how much grass is cut with each pass. The typical mowing deck is usually around 40 – 55 cm in diameter.

Rotary mowers will usually have 2 blades but sometimes more. Over time, like any blade, it can become blunt, so you will need to either sharpen or replace your blades every so often. Rotary mowers will work best when cutting at a medium height.

Rotary mowing tips

Keep your mowing blades sharp
Keep a consistent pace when mowing
Only remove one third of the leaf blade with each mow
Mow in different directions
Only mow when the lawn is dry
Mow your lawn regularly

Size of your lawn

When choosing a new mower, it is important to consider the size of the area that you are wanting to cut. For smaller areas you can get away with a smaller mowing deck and a heavier mower. For medium to large backyards, you will want to look for a larger mowing deck and possibly self-propelled to help get the job done faster with less effort.

So, let’s look at a few different mower options.

Mulching mower

Mulching mowers will cut grass clippings into small and fine pieces. These clippings will fall onto the grass and can be left to decompose. These clippings can hold nitrogen and can reduce the amount of fertiliser your lawn needs.

When using mulching mowers, it is best to ensure you are mowing frequently to ensure the clippings stay small. Only mowing when the lawn is dry will help prevent clumps of damp clippings sitting on your lawn.

There are a variety of mulching mowers available on the market. There are a few popular mulching mowers from the Honda and Victa mower range.

Self-propelled mowers

Self-propelled mowers have a drive system that allows the mower to move forward when a trigger is squeezed. This means the mower will move itself and you will simply need to steer it in the right direction. This can be particularly helpful when mowing up hill, if you have a larger area to mow or are simply wanting to make cutting your lawn a bit easier.

The Honda and Toro mower range has a few popular self-propelled options.

Battery powered mowers

Battery powered mowers are an eco-friendly option when it comes to mowing. With these mowers you will simply need to charge them before mowing. These mowers are also popular as you don’t need to pull starting cable to turn the mower on; most battery powered mowers will come with a simple push start button.

Popular options when looking at battery powered mowers are Victa and Bosch.

Robot mowers

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

The Husqvarna Automower range is a popular option when looking at robot mowers. They have a great range available to suit all lawn sizes. You can find more information on the Automower range here.

For more information on lawn mowing, check out our other blogs here.

10 Common Lawn Weeds | Can you guess them all?

Posted on August 26, 2021September 19, 2024 by Sarah

Can you identify all these common lawn weeds? We take a look at a few common lawn weeds that might be growing in your grass and what you can do to remove them.

Clover

Clover can easily be identified by its oval shaped leaves. It will commonly grow with 3 leaves (four if you are lucky) with a white circular marking across all the leaves. The leaf will grow from a thin stem with a white ball like flowers.

Clover can easily be treated with a common broadleaf herbicide or a specific clover specific weed spray. To remove clover, we recommend using either Amgrow Bin Die or All Purpose Weed Control with the active ingredient Bromoxynil or removing by hand.

You can find more information on Clover here.

Bindii

Bindii is a low growing weed with a flower at its centre. At maturity, the flower will produce a prickly seed pod, which can be quite annoying in the warmer months when enjoying your lawn.

Bindii can easily be removed by hand, or with a broadleaf herbicide with the active Bromoxynil like Amgrow Bin Die or All Purpose Weed Control. It is best to remove Bindii before it goes to seed to avoid stepping in those painful prickles.

You can find more information on Bindii here.

Paspalum

Paspalum is a perennial grass weed that is mostly found in the South-eastern states of Australia. It will have a purple tinge as the base of its broad leaves and will primarily grow throughout the warmer months. This weed will spread through the transport of its sticky seeds, easily sticking onto pets and shoes.

With Paspalum the easiest way to remove it is to remove by hand. When doing this, make sure you dig underneath the crown, below the soil level and remove the entire plant. There are also selective herbicides that are available. Paspalum, Nutgrass & Clover Weed Killer with the active ingredient DSMA can easily be mixed in a knapsack or pressure sprayer, repeated applications may be needed. For kikuyu, buffalo and blue couch lawns please note this herbicide can harm your lawn too, so it is only best to spot treat these weeds.

You can find more information on Paspalum here.

Oxalis

Oxalis has a similar appearance to clover. One of the main differences is oxalis has small light green or purple heart shaped leaves, while clover will have oval shaped leaves. There are a few different variations in their flower colour including white, pink, and yellow. There are a few species of oxalis, the common species found here in Australia is creeping oxalis.

To remove creeping Oxalis, a selective herbicide with Bromoxynil as the active ingredient like Amgrow Bin Die or All Purpose Weed Control can be used.

You can find more information on Oxalis here.

Cudweed

Cudweed is another common weed that you may have noticed growing in your garden. It is an annual winter weed those forms in rosettes. It has glossy light green leaves on top and has a white and fury side underneath. They have various small flowers that grow from their stems.

It’s best to remove them by hand or with a selective herbicide with Bromoxynil as the active such as Amgrow Bin Die or All Purpose Weed Control. You may require two or more applications. The glossiness of the leaves helps in its resistance to herbicides and makes it very difficult to control. You can add a few drops of dishwashing liquid or another surfactant to the herbicide mix, this will help it to stick to the leaves.

You can find more information on Cudweed here.

Chickweed

Chickweed is a low growing, winter annual weed that can continue growing all through summer. It has paired leaves protruding opposite one another that have minimal fine hairs. As temperatures rise white flowers bloom in clusters at the end of a stem.

Like most lawn weeds, the easiest method of removing Chickweed from your lawn is by hand. Dig underneath the weed and remove the full plant from the grass. But, if there is a substantial amount present a herbicide with Bromoxynil as the active like Amgrow Bin Die or All Purpose Weed Control is the way to go.

You can find more information on Chickweed here.

Nutgrass

Nutgrass is Sedge weed identifiable as it is usually a lighter green than the rest of your lawn and tends to grow taller. It has 3 blades that shoot up from the stem and has a triangular stem rather than a circular stem like most grasses.

If you do notice this weed in your lawn it is best to act quickly before it spreads. You can remove Nutgrass by digging it out with a small spade. You must be extremely diligent with this to ensure there are no roots or bulbs left in the soil as Nutgrass will reappear if left behind. If there is a large amount of Nutgrass in your lawn, you will need to treat it with a selective herbicide with the active ingredient Halosulfuron-Methyl such as Lawn Solutions Sedge Control.

You can find more information on Nutgrass here.

Summer grass

Summer grass is a common annual weed that has soft hairy leaves that grow close to the ground in clusters. The grass roots at the node (joint) and the sheathes of the leaf are usually purple tinged in colour at the base.

Best to remove Summer grass by hand. If your lawn is unhealthy it will continue to reappear. By thickening up your lawn and keeping it healthy you will make it difficult for the summer grass to return. Herbicides with DSMA as the active ingredient like Paspalum, Nutgrass and Clover Weed Killer, commonly used for paspalum, will remove Summer grass. However, herbicides with DSMA are not safe for Kikuyu and buffalo lawns, so it is best to only spot treat.

You can find more information on Summer Grass here.

Crowsfoot (commonly known as Crabgrass)

Crowsfoot is a summer annual grass that grows in easy to identify tufts. This weed grows flat to the ground with almost white flat sheathed stems and smooth strap like leaves.

The best way to remove crowsfoot is to chip out by hand. Make sure when doing so that you carefully remove the entire plant and don’t spread any seeds during the process. Paspalum, Nutgrass & Clover Weed Killer, and herbicides formulated with the active DSMA will control crowsfoot. Again, when using products with DSMA as the active ingredient on Buffalo and Kikuyu it is best to only spot treat the weed as these herbicides can harm your lawn as well.

You can find more information on Crowsfoot here.

Mullumbimby Couch

Mullumbimby Couch is a perennial mat-forming, grass like sedge with dark green, glossy, strap-like leaves. It possesses tough and long rhyzomes which are red to purple in colour.

If you do notice this weed growing, it is best to act quickly before it spreads and becomes very difficult to remove. You can dig them out with a small spade. But you have to be extremely diligent with this to ensure there are no roots or bulbs left in the soil as they will reappear if left behind. If there is a large amount of Mullumbimby Couch in your lawn, you will need to treat it with a selective herbicide with the active ingredient Halosulfuron-Methyl such as Sedge Control.

You can find more information on Mullumbimby Couch here.

For more information on lawn weeds, check out our other blogs here.

Moulding Clay into the Perfect Lawn

Posted on August 26, 2021July 24, 2024 by Sarah

Much of the soil across Australia has a high clay content. In some cases, this can hinder your turf growth. But don’t fear! We’ve got some tips and tricks on how you can improve your clay soil and advice for installing turf on a clay base…

But first, what is clay?

Clay soils are made up of very fine mineral particles, usually less than 0.005 millimetres in diameter. These minerals are aluminium, magnesium, and silica. Clay can also contain potassium, calcium, and sodium. The fine particles leave limited space between the mineral particles, making the area more susceptible to becoming compacted and waterlogged. Clay soil will usually lack organic material, which is not ideal for turf growth.

The ribbon test

To see what type of soil you have, conduct a ribbon test. This will show what sort and size of particles your soil contains – sand, silt, or clay and in what proportion.

Pick up a handful of soil and sort it together, adding a little water at a time until it is moist. Note the different textures. Sand particles are course to feel. The smoother particles will be either be clay, silt, or humus.

Now squeeze the sample and try and form it into a ball. If it contains a fair proportion of clay and humus this should be easy, but if it contains a lot of sand, it will keep breaking up.

Next, gently squeeze the ball to lengthen it into a strip or ‘ribbon’ and see how long you can make it before it starts to break up. The more clay it contains, the longer the ribbon will get and the more plastic it will feel to the touch. Soil ribbons can range in length from about 5mm – 75mm, with sandy soils being shortest, loamy soils in the middle, and clay soils the longest.

Turf and clay

The limited space between clay particles makes it difficult for air and nutrients to go into the soil base. Clay soils will often struggle to drain away water, especially if the clay is compacted. Turf in clay soils will also struggle to have a good root system. This is because the grass roots are not strong enough to grow down into the clay.

When working around clay soils, it is important to have the right moisture content. With too much water, the soil will become slippery and boggy. When the soil is like this it is best to wait until the area has dried out before doing work on it. If the clay is too dry it will become hard and very difficult to cultivate.

Improving an existing lawns clay base

To improve your clay soil for laying turf, make sure the base isn’t too wet or isn’t too dry before you start. Firstly, aerate the area with a garden fork. Then spread-out the gypsum. The amount of gypsum needed will depend on your soil. For light clay, 1kg/square metre is the usual application rate. For heavy clay soils, 2kg/metre.

Laying turf on a clay soil

When laying a new lawn on a clay soil, there are a few extra steps that you can take in the soil preparation process to help ensure your new lawn thrives.

When preparing the soil base, ensure any existing vegetation has been treated and removed. Then spread out a clay breaker like gypsum. This will help improve drainage, soil structure, and oxygen levels.

Then bring in a sandy loam (80% sand, 20% loam) to use a turf underlay. By adding in a turf underlay mix, the new turf will be able to properly root down into the soil.

By taking these few extra steps throughout the preparation process, your lawn will be healthier and stronger. The grass will have a stronger root system, will be able to better absorb nutrient’s and better drain away excess water.

Check out the lawn solutions Australia lawn care page for more helpful tips and advice here.