Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

Is a Rotary Mower Right for You?

Posted on September 2, 2021May 4, 2026 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.

Jump to: How do rotary mowers work? Rotary mower tips, What are mulching mowers? Why should I use a self propelled mower? What are the benefits of a battery-powered mower? Should I use a robot mower?

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.

What Are Mulching Mowers?

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.

What Are The Benefits of 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.

Why Should I Use a Battery-Powered Mower?

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 Ryobi, Victa and Bosch.

Should I Use A Robot Mower?

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.

If you would like some more information on different types of robot lawn mower options, check out our blog 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.

We’re buzzed about bees! | Here’s how to keep a bee friendly lawn

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Sarah

Did you know there are over 1,700 species of native bees in Australia? The busy buzzy bee is one of the most important pollinators for our food chain and is essential to help keep your flowers in bloom! With a few steps, you too can create a bee friendly lawn…

But first, why are bees so important?

Bees are the world’s largest pollinators; honeybees alone are responsible for pollinating 80% of all flowering plants.

Pollination can also come from wind and water, however only around 12% of the world’s flowering plants can be pollinated by wind. An even smaller 2% of pollination occurs by water pollination.

Pollination occurs when bees collect nectar and pollen from a flower. When collecting pollen, some of this pollen will stick to the bee’s body. When moving to the next flower, the pollen that has stuck to the bee’s body can rub off onto the stigma. This process fertilises the plant, allowing it to grow fruit and seeds so it can spread.

Flowers

Bees are attracted to flowers that have open or flat flowers that have lots of pollen and nectar. They love a variety of bright and colourful flowers. When looking to put in new plants in your garden, try and make sure you have a balance of plants so that you will always have a flower in bloom. This will help encourage bees to your lawn year-round, helping you create a bee friendly garden.

Native flowers

In some cases, native trees are the preferred choice for bees. Some of their favourite plants include Daises, Eucalyptus, Acacia, and Banksias.

Combination planting

Combination planting in theory will help attract pollinators from using a variety of flowering plants and will help assist certain plants take up nutrients. By using a variety of plants close to each other, you will help create a bee friendly garden. Combination planting can also be used to help deter damaging causing insects.

Bee hotel

Over 99% of native Australian bees will either live in a small group (semi-social bees) or will live alone (solitary bees) in small holes in the ground or nests. Both bee types will make their home in a pre-existing hole in wood or will make a hole in the spongy, soft stem of a flowering plant (pithy stem).

To help these bees, you can provide a place for them to go and rest. To make a bee hotel use a small box and fill it with bamboo canes or old flower stalks that are hollow. You may need to cut these sticks to size to fit in your box. You can also use a small block of wood and drill out different size holes for the bees. This will help create a warm safe place for the bees to go and rest in. You should place your bee motel in an area that gets plenty of morning sun.

Flow also sells a bee hotel for native bees. They contain different size sticks so the bees can find their perfect home.

Flow hives

For the aspiring beekeepers, there are a few great beehive starter bundles to help get you started on your bee-keeping journey.

One of our favourites is the Flow Hive. With these hives, you can collect honey straight from the hive with a simple to-use-tap. These hives use partially formed combs. Once the honeycomb is filled and the key is turned the comb will split, allowing the honey to flow out of the hive and into your jar! This avoids the need to open the hive and use processing equipment with no mess.

Use of bee friendly insecticides

When it comes to the use of insecticides, we recommend using Acelepryn GR. Acelepryn GR provides safe and effective control of damage-causing bugs while minimising the impact on the environment and non-target organisms like bees and earthworms.

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

What should turf look like when it arrives?

Posted on July 30, 2021August 26, 2021 by Sarah

Congratulations! Your turf has been ordered which means you are almost ready to install your new lawn.

What should you expect when your turf arrives? Turf is a green life product. This means the turf is not always going to have the exact same appearance. In most cases, this is completely normal. There is a range of factors that contribute to these possible variances.

Here’s what to expect and look out for when your new turf is delivered.

Thickness of turf

Knowing the thickness that your turf will be is important so that your finished lawn sits flush with other surfaces and is at the height you desire on completion.

When turf is cut, the thickness can vary due to a few factors. Factors such as location, the type of machinery used to cut the turf, the type of turf, and weather being experienced on the farm. As a rough guide, turf will usually be cut between 25mm to 45mm thick.

To know for certain what thickness your turf will be on arrival, it is best to ask your local turf supplier prior to delivery, before you have finished preparing your soil base.

Moisture content

When your turf is delivered, the amount of moisture that is in the turf can vary. Factors such as climate or location, and current weather conditions including rain, wind, and humidity levels can all effect moisture levels. This moisture level will not affect the turf quality and won’t hinder the turf during its establishment. Once the turf is laid, watering is to commence immediately. This will provide the moisture required to maintain health and for establishment to begin.

Muddy turf

When you receive your turf, you may notice that there may be a bit of mud sitting on the leaf blade. This can be common if you are receiving turf after the turf farm has received rainfall.

If your turf is delivered with a bit of mud on the leaf blade, simply wash it off the leaf back into the soil profile.

Soil base

The soil attached to your turf can vary depending on the seasonal conditions and the soil in your location. The more moisture there is in the soil, the ‘stickier’ it will tend to be. This will allow it to hold to the turf better. If it’s too wet however, some soil/mud can be displaced from the turf, too dry and it can crumble and fall away also. These changes will not affect the quality of the turf, it will still establish correctly once laid and perform as it should.

Sometimes turf can be supplied with a thick amount of soil. This creates its own micro growing conditions for the turf while it’s yet to establish its roots. In sports turf situations, the preference is to have no soil attached to the turf at all. Once harvested the turf is washed to remove all the soil before it is delivered to the site. This ensures there is no soil contamination and even quicker establishment, both of which are critical in that situation. In the home lawn, great results will be achieved for establishment whichever thickness or soil composition is supplied.

Considerations regarding temperature

Throughout different times of the year, the turf can dry out at different rates once harvested. Throughout summer when the temperatures are at their hottest, the turf can begin to dry and heat up. When temperatures are cooler throughout winter, the turf will still dry out but at a slower rate than it would in warmer months, while remaining at a lower temperature.

Turf typically has a shelf life once harvested of 24-48 hours in the warmer months.

While it may last longer during the cooler months or conditions, it is still best to lay your turf as soon as it is delivered, regardless of the time of year. After your turf has been laid, it is best to apply water straight away.

Dead or discoloured?

Warm season turf varieties like kikuyu, buffalo, or couch, may lose a bit of colour in winter. This is no different for turf that is harvested and delivered during this time. Turf farmers can help offset this colouring in the cooler months by using a lawn pigment product like ColourGuard Plus, which you can also use to keep your lawn green over winter.

If turf is less green in winter, it does not mean your grass is unhealthy, it is simply dormant. The colour will return once the temperatures warm back up again in spring. This is much like buying a deciduous tree during winter.

Joining lines in turf

After you have installed your new lawn, you may see some joining lines between the turf. These lines can be more apparent as the edge of the turf roll can be under more stress where the roll has been cut. This is quite normal and will disappear as your lawn establishes. When installing your turf, be sure to stagger the joints of the turf in a brickwork pattern. This will help the turf to establish quicker so that the joining lines disappear faster, and the turf has more stability.

If you have any concerns regarding your turf once it arrives, get in touch with your turf supplier straight away. They will be happy to address any of these concerns and can provide specific insight into the variances that may be experienced.

Lawn Solutions Australia turf suppliers are the best in the business. These growers are fully accredited and certified by the Australian Genetic Assurance Program for turf, AusGAP. This program has strict quality control measures and audits that are conducted on a regular basis, so you can be sure that your turf is produced to the highest of standards.

To find contact details for your local accredited turf suppliers click here.

Weed Wands and Weed Pullers

Posted on July 30, 2021July 8, 2025 by Sarah

Weed wands and weed pullers are a great way to remove unwanted weeds from your lawn. To help you know when you should use each of these, we have put together a guide on the do’s and don’ts of weed pullers and weed wands.

Skip to: Weed Wands, Weed Wands Pro’s and Con’s, Weed Pullers, Weed Pullers Pro’s and Con’s

Weed wands

Firstly, let’s look at what weed wands are and when they are best used. Weed wands are a stick that disperses herbicides to a small, selected area of your lawn. These sticks are usually around 1 metre tall, eliminating the need for you to bend or kneel to treat weeds. Weed wands are used to precisely apply herbicides. They are mostly used in situations where there are no herbicides that will selectively treat the weed or grass without harming your lawn, like invasive grasses and hard to remove weeds like onion weed. Non-selective herbicides like roundup are poured into the wand and is dispersed by an applicator on the end of the wand.

The weed wand applicator will usually look like a small paintbrush and will disperse the herbicide to the weed. When using these, it is best to dab the product onto the weed instead of using a sweeping motion to allow for a more accurate application.

Pros

Weed wands have a small applicator, allowing for accuracy upon application.
Weed wands are best used with a non-selective herbicide that contains glyphosate, like roundup. Non-selective herbicides will kill everything that they touch. This can be handy if you do not know what type of weed you are treating.
The weed wand applicator is on the end of the stick so there is no need to bend or kneel.

Cons

When using a weed wand, you will need to be careful to only apply the product to the weed you are wanting to treat and not your lawn as it will kill it too.
As the weed wand is on the end of a stick, you will have less control of where the applicator will go.

Yates weed wand

One of our favourites weed wands is the Yates weed wand. This weed wand comes with a handy screw on safety cap which is great for when the wand isn’t in use. The wand has a specially designed valve on the brush that prevents any of the product leaking into your lawn when moving between weeds across your lawn.

Weed pullers

There is a wide range of weed pullers that are available on the market. Some are small handheld pullers; some have serrated edges making them easier to use in different soil types and some are stand-up pullers stopping you from bending and kneeling. Most will pull the entire plant and root system out. While most weeds can be pulled out, there are some you shouldn’t. Check out our blog here to see weeds that shouldn’t be pulled out.

Pros

Weed pullers do not require herbicides. This is particularly handy for those wanting to keep their garden organic.
Weed pullers are one of the easiest and quickest ways to remove weeds from your lawn!
The right tool will be able to remove the entire weeds roots.
Stand-up weed pullers don’t require you to bend over or kneel to remove weeds.
You won’t run the risk of accidently killing your lawn.

Cons

Some weed pullers will not be able to remove the entire root system of the weed.
Can be time consuming.
Hand-held pullers require you to bend and kneel to remove weeds.

Fiskars Weed Puller

No more bending down and tugging out weeds by hand. Simply push down on the built in foot plate. The clever gripping prongs will push into the surrounding dirt around the weed, and grab tightly onto the whole weed and root system. Then simply pull the whole thing out of the ground and dispose of the weed and its roots in your green waste bin.

These tools can be particularly handy for the odd weed here and there, or if the weeds cannot be selectively treated. But if there is a range of broadleaf weeds in your lawn that have spread considerably, the best option is to use an appropriate herbicide for your lawn variety.

Lawn Solutions Australia has a great range of products suited to all common lawn varieties, available in both convenient hose on applicators and concentrates. Check out the Lawn Store here to buy online or find your local stockists.

all purpose weed control — All Purpose Weed Control

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estate herbicide — Estate Broadleaf Herbicide

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Good Guys Bad Guys Bug Guide

Posted on July 29, 2021January 31, 2023 by Sarah

Some bugs are good, some bugs are great! But how do you know what type of bugs are bad for your lawn? We’ve put together a guide on what bugs you should leave in your lawn and what you should look out for.

Good guys

Bees

Bees are one of the most important insects in our environment due to their ability to pollinate our plants. This allows plants to reproduce becoming a food source for many other animals including us!

These guys won’t cause any damage to your lawn, and if you keep out of their way, they should leave you alone too! Fun Fact, bees will sometimes have a nap in a flower when they become tired from gathering pollen!

Lady beetles

Lady beetles are a beautiful sight to see and are one of the best insects you can encourage to your garden. Lady beetles will help keep the population of aphids at a manageable level so that they won’t cause damage. Lady beetles will also eat a range of other soft bodied insects like mealy bugs which can cause damage to your lawn. Before the lady beetles turn into their bright red colours they start life out as larvae. The larvae will then turn into the red beetle we know them as.

Earthworms

Earthworms are pleasant little critters that are excellent for your lawns health! They will work beneath the turf aerating your soil and breaking down thatch. If you do happen to have these guys in your lawns soil, it means that you have a good amount of organic material and nutrients in your soil. When there is an increased amount of moisture within the soil earthworms will rise to the surface and leave a casting. These are also known as mud balls on top of the soil. These castings can affect the appearance of your lawn, especially if there is a heap of them. However, when these castings are dry you can simply rake them across the lawn.

Praying mantis

Praying mantises are one of the more intriguing insects that you may find in your garden. Their front legs are held up, similar to a praying position and legs are designed specifically for catching prey. These guys target flies, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, aphids, small frogs, lizards, and mice. Praying Mantis’ are the only insects that cans turn their heads to the side at a 180-degree angle!

Bad guys

Army worm

Armyworm is a pest that can cause great damage to a lawn within a matter of days. They will tend to move in large numbers across lawns, devastating the plant material they leave behind. They will completely scalp the green leaf growth of the grass and will continue this throughout the whole lawn. Armyworms vary from 2mm to 40mm in length (varying depending on how mature they are). They have 3 prominent white or cream stripes running down the back and side of their bodies. If you do notice that your lawn has armyworm, it is important to act fast to prevent further damage throughout your whole lawn. Treatment options for armyworm include Battle Insecticide, Grub Guard, or Richgrow Grub Killa Hose On.

Lawn grubs

Black beetles on your lawn are a common sight and are a natural part of your garden’s ecosystem. These beetles won’t cause damage to your lawn, but their larvae and grubs in large numbers will. They will cause most of their damage when the temperatures are warmer, from september to march. Their grubs and larvae are treated in similar ways to armyworm. If you see black beetles on your lawn, there is no need to use an insecticide. But if there are larvae on the lawn and there are visible signs of damage it is then best to use an insecticide. We recommend including Battle Insecticide, or Grub Guard.

Mole cricket

Mole crickets are common but are rarely seen as they tunnel through the soil, eating at the roots of your lawn. As these insects burrow down in the soil, they can be difficult to treat as an insecticide needs to be washed down into their burrows to make contact with them.

Insecticides

When looking at insecticides to use, we recommend looking at using a preventative product, like Grub Guard Ultimate. Grub Guard Ultimate is powered by Acelepryn technology delivers excellent preventative control against a large range of common lawn pests. This product provides safe and effective control of damaging causing bugs like armyworm for up to six months, while minimising the impact on non-target organisms like bees and earthworms.

For more information on insects in your lawn, check out our lawn care blogs here.

How to create the ultimate lawn for dogs

Posted on July 29, 2021May 5, 2023 by Sarah

Did you know that 40% of Australian households own at least 1 dog?

Dogs are an important family member to many aussie homes, but on occasion they can cause damage to our beloved lawns. Our dogs are often the ones who will be spending the most time out on the lawn so it is important they have a place to enjoy. In this blog, we will look at ways to keep both your four-legged friends and your lawn happy…

Skip to: Urine Burn, decompact your soil base, pets digging your lawn, and choosing the right lawn variety for your pets

Wear and tear to the lawn

If your dog gets the zoomies and runs around your lawn like crazy, your turf can cop quite a hiding. Especially for families with larger dogs, this can be a forever uphill battle to help the grass survive. If this is you, a turf reinforcement mesh might be the right option. Turf reinforcement mesh will give your grass extra strength so that it can withstand the extra wear, reducing damage. These meshes are usually made from high-density plastics and are put down onto an existing lawn. Once these are laid out on the lawn the plastic structure will disappear within a few weeks when the turf naturally grows back over. These meshes also provide an easy solution to help stop chickens scratching throughout the lawn.

Urine burn

If your dog is one to leave burns on the lawn, there are a variety of options that can help stop or reduce urine burns on your lawn. One popular option that has seen success is Dog Rocks. These work by filtering out the impurities from water such as tin, nitrates, and ammonia. Filtered water has also seen success, working similarly to dog rocks. Training your dog to use one area of the lawn or synthetic pet potty mats can also help prevent widespread damage throughout the lawn. For more information on stopping and preventing urine burn click here.

De-compact your soil base

If your dog spends most of its time out on the lawn, your soil base can become compacted. Compaction will occur when an area of the lawn is regularly used. This can hinder the soils’ ability to absorb water and the lawns’ ability to properly root down into the soil profile. To help reduce compaction, you can use either use a garden fork or a core aerator to help to fracture up the soil profile, better allowing for water and nutrients to get to the roots of your lawn. For more information, please check out our blog on aeration here.

Digging

But what should you do if your dog is a digger? Well, let’s look at why dogs dig in the first place. Some dogs like to dig to help stop their boredom, are trying to escape, seeking protection, or are just playing. To help stop your four-legged friend from digging up your entire yard there are a few things you can do. Chew toys can serve as a great distraction and can help keep your dog busy while you are not home. Regular exercise will also help your dog use up its energy and will keep your dog active.

Sandpits

If your dog just loves to dig, why not give them an area where they can dig all day long without causing any damage to your lawn! Treats and chew toys can even be added into this dedicated digging area to encourage them to use it rather than the lawn. These sandpits can easily be constructed by a few pieces of timber or you can even use a kids clam shell and fill it with sand.

Choosing the right turf variety

When choosing the best turf variety, it is important to consider your pets needs too! If your dog will be spending its time out on the lawn, it is best to choose a variety with a high wear tolerance. Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo has a soft and hardy leaf that is a great performer in high wear areas! Sir Walter DNA Certified is a great all-round turf variety that is great with pets and kids and is well suited to the Australian Climate. Another great turf variety for pets is TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. TifTuf has a fast-repairing nature, so if damage does occur to from your pet, your lawn can repair itself fast. This turf variety has a soft fine leaf that is great to touch and feels great underfoot.

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For more information on pets and your lawn, check out our other pet-related lawn care blogs here.

Now we’re cooking with fire! | How to protect your lawn from the heat

Posted on July 29, 2021July 29, 2021 by Sarah

Cooking outdoors on a bbq, spit and even a fire is a great way to not only cook food, but also entertain throughout the cold winter nights. When cooking out on the lawn, your grass can be left with scorch marks where the heat has burnt your lawn. To save your lawn from getting burnt we have put together a few helpful tips to help your lawn stay nice and green.

But first, what different types of cookers are available?

There is a huge range of different cookers, smokers, spits and bbqs available. One of our new favourites is the Jumbuck mini spit due to its great size and the entertainment as well of watching it spin. There’s even a group dedicated to it on Facebook!

You can’t go past a classic kettle bbq either like a Weber. These have had a bit of a resurgence in recent years. This is mainly due to the popularity of cooking with charcoal rather than electric. Kettle bbq’s are also ideal. They are high enough off the ground like a traditional bbq, so the grass is safely at a distance to the heat.

If you are lucky enough to have the space a pizza oven also makes a great addition to backyard entertaining. You are not limited to pizza either, with most having enough space to cook just about anything you would normally inside the house.

If you are looking for something that can provide a bit more flavour, then a smoker is another option worth looking into. These can take a little bit of getting used to. Once you get the hang of cooking times, smoke levels and internal temperatures, the results can be delicious providing a smokey flavour. Char-Griller has a good entry level option, you just need to make sure you buy the offset fire box attachment separately for smoking. Jumbuck also has bbq smoker with offset sidebox included.

Finding the best spot for your cooker on the lawn

Before lighting up your fire, you will need to find a flat surface to place your cooker. This will help stabilise the cooker and will help stop it from falling over throughout your cook.

Preparing your grass for the heat

If you are using a fire pit or a cooking device that sits quite low to the ground, it’s best to take some precautions first, particularly on your lawn.

Before lighting up your fire there are a few things you can do to help prepare your lawn for the heat. Firstly, it is best to rake away any fallen leaves or twigs. A light water with the hose will help minimise heat stress to the grass from the cooker. Throughout the night when the lawn becomes dry again, give the lawn another watering. This will help prevent the lawn from becoming scorched. If the heat is quite close this may not be enough to protect it, so more methods may be required.

Heat resistant shields

Heat resistant shields work by reflecting heat from underneath the cooker, protecting the grass. These shields are usually made from aluminium fiberglass. When using these shields keep at least four inches away from the heat source. Some of these mats come with the ability to be hooked into the legs of the heat source. Others are designed to be laid on top of the grass.

Some of our favourites include the Fire Heat Shield and Fireside Fire Mesh from BCF. There is also a great range of heat resistant shields available on Amazon.

Bricks/pavers

Bricks and pavers can be laid out underneath the cooker. This will act as a heat shield, preventing the grass from becoming burnt. This will help raise the height of the cooker so there is less chance of scorching the grass underneath. When laying down these bricks, make the surface larger than your cooker. This makes a stable base that the cooker won’t tip over easily. Make sure you remove the bricks or pavers once you are done so you don’t find another way to kill the grass instead!

When using bricks around fires and cookers, make sure you are using a fire brick instead of a normal brick. Fire bricks are made to be able to withstand the high temperatures. As normal bricks are not designed to withstand these hot temperatures they can degrade and in some circumstances explode.

How to put out coals

Once you are done cooking it is best to put the lid back on your cooker and close any air vents. This will deplete oxygen to the coals, putting them out. This is an easy and safe way to put out these coals. Please note the cooker will remain hot so it is best to let it sit for a few hours to cool. It is best to avoid hosing out your cooker. This causes a rapid change in temperature can cause it to crack while causing a lot of hot steam.

Lighter liquids and other fuels

It is best to keep away from lighter liquids and fuels. This is because they can cause huge flames and burn your lawn. It is best to stick to using coals.

What to do when your lawn has burnt grass

So, what should you do if your turf is already burnt? To help the area recover quickly, rake out the dead plant material and lightly raise the area by adding a small amount of topsoil.

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

Getting to know Charlie Albone

Posted on July 8, 2021May 6, 2025 by Sarah

Charlie Albone, landscape designer and TV presenter knows a lot about lawns and gardens. But he wasn’t always involved in gardening and greenspace, he’s dabbled with a bit of painting and pouring pints as well!

The Lawn Solutions team recently caught up with Charlie to learn more about his story, plus he shares some insider tips for the garden.

Charlie first started getting into landscaping at 18 while working in the UK. He was trying to save enough money working as a painter during the day and in a pub during the evening so that he could travel to Australia. During this time Charlie was working a 60-hour week for just 4 pounds an hour! When Charlie was on his way to work at the pub one night, he saw a car accident where a drunk driver had cut across the road and collided with the pillars of a large country house. After this, the driver then sped off. Charlie went to the house to see if they needed help. While talking with the owner he was offered a gardening job on the weekends. This then took Charlie’s already busy work week to a whopping 75 hours! “I remember the moment I fell in love with gardening.” This moment was when the owner of the property took him to an area of the garden where Snakeskin Fritillary was coming up in the lawn, “it took my breath away.”

From here Charlie Albone has been able to try most things in landscaping, maintenance, construction, and design. “I love how my business incorporates all aspects of these!”. Charlie has worked on so many amazing projects. “I loved both Chelsea Flower show gardens especially the first one dedicated to my late father”. Charlie has also worked for the Shangri La hotel in Singapore. “It was a great project we designed and flew over to install in the lobby”. Charlie has loved many of the private projects he has done too. He tells us that he has a passion for “creating spaces that change the way families live and connect.”

In Charlie’s own backyard he has recently installed a new TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda lawn “I love fine leaf grasses and TifTuf is so hard-wearing it was a no brainer with two very active boysl”. Charlie’s lawn care routine is currently all about establishment. “For now, I’m keeping the water up to it and staying off it as much as possible. I’ll give it a cut soon and slowly bring the height down, to maintain it at a low level.” He loves his cylinder mower. “It has a certain charm to it while delivering great results, nothing beats a stripy lawn.” Any top tips for lawn care Charlie? “Mow more remove less.” This way you will prevent damage and stress, creating a much healthier lawn.

When creating formal designs Charlie likes to border lawns with box hedging as it doesn’t encroach and shade out the turf. For a more relaxed garden design he prefers to use more strappy foliage plants like Arthropodium, Agapanthus or Beschorneria that can handle the sun but don’t grow too much over the edging, again to allow sunlight to the lawn.

Charlie loves fine leaf grasses like Sir Grange Zoysia and TifTuf as they give that formal manicured look. “These grasses are also incredibly hardy”. TifTuf is the only grass in Australia to have the Smart Approved WaterMark. Sir Grange for its all-round wearability. Each area of Charlie’s garden holds different memories. “The lawns are filled with memories of playing with the children, the small courtyard at the front is spent relaxing and the pergola has many experiences of entertaining with friends, family, and guests.”

Something that most people don’t know about Charlie Albone is that he was born and raised in Hong Kong for 12 years. “It’s not the place most people think a gardener would come from.” Charlie goes on to explain the amazing natural landscapes of the soaring green peaks and lush landscapes. “I love the juxtaposition of the landscape with the heavily built-up metropolis. I love it as a place to visit, but don’t think I could handle the pace full time.”

Charlie Albone’s motivation comes from his family. He is continually working to show his boys that things don’t come easily. This motivation comes from his father. “He was very hard working too, and I get my work ethic from him. I also love what I do, it’s much easier to work when it doesn’t feel like work.”