Sarah, Author at Lawn Solutions Australia

Here’s some food for fall…

Posted on April 28, 2021May 20, 2021 by Sarah

(Sorry for going a little state side for the pun!)

Essential Lawn Nutrients for Autumn

In this article we take a closer look at lawn nutrient requirements during the autumn period and how to address these needs before the cold sets in.

A lawn needs oxygen, nutrient and water, along with sunlight in order to photosynthesise. With all of these elements considered and readily available to your grass you should have a healthy thriving lawn.

If you have a warm season turf variety like buffalo, kikuyu, zoysia or couch, as soil temperatures drop below 14 degrees over the coming months, so too will the speed at which your grass will grow as it slows in cellular activity.

This means that if your lawn is unhealthy and nutrient poor, it will go into winter unprepared for the colder conditions. This will leave it susceptible to winter weeds, compaction, shade related issues and frost.

Now is an important time to address these deficiencies and prepare your lawn with the nutrients it needs during the cooler months.

One nutrient in particular is especially important and should be available for your grass to help prepare it for winter.

Potassium for Plant Health

This nutrient is potassium. Most people know about nitrogen and its ability to provide quick green up and leaf growth. But now is the time to boost the health of the entire plant. This is where potassium comes in.

Potassium functions within the cell of the grass and provides strength to the entire plant. It helps the internal processes including photosynthesis, respiration and protein production. This creates thicker cell walls to help it withstand drought and disease.

Without potassium your lawn would struggle to grow, be lacking in strength and suffer yellowing of the leaf. Potassium comes in the form of sulphate as soluble potash and is a common ingredient in all lawn fertilisers, but can also be applied on its own.

Iron for Strength

Another key ingredient you will find in increased amounts in most winter fertilisers is Iron. Iron helps to strengthen your grass and improve leaf colour. Provided you have fertilised in autumn and have your lawn prepared for winter, an additional treatment around July is ideal.

You can apply Iron Chelate which will help to get better iron uptake for better results without the Nitrogen promoting unnecessary growth. Just make sure you don’t get it on any hard surfaces as it can stain very easily.

We recommend applying a balanced fertiliser with micro-nutrients and trace elements. These will replace some of the important elements that may have been lost over summer. Along with the potassium and iron that your lawn needs for the coming cooler months.

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is a great professional-grade foliar fertiliser with a carefully balanced NPK ratio including potassium and added iron. Exceed will provide health and colour to your lawn and can be used year-round.

Another option is a slow-release granular fertiliser like Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser which will provide your lawn nutrients for autumn for up to 12 weeks as it gradually breaks down.

Just remember, a lawn in dormancy can lose some colour as it is conserving energy. This is not anything to worry about and is a completely normal part of the cycle for warm season grasses.

If you prefer using a liquid fertiliser during the cooler months or want to see a significant improvement in colour straight away, we recommend taking a look at ColourGuard Plus, an organic pigment with added fertiliser that can provide an instant boost of colour.

For more information regarding Autumn Lawn Care, check out our Autumn Lawn Care video series here.

How to Help Herbicides Adhere | Surfactants

Posted on April 28, 2021May 15, 2025 by Sarah

Surfactants (Adjuvants)

An adjuvant is a substance used to modify chemical or physical properties. There are two main categories of adjuvants, but in this article, we are referring to the type known as activator and spray modifiers, specifically the product group known as surfactants.

Skip to: Why do I need to use a surfactant?? What is a surfactant? What surfactant should I use? Different surfactant options to use.

Why are surfactants sometimes required when applying herbicides or pesticides?

Surfactants are used with herbicide or pesticide solutions in order to reduce the surface tension of the water it is applied with. There is an increase in the ‘spreadability’ of the water, with an increase in the surface area that the solution can cover. In contrast, if you were to apply just water when applied to a waxy surface like that of a weed, it will bead instead of spreading outwards. By adding a surfactant to the water, the molecules are spread outwards as the surfactant molecule is attracted in opposite directions. Rather than being inwardly attracted cohesively it becomes outwards attracted. The surfactant is now the link between what would normally be considered non-compatible materials.

Essentially you end up with a substance that has made water wetter!

Instead of the solution simply beading up and dispersing away, it spreads across the surface of the target material. This will improve the efficacy of the product being applied, ensuring it contacts and adheres to a greater surface area for penetration and improved efficacy.

What is a surfactant?

You can get a better idea of what a surfactant does by breaking down the origins of the word itself. Surfactant is a shortened form of the phrase ‘surface active agent’. They are soluble in water and are able to reduce water tension. Without going too deep into the science of why this is, the molecules within the surfactant are known as long molecules and have a head and a tail. The head is attracted to water (water-loving or hydrophilic). The tail is attracted to oil, grease and dirt (oil-loving or hydrophobic). So, one end is water-soluble while the other is oil soluble.

The most common types of surfactants are called Carboxylates. These comprise carboxylate salts, like Sodium stearate. Sodium stearate can be found in the most commonly available household ‘surfactant’ item, soap.

What weeds are best to target with the addition of a surfactant?

Target weeds that have a waxy coating or surface that is likely to bead easily upon application are the ideal weed types to look at targeting with a surfactant. Weeds like paspalum, nutgrass or broadleaf weeds like cudweed are ideal candidates for the addition of a surfactant when treating.

What surfactant do I use and how?

In most domestic homeowner situations, the easiest and most accessible surfactant to use is dishwashing liquid. As mentioned earlier, soap contains the surfactant Sodium stearate. Liquid dishwashing liquid can be added to a tank mix of the herbicide or pesticide being applied and mixed with water. A few drops in a 5L pressure sprayer or knapsack should be enough to help ensure that an efficient application is achieved. Many products will advise to use specific surfactants or products designed to achieve the best results with their products. Results after application cannot be guaranteed if using a dishwashing liquid or alternative option with your tank mix that goes against the label instructions.

When determining what surfactant to use it is also important to consider the product that you are tank mixing it with. There are many herbicides that have specific requirements and labels recommend that they be applied with a specifically formulated surfactant or adjuvant to best ensure the success rate of the application. Be sure to read the label thoroughly before applying in case a specific surfactant is required. It is important to consider the effect that any addition to a tank mix will make to the ability for a product to perform as it says it will. If you are unsure, contact the product manufacturer directly for advice.

Some examples of turf surfactant products:

Manta Ray Surfactant

ProForce Manta Ray Surfactant is a multi-purpose aquatic friendly adjuvant which is composed of natural surfactants and penetrants derived from soybean oils. These are combined with propionic acid to produce a penetrant, surfactant, acidifier for use with herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, foliar fertilizers and plant growth regulators.

Agral Spray Adjuvant

Agral is a versatile non-ionic organic surfactant. It is the recommended surfactant to use with the range of products produced by Syngenta.

Pro-Film 904

Pro-Film 904 is a unique, high quality multipurpose surfactant designed to enhance performance of plant protection products. Provides unsurpassed sticking, improves penetration of systemic products. Is soft on turf and forms a film around the plant limiting water loss and helps reduce odour.

Driftex

Premium surfactant for addition to pesticides to reduce spray drift and to increase rain fastness period.

Activator

Activator Surfactant is a premium non-ionic rainfast wetting agent with low foaming qualities.

LI700

LI700 Surfactant can be used as an acidifying and penetrating mix, reducing alkaline hydrolysis. It will assist with the uptake of systemic herbicides and assists in management of spray droplet size.

Pulse

Pulse is a non-ionic organo silicone super wetter that improves the spread of spray droplets on leaves by up to 13 times more than standard surfactants. This superior coverage allows thorough penetration and translocation of certain herbicides used for hard-to-control brush and woody weeds.

If you are looking to get the best and most effective use of the products you are using, make sure you read the label thoroughly and add a surfactant if recommended to do so. If you are unsure of best practice, check with the product manufacturer directly for advice specific to their product.

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

Old Wives’ Tales… True or False

Posted on April 27, 2021April 17, 2025 by Sarah

There are many old wives’ tales when it comes to lawn care. While some of them do hold some logic, it can be difficult to know what to do to keep your lawn at its best. We’ve searched the internet to tell you which of these tales are true and what is just a silly old myth.

Night watering’s are best

You may have heard that the best time to water your lawn is at night. While this may seem reasonable as it can help prevent your lawn from losing water to evaporation, over time frequent night watering can create damp conditions perfect for diseases and funguses to grow.

So, when should you water? Watering in early mornings is best when there is less wind and less chance of water loss from heat-related evaporation. By watering in the morning, the lawn will have enough time to absorb water before the heat of the day. This will also allow the lawn to dry to help avoid fungal diseases.

Mowing a lawn short means you don’t have to mow as often

Many of you may dread the thought of having to give your lawn another mow, mowing your lawn short and leaving it for a few weeks sounds like the perfect solution. However, mowing irregularly and short can cause extra stress and damage.

When mowing the golden rule is to only remove one-third of the leaf blade with each mow.

By only removing one-third your lawn will be able to stay in its peak condition. Although this does require you to mow regularly, your lawn will be able to have a steady nutrient uptake and will look more consistent throughout.

A brown lawn is a dead lawn

In the cooler months, lawns can lose some colour. This is because there is less sunlight to produce chlorophyll resulting in less photosynthesis and a loss of colour. However, there is no need to panic when this happens as the grass will return to its previous green state when temperatures begin to warm up again.

To help your lawn retain its colour better in winter, increase your mowing height. This will help create a thicker canopy that is better able to retain colour as more sunlight can be absorbed.

So, although your winter lawn will lose a bit of colour, the grass is really greener on the summer side.

If you are wanting to keep your lawn looking great with a lush green colour in winter have a look at ColourGuard Plus. ColourGuard is a spray-on green pigment that is absorbed into the leaf instantly improving the colour of your lawn. It can be used year-round, works on all lawns and in all climates.

Grass with a high drought tolerance doesn’t need to be watered

Many turf varieties on the market with high drought-tolerances, like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, are able to survive long hot periods without water. Although these turf varieties can last longer periods without water than most, they can’t survive with none.

However, once established drought tolerant turf varieties can survive and thrive for longer time periods with far less water.

You can only lay turf in spring and summer

There is a common misconception that warm-season turf varieties cannot be laid when the temperatures have dropped. While spring and summer are the ideal times to lay turf, your new lawn can be installed at any time year-round. In fact, a benefit of installing in autumn and winter is lower water usage.

When laying turf in winter it is important to keep in mind that the lawn will not root down properly until the weather begins to warm up again. This doesn’t mean that the lawn will die off, it will simply be sitting idle until it gets some warmer temperatures.

Vinegar can kill weeds

In short, yes vinegar can kill weeds, however when applied to your lawn it can harm it too. Vinegar will only treat above-ground vegetation, leaving the underground root systems unharmed, letting most weeds grow back.

Selective herbicides are the best option when removing common weeds from your lawn. Estate Herbicide and All Purpose Weed Control are both great options to use when treating common weeds.

The War on Weeds

Posted on April 27, 2021September 19, 2024 by Sarah

The most noxious lawn weeds (nutgrass + others)

As the name suggests, noxious lawn weeds grow aggressively and can spread rapidly with few control options. These weeds can appear in even the most well-maintained lawns and can take over quickly.

To help you, we have put together a list of the most common noxious weeds and what you can do to remove them.

Nutgrass

Nutgrass belongs to the sedge weed family and can be identified by a lighter green leaf that will grow taller than the rest of your lawn. It has 3 leaf blades that shoot up from a triangular stem.

How does nutgrass spread?

Nutgrass spreads by a series of bulbs on the underground rhizomes which grow to create new plants. One plant can produce multiple of these bulbs at one time. These bulbs can remain inactive for up to 10 years until they become disturbed and can be activated simply by an addition of nutrients or water.

When nutgrass matures, it can produce a series of seeds. Most common weeds will spread by its seeds, however only a very small portion of nutgrass will spread this way.

Treatment

So, how do I get rid of nutgrass?

It is best to act as soon as possible to help stop the spread throughout your lawn. If there is only a small amount present, you can dig the plant out by hand using a small spade. When removing nutgrass this way, be extremely careful to make sure that there are no roots, rhizomes, or bulbs left in the soil.

What do I do if the nutgrass has already spread?

When there is a larger amount of nutgrass in the lawn, a treatment with a selective herbicide such as Sedge Control is the best option. Be aware, when using these products, repeat applications may be needed for a full knockdown. Although these products are on the expensive side, only a small amount is usually needed to treat the affected area. If you decide to not treat these weeds, they will continue to grow and invade your whole lawn. So, purchasing an herbicide is definitely worth the investment.

Onion Weed

Onion weed can be a troublemaker in many lawns and garden beds. It is one of the most difficult to get rid of and can spread throughout your yard quickly. Onion weed gets its name from its bulb as it gives off an onion smell when crushed. It can be identified by its thin green strappy leaves which grow from a white bulb.

Treatment

The best way to remove onion weed is to dig the weed-clump out and throw the entire clump away. When digging these out, best to either use a spade or trowel to remove all the plant and roots. It is best to not pull these weeds out by hand as bulbs can remain in the soil. When these bulbs are left in the soil they can continue to grow into new weeds.

Another method is to use a non-selective herbicide. As onion weed does have a waxy leaf, a surfactant or a slight amount of household detergent will help the herbicide stick. When using a non-selective herbicide, carefully apply using a small paintbrush or weed wand to target the onion weed and avoid your lawn.

Paspalum

Paspalum has a series of broadleaf leaves that stem from a central crown. It spreads from its sticky seeds which are usually transported by birds, shoes, clothing and animals.

Treatment

As paspalum doesn’t contain any underground bulbs, it can be removed by hand. When removing, make sure you dig underneath the crown to remove the entire root of the plant.

If the paspalum has spread throughout the lawn, you may want to look at using a selective herbicide like Paspalum, Nutgrass and Clover Weed Killer. Repeat applications may be needed to fully eradicate paspalum from your lawn.

*For kikuyu and buffalo lawns only spot treat and do not spray the entire lawn as it can harm the grass as well.

Red Caustic Weed

Red Caustic Weed has reddish purple leaves with stems that contain a sappy white milk. These can be found in thin and sparse lawns, garden beds, and cracks between concrete.

Treatment

Red Caustic Weed can be treated with a broadleaf herbicide such as All Purpose Weed Control and Bin Die. Please note, repeat applications may be needed 7-10 days later to ensure the weed is properly treated.

For areas that are not surrounded by other plant material, it is best to use a non-selective herbicide such as roundup. However, you will need to make sure that you don’t apply it to any other plant material which you are wanting to keep.

For more information on other lawn weeds not mentioned in this blog, check out our other blogs on weeds here.

How wet is too wet for mowing?

Posted on March 31, 2021May 20, 2022 by Sarah

Is it too wet for mowing? Often after a long period of rain, the grass can become a bit too long for our liking. Although it can be tempting to go and give the lawn a mow as soon as the rain stops, it is best to wait until the lawn is dry. Not only will waiting an extra day or two make mowing an easier job, but your lawn will look better and healthier.

In recent months many areas have experienced continued rain over a long period, which has made not mowing the lawn almost impossible given how long the ground has been wet. Understandably at some point during such extreme conditions, the need to mow will outweigh the benefits of waiting until it is drier and it simply becomes impossible to wait any longer if it’s been many weeks. If you have experienced these conditions recently, please check out our blog on how to help your lawn recover after flooding here.

Why its best to wait until its less wet before mowing

Leaf-blades

When the grass is wet, a mower will struggle to cleanly cut the lawn. Mowing when wet can cause the leaf of the grass to tear and become bruised. When the blade is torn rather than cut it can cause more stress to the grass. This results in a deterioration in the plants’ health.

Lawn diseases

Normally when the lawn is mowed, the grasses clippings will be dry and can be scattered throughout the whole lawn. These clippings when left on the lawn can quickly break down and provide the lost nutrients back to the lawn.

However, when the grass is wet, these clippings will stick together forming clumps. These clumps will be damp and will sit on top of your lawn unless they are raked up. This can then restrict the airflow, sunlight, and other nutrients from getting to your lawn. These damp conditions beneath the clippings are perfect for fungal diseases such as brown spot to develop.

These clumps can even get stuck underneath your mower creating a build-up of grass clippings and debris. This overtime can interfere with your mowers blade movement and deterioration of parts. So, if you do happen to mow when there is moisture on the leaf, make sure you wipe out the lawn’s clippings from underneath the mower to help stop the clippings from building up over time.

Uneven cut

After a lawn receives rainfall, the leaf blades of the grass tend to not stand as tall as they usually would. This is because the leaf blade becomes weighed down by the water droplets causing the grass to bend unevenly. As a result of the bent leaf, not all leaf blades will be cut evenly when mowing.

When the lawn dries, the leaf blades which were bent will stand tall again. This will leave an uneven and patchy look to your lawn. So, it is best to wait until the lawn has dried out to get the cleanest, most even cut.

Mowers and wet grass

After rainfall, the soil beneath your lawn can become quite soft.

When mowing, ruts can be formed from the mower moving along the soft surface. This will badly affect your lawn levels and cause significant deviation in the height of your finished grass cut.

When moving a lawnmower over wet soil, there is a chance that the mower could become bogged. After a mower gets stuck, the turf underneath will likely get ripped up, leaving the area bare without any grass, but will also leave big ruts in the soil. As these ruts can be quite large, topsoil may be required to bring the levels back up again.

A wet lawn is a slippery lawn

Mowing the lawn when the grass is wet can become a more labour-intensive task as the mower will require extra force to push through.

The extra effort required to push the mower also causes a potential risk of slipping. This risk of slipping over will become greater if you are mowing on a slope. Slipping over when operating a mower with fast rotating blades will not only give you a fright but can be a significant safety hazard for obvious reasons.

Morning Dew

Unlike rain, morning dew is moisture mostly on the leaf and doesn’t cause excessive amounts of water to be present within the soil. This can mean that mowing while there is still dew present on the leaf, isn’t as much of a concern as mowing after rain. Golf courses and some other facilities have no choice but to mow their grass nice and early when there is dew still on the surface and they manage to keep their grass beautifully manicured. But if you do have the option to wait until the dew has dissipated, then it would be best to do so in the home lawn situation.

Zoysia Grass

Zoysia grasses have a high silica content within the leaf blade making them strong and robust. This means that these grasses require a sharp mower blade that can ensure a nice clean cut every time. With zoysia grasses specifically, a small amount of moisture on the leaf can actually be beneficial to cutting and can help the blade cut cleaner when using a cylinder mower.

So, if you are tossing up between mowing or not mowing your lawn while it is still wet, it is best to let the area dry out a bit further. This way you will be able to keep your lawn in its best shape.

For more mowing tips and advice, check out more of our blogs here.

How to Tackle an Overgrown Lawn

Posted on March 31, 2021November 12, 2025 by Sarah

Have you come back from a long weekend getaway to find your lawn has become overgrown? Or did you happen to miss a few mows (we all get busy) and you are now left with a lawn that is difficult to tackle?

If this is you, don’t fret we’ve got some tips and tricks up our sleeve to help get your lawn back to a more manageable height.

Mowing rule of thumb

A general rule of thumb when mowing is to only remove one third of the leaf blade with each mow. By raising the mowing height to accommodate this, you will be able to ensure that you will not be removing too much of the leaf blade at once.

When you remove more than one third of the leaf blade at one time the lawn can become scalped, and you will be cutting into the stem of the grass. This can result in a deterioration in your plants’ health and a patchy-looking lawn.

Mowing an overgrown lawn after a few days or weeks

If your lawn has gone without a mow for a few weeks, you may need to raise the mower height to ensure you are not removing too much of the leaf blade at once and badly scalping into the lawn.

To get your mowing height correct, we suggest mowing over a small area first on a high setting. This will ensure you don’t accidentally scalp it and you can bring the level down from there if required.

If the lawn does need to go lower, we recommend waiting 3 days before giving the lawn another mow to bring it down further.

On the next mow, follow the same process of adjusting your mowing height and wait another 3 days before the next mow.

You can continue with this process until you reach your desired mowing height.

While mowing your lawn back down to its original height may be tempting, it is best to be patient and slowly bring the height of the mower down, so that the plant will remain healthy. Although this process takes time, you will cause less stress to the grass and won’t undo all of your hard work that it took to get your lawn into a great shape in the first place.

Overgrown lawn above knee height

When your lawn has crept up on you and is past knee height, a different approach may be necessary. Taking the lawn down gradually will take too long and you will likely end up scalping the lawn regardless.

If the lawn is too high to use a mower, it is best to reduce the height with a whipper snipper. This should aid in getting the lawn down to a height that can then be mown.

Once the lawn is at a height that can be mown, you can bring the lawn right back down with your mower. A notch lower than your normal mowing height is best depending on your grass variety. If you have buffalo grass it is important to not go too low and damage the runners it needs to repair from. After you do this, your lawn will not be in the best shape with very little leaf and will need to recover in the following weeks. During this recovery period, it is best to keep water up to the lawn and continue to mow regularly back at your normal mowing height. This will allow the leaf to grow back at your desired level.

Once the lawn has started to recover and has some new green growth, you can fertilise. It is important to not fertilise straight after it has been mown down as this can create more stress for the grass. It is not recommended that you do this in the cooler months.

In spring and summer, the lawn should be able to recover in a few weeks as growing conditions are ideal. But in autumn and winter, the lawn will take longer to repair as the grass’s growth will slow down as the temperature drops.

How can I stop my lawn from becoming overgrown?

By consistently mowing your lawn, the turf will be more consistent in growth, healthier, less susceptible to weeds, pests and diseases and will look great.

Mowing will not only become an easier task when done frequently but will help your lawn flourish over time.

What should I do to my lawn before I go away?

If you are going away, best to mow the day before you are set to leave or close to your departure. Although it is tempting to mow your lawn nice and short, so it doesn’t get too out of hand, it is best to leave your mower height as normal. If you are planning on going away for more than a week in the growing months, it may be best to arrange someone to mow it for you.

If you are going away over the warmer months, you may want to look at using a PGR (Plant Growth Regulator) such as Primo HG. A PGR will help slow down the growth of your grass, requiring you to mow your lawn less frequently. You can find more information on PGR’s here.

What is an ideal mowing height?

Different turf varieties do have differing mowing heights. To see what mowing height is best for your lawn, check out our blog here.

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

Get the Jump on Winter Grass Weeds

Posted on March 31, 2021February 17, 2026 by Sarah

Winter Grass Weeds

Winter Grass & Rye Grass

An invading weed or grass species during the cooler months can be a real nuisance and undo all the hard work you put into getting your lawn looking superb during the warmer months. Here are two of the most common culprits that appear during this time and what you can do to remove them from your lawn.

Skip to: Winter Grass, Rye Grass, Treatment for Winter Grass and Rye Grass That Has Already Appeared, Timing and Application Variation, Mixing and Compatibility.

Winter Grass

The dreaded Winter Grass, also known as Poa annua. This prolific seeding grass that grows in tufts is prevalent in many lawns throughout the cooler months and can be quite a handful to eradicate. If you have an invasion of Winter Grass, you will definitely want to treat it before it germinates. If you allow it to drop its seeds, next winter it will be back, twice as badly as it was the previous year. A good plan of attack is to treat it as soon as it appears before it goes to seed, with Winter Grass Killer post emergent herbicide. Selective Winter Grass control in Blue Couch, Common Couch, Brent, Buffalo (including Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo) and Brown top Lawns. Cannot be used on kikuyu lawns.

Hand chipping the tufts out as you see them appear will also help to manage any continued emergence.

Another great way to get on top of Winter Grass weeds is through prevention. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert will help to stop Winter Grass before it even emerges from the soil. By acting with a combination of both pre- and post-emergent treatments you will get on top of the Winter Grass infestation a lot quicker and significantly reduce any existing Winter Grass seed bank that has developed within the soil over time.

oxafert preemergent — Oxafert Pre Emergent Herbicide

Oxafert 3kg – Treats up to 100m2

Oxafert Plus 20kg – Treats up to 660m2

Ryegrass

Ryegrass is a cool season, seeded grass variety. In the cooler months it can appear or be oversown into warm season turf varieties, particularly in the more southern states. Some people like to embrace it during the cooler months for some added green, but it will make for a very inconsistent lawn and lead to more mowing throughout winter. Ryegrass can be difficult to control in turf as it transitions out with the weather heating up.

There are a couple of ways to transition ryegrass, one is reducing water as the weather heats up and the other is using commercially available options including Tribute, Ferris WG Herbicide, Monument and Destiny Herbicides.

Treatment for Ryegrass and Winter Grass weeds that have already appeared

Ferris WG Herbicide

Ferris WG Herbicide is safe for use on couch, kikuyu, and most buffalo varieties. This herbicide can also be used to remove broadleaf weeds including Bindii, Black Thistle, Catsear, Cotula, Cudweed, Guildford (Onion) Grass, Medic, Mouse Ear Chickweed, Oxalis, White Clover, Onion Weed and False Onion Weeds. Duke will also remove other grass weeds including Rye Grass, Winter Grass (Suppression), Bahia, grass (suppression and seedhead reduction).

Monument Herbicide

Monument Liquid Herbicide can be used as a post-emergent herbicide on various warm season turf species. Monument Herbicide is highly effective in controlling Poa annua, Ryegrass, Kikuyu (suppression only), sedges and a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds:

Burr Medic
Bindii
Ryegrass
Winter Grass
Catsear
Chickweed
Clover
Cotula
Creeping Oxalis
Curled Dock
Milk Thistle
Mullumbimby Couch
Nutgrass

Monument is safe to use on the following warm season grass varieties:

Common Couch
Durban Grass
Hybrid Couch
Queensland Blue Couch
Zoysia

DO NOT USE on Kikuyu, Buffalo, Fescue, Ryegrass, Bent Grass or any other grass not listed above.

Monument Herbicide is a complete couch solution for Poa annua control when used in combination with Barricade Pre-Emergent.

Application Timing and Rate Variation

Monument delivers long lasting herbicidal action with follow-up applications rarely needed, unless targeting an unwanted kikuyu infestation.

Autumn applications for Kikuyu suppression should ideally be applied around the end of March and repeated at the end of April. Applications to control
Poa annua or Ryegrass should ideally be made when these weeds are still actively growing and not towards the end of the growing cycle when plants are alive but not actively growing. Active weed growth =systemic xylem and phloem movement essential for systemic herbicide action.

Application by thoroughly covering the leaves and shoots is best, it can then be washed off the leaves and into the soil to promote root uptake for complete systemic action.

Mixing and Compatibility

Monument mixes completely with water and produces a homogenous easy to apply suspension. Be sure to observe the mixing instruction with regards to water pH and the addition of a non-ionic surfactant.

Users of this product MUST make an accurate written record of the details of each spray application within 24 hours following application and keep this record for a minimum 2 years. Make sure you thoroughly read the label before use for all other details and ensure correct application rates are applied. If you are inexperienced in the usage of these sort of products, we recommend that you contact a local licensed spraying expert for application.

Monument Liquid Turf Herbicide 100ml is available on the Lawn Store here.

The Wide World of Turf

Posted on March 31, 2021May 30, 2023 by Sarah

Let’s take a look at some of the main varieties of grasses from around the world…

Did you know there are over 10,000 different types of grasses found across the world? With hundreds of thousands of variations found within these different types and genus.

Many of us know some of the main varieties of grasses that feature in Australian lawns. Buffalo Grass, Kikuyu Grass and Couch Grass being the three most common that we see in the majority of home lawns and public areas across the country. With many other native grasses that can be found across the landscape and bushland areas as well.

But what about the rest of the world? What grasses do they have for their lawns? Do they grow kikuyu in England? Do the Americans have buffalo grass?

Asia

The Asian continent covers a large area and as result experiences a vast range of climate conditions. Grasses most synonymous with Asia include the group of grasses known as Zoysia’s. These grasses thrive in hot conditions, particularly in East Asia with the temperate and tropical climate.

Common grasses of the Zoysia Grass genus include – Japonica (Korean Grass or Japanese Lawngrass), Matrella (Manila Grass) and Macrantha (prickly couch). Many of these grasses have also found their way to Australia with similar climate conditions experienced here.

Centipede Grass is another grass variety also found in Asia native to Southern China. Like many of the zoysia’s, Centipede Grass grows quite slowly and doesn’t require frequent mowing.

The USA

The USA, like Asia, experiences significant differences in climate from the north to the south, which has also led to a large variety of grasses being used for lawns. In addition to this, the USA has taken a leading role in developing and breeding new turf varieties, primarily stemming from the performance needs of their highly competitive sports industry.

Some of the common grasses you might see in USA lawns include:

Kentucky Blue Grass (KBG) is a cool season grass type that performs well in the more northern states and has an admired blue-green colour. While Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass state, KBG is actually native to northern Asia and parts of Europe.

Bermuda Grass (Couch Grass) is a warm season grass commonly used in the more southern states and performs well in over 100 countries within tropical and subtropical climates. Bermuda grass is known for its hard wearing, fine leaf and is commonly used on sports fields as well as home lawns.

St Augustine (Buffalo Grass) is a thick, broad leaf, warm season grass well known for high shade tolerance and weed resistance. St Augustine primarily grows best in the south-eastern USA states including Texas, and also in Mexico and South America.

Other grasses commonly found in US lawns include Perennial Ryegrass, Zoysia Grass, Bahia Grass, Fescue and Seashore Paspalum.

Europe

When you think of Europe you primarily think of the cold climate areas that for many months of the year experience snow and frost. These areas almost exclusively will feature lawns of the cool season grass varieties. Those that grow best in colder conditions like Fescue and Ryegrass. In fact, it’s common for a blend of these cool season varieties be used together in the same lawn.

Common cool season grasses found across Europe include:

Creeping Red Fescue, Ryegrass, Common Bentgrass, Annual Meadowgrass and Brown-top Bent Grass.

Africa

Kikuyu grass that is also found in Australia was originally from the highland regions of East Africa and named after the Kikuyu tribe. Kikuyu is still the most popular lawn variety in many African countries, with another indigenous grass known as LM grass.

LM Grass has other common names you might recognise including Durban Grass and Sweet Smother Grass. LM Grass has a creeping growth habit like kikuyu, but it grows much less invasively. Other warm season grasses like buffalo and couch are also prevalent in many African countries.

Lawn Solutions Australia researches and develops turf varieties, grasses from around the world, suitable to thrive in the Australian climate. With long-loved favourites like Sir Walter DNA Certified soft leaf buffalo and newer options like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda (Couch grass) and Sir Grange Zoysia (Zoysia Matrella).

If you are looking to choose a new grass for your lawn, check out our helpful turf selector here.

‘Lawn-Weekend’ Fertilising Tip

Posted on March 31, 2021March 10, 2026 by Sarah

We share a helpful fertilising tip that will remind you when to fertilise your lawn!

Skip to: Fertilising Tip for Autumn, Fertilising Tip for Spring, Fertilising Tip for Summer, What Should I Fertilise With? How to Apply a Granular Fertiliser? Should I Fertilise My Lawn in Winter?

But first, why should I fertilise my lawn?

Fertilisers contain a mix of essential nutrients that your lawn needs to stay healthy and thrive. As our soils usually don’t contain all these nutrients a fertiliser is required.

By giving your lawn a boost of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the lawn will be able to grow faster, will improve in colour, have better root establishment, and improve the health of your lawn.

Fertilising your lawn at specific times of the year will allow you to see the full benefit and nutrient uptake. We recommend fertilising your lawn 3 to 4 times a year.

Fertilising Tip for Autumn

A fertilise in autumn will help your lawn repair from stresses over summer and repair itself faster. Fertilising now will also help prepare your lawn for the cooler months by extending your lawns colouring and encouraging growth.

In most areas you can use the Easter long weekend as a guide as to when to fertilise your lawn enters the cooler months in its best health.

Fertilising Tip for Spring

Spring is another important time to fertilise as the grass will start to grow faster as the weather begins to warm up. When fertilising in spring, timing is key! Apply too early and you won’t get the full benefit of the nutrient uptake of an actively growing lawn. Your lawn will start to actively grow when soil temperatures rise above 14 degrees Celsius. However, it is not until the soil temperature is consistently this for it to be actively growing.

We recommend using the October long weekend as a guide for when this is most likely to happen. For Western Australia, Victoria, Northern Territory and Tasmania who celebrate Labour Day earlier in the year, use early October as a guide.

Fertilising in Summer

Fertilising in summer will help your lawn maintain an even growth pattern. Summer fertilising will help your lawn improve its colour and will help reduce stress caused to your lawn over the hotter months.

We recommend using the Australia Day long weekend as a guide to fertilising your lawn in summer.

What should I fertilise with?

When fertilising we suggest using a slow-release granular fertiliser such as Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. A slow-release fertiliser will release a small amount of nutrients over a longer period for a more consistent nutrient uptake.

We also suggest using a granular fertiliser as they are easy to apply to the lawn either by hand or using a fertiliser spreader.

When using granular fertiliser, it is important to make sure that you water the granules in really well into the soil profile to help avoid leaf burn.

How to apply a granular fertiliser

When using a granular fertiliser, it is important to avoid over fertilising your lawn and spread the granules evenly throughout.

To ensure you are not over fertilising your lawn, read and follow the application rate on the product you are using. Then you will need to measure out how much of the product you will need for your lawn size.

To you spread fertiliser evenly, we recommend using a fertiliser spreader. This will help stop over fertilising areas which can result in uneven growth and colouring. It is best to use a systematic approach of walking back and forth to cover the area evenly.

Do I need to fertilise in winter?

When choosing a fertiliser for winter, you need to look at what your lawn needs to stay healthy in the cooler months. The key components to look out for when fertilising in winter are Potassium and Iron. Potassium will aid in the plants’ cell function and strength. Iron will help improve leaf colour and strength. If you are needing to apply an Iron based product, we recommend Iron Guard Plus.

If you have fertilised in autumn and prepared your lawn well for the cooler months, your lawn can go without a fertilise till spring. However, if you haven’t, you can fertilise in winter. For fertilising in winter, we recommend using a liquid fertiliser that will be absorbed by the leaf of the grass, something like our Exceed Liquid Fertiliser. Exceed Fertiliser is available in a 2.5L Concentrate and a 2L Hose-On.

ColourGuard Plus

ColourGuard Plus is a natural grass pigment that contains a liquid fertiliser component. This will instantly improve your lawns colour for up to 3 months, while giving the lawn a fertilise at the same time.

For more information, check out our other fertilising blogs here.

Gardening projects for this Easter long weekend

Posted on March 31, 2021March 31, 2021 by Sarah

Are you looking for some gardening projects to tackle this long weekend? Whether it be a quick tidy of your outdoor spaces, creating a veggie patch, garden bed, or helping your existing plants flourish, we have put together a few project ideas that you and your family can create to make your garden an oasis.

Veggie garden

If you are a up for a bit of gardening this weekend, have a look at creating a veggie garden.

When looking to choose what to plant, look for seasonal winter veggies such as lettuce, spinach and beans. For more seasonal specific vegetable ideas for your climate, have a chat to your local garden centre to see what will grow best in your area.

The vegepod is a great option to consider when looking at installing a vegetable garden. These handy pods are designed to create an environment where your plants will thrive but are also waist height, so no need for bending over or having to get down on your knees to care for your veggies.

What if I don’t have enough space for a vegetable garden in my yard? Most veggies don’t have a large root system, they can be planted in smaller contained areas like pots and tubs.

Wall planters

If you are up for a bit more of a project, vertical gardens create the perfect place to grow smaller flowers, succulents, vegetables and herbs.

These gardens can be upcycled from an old pallet and can be filled in with plants. Before you start, give the pallet a quick clean and remove or hammer in any nails that may be sticking out. Depending on the pallet you find, additional wood may be required to help create the pockets for the plants to go in.

After the pockets have been created, line with a thick layer of plastic or another waterproof material. This will help protect the surface that the planter will be up against.

You can then go ahead filling up the pallet with a good quality potting soil and add in your plants!

Gardening for the kids

If the kids are wanting to have their own little garden project, why not make a fairy or gnome garden!

For these little gardens you will need a garden pot, potting mix, small birds house to paint, collection of gems or rocks and little plants such as succulents or flowers.

The first step is to fill the pots up with soil and put in your plants. The bird houses can then be painted and placed in their new garden followed by decorating the garden with rocks, gems or any other small toys.

Fertilise

The Easter long weekend is the perfect time to give your lawn some much needed TLC. After facing some unusual conditions this summer, your lawn may be in need of a boost.

Fertilising now will give your lawn will get the nutrients it needs to help repair itself from damage caused over summer and give it the best start heading into the cooler months.

We recommend using a slow-release granular fertiliser such as our Lawn Solutions Premium Lawn Food. This is a slow-release granular product that will provide your lawn with nutrients for up to 12 weeks after the initial application. This product has been designed to not only improve the appearance of your lawn but provide the essential trace elements for a healthy lawn.

Aerate

Fertilising your lawn is not the only way to help your lawns health improve. Aerating your lawn now will allow for better root growth and further thickening before winter.

As we have seen a lot of rainfall in the last few weeks, the soil base will be softer making aerating a less labour-intensive task.

When aerating the lawn, you can either use a garden fork, tyne aerator or hire a specialised aerator if you have a large lawn.

Add lighting to your garden

Garden lights not only hold practical benefits of illuminating your garden and outdoor areas but can add a stylish touch to help create a relaxed atmosphere.

For pathways, we recommend using solar garden lights that are on a spike. It is best to choose a stand-alone light that doesn’t have any above ground wires that can easily be damaged or mown over.

Decorative solar lanterns are a great feature piece for creating an ambient mood for after dark dinners. Or, if you are after a ‘brighter’ solution, there are lights available that can be mounted up high to light up an entire area.

After you have created your backyard haven, there is one thing left to do! Get out in the garden and enjoy your hard work!

For more lawn project ideas, see more of our blogs here.