As we are in the cooler months, most lawns across Australia will be slow in growth and can lose some colour. This is mainly due to the drop in soil temperatures and the reduced amount of direct sunlight. However, as Australia is such a large continent, different areas will face different conditions at each time of year. This article looks at what is expected to happen with your lawn type in your area during winter.
For this article, we will be separating Australia into three regions. The first Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and the Southern regions of Australia. The second Sydney, Newcastle, Gold Coast, and areas north of Canberra. The third Darwin, Perth, Cairns, and areas north of Brisbane.
Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide
These regions are generally the hardest hit by cooler temperatures. These regions will usually experience multiple frosts per year and have bigger temperature variations. The hot summers and cold winters can make it challenging to find a turf variety that suits these conditions year-round.
Most of the common grasses here in Australia are warm-season grasses. This includes Buffalo, Couch, and Kikuyu. In winter, they can slow in growth, and some colour loss is expected. Whilst they do lose colour, they will always naturally bounce back in colour and health once the weather warms up.
Frosts cause damage to turf when the moisture inside the leaf blade freezes and expands. This causes the cell wall of the grass to rupture, damaging the turf. Frost can also cause significant discolouration to the leaf as the damaged cell walls slows down photosynthesis.
Couch and Kikuyu grasses like Eureka Kikuyu and TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda have a fast-growing nature, making them able to bounce back quickly once the warmer temperatures start in spring.
Buffalo grasses usually need a few weeks of warmer temperatures to return to their former colour.
Zoysia grasses are generally slower growing grasses, so they will take the longest to bounce back from frost damage once the warmer temperatures come.
Fescue, Rye Grass, and cool-season blends are common around this region. These grasses will hold better colour during cooler conditions as they contain proteins that prevent them from freezing. However, during the warmer months, these grasses will require significantly more water than warm-season grasses to stay green and healthy. Cool season grasses also have poor weather tolerance and are susceptible to grub damage.
Sydney, Newcastle, and Gold Coast
Sydney, Newcastle, and Gold Coast areas will notice a drop in temperatures over winter. Over winter these areas will encounter very few frosts. Lawns will mostly lose colour and will be impacted by shorter hours of sunlight.
Like in Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide, you will mostly find warm season grasses like Buffalo, Couch, Kikuyu, and Zoysia. As these grasses are warm-season varieties, they will slowdown in growth and can lose some colouring.
Cool-season grasses are not as common in this region. This is due to the warmer winters and warmer summers compared to southern regions. As a result, cool-season grasses will struggle and require more water to survive and thrive than warm-season varieties.
Sun loving turf varieties like couch and kikuyu will primarily be impacted by the shorter hours of sun during the day. These varieties need around 6 hours of direct light per day. When this is reduced and shade levels are increased, this can interrupt the turf. If your lawn lacks sunlight throughout winter, prune back any surrounding trees and shrubs to allow more sunlight to reach your lawn.
Buffalo like Sir Walter DNA Certified and Zoysia grasses like Sir Grange Zoysia are generally more shade-tolerant turf varieties, needing around 4 + hours of direct light.
Darwin, Perth, and Cairns
These regions usually have warm temperatures throughout winter with the occasional cool day. Therefore, in these areas warm-season grasses like couch, zoysia, buffalo and other broadleaf grasses like carpet grass are primarily grown.
These regions will still experience warmer temperatures and are often unaffected in winter.
If you want to up your lawn game and keep it green over winter, we recommend applying a lawn pigment product like ColourGuard Plus. ColourGuard Plus is a 100% natural grass colourant. It is safe to use on all lawn types, year-round and safe to use around pets and children.
For more lawn care tips and advice, check out our other lawn care blogs here.
