Author: All Turf Solutions

African Black Beetle

Scientific name: Heteronychus arator

Black beetles can be a common sight in and around your lawn. They are a natural part of the ecosystem and play an important role. We sometimes hear from people who have noticed them in their lawn and are concerned that they may be damaging their grass.

Here’s what you need to know…

It is rare that adult black beetle will cause much harm worth worrying about, it’s the root feeding black beetle larvae that cause the most damage. So, it’s important to understand their lifecycle and signs of infestation, so that you can take prompt action when they become active.

Description

Black beetle eggs are laid in spring and early summer. After several weeks the eggs hatch and the larvae or grubs emerge that then feed on the grass roots. It is when large numbers of these eggs hatch that it is a serious problem for some lawns. These larvae develop through 3 stages, the fully-grown larvae at the end of the third stage are around 25mm long. You will need to be particularly vigilant as the weather warms up, usually September to March, and after heavy rain.

The larvae then move into pre-pupae and pupae stages which cause no damage to your lawn, before developing into adults after about 2 months, in late Summer or early Autumn.

 

Adult beetles are black and shiny, about 15mm long, with brown serrated legs. The beetles are dormant or semi-dormant through the winter before laying eggs again in spring where the cycle repeats.

 

 

 

 

Symptoms

As a result of extensive root damage caused by these larvae, your lawn can no longer take up the moisture and nutrient it requires efficiently. This causes the grass to become dry and straw like, as it would during severe drought conditions.

When at its worst, the grass will actually be able to be peeled back easily from the soil surface as the roots have been eaten away. This is when you will inevitably find a large number of feeding larvae.

Treatment for Lawn Grubs

Due to the rate at which the grubs feed and move across your lawn, the number of eggs they lay, and the sheer numbers involved in an infestation, delaying treatment can be disastrous. Your local turf farmer can supply advice and treatment options.

You can also source fast-acting insecticide products here on our website as well, such as Lawn Solutions Grub Guard or Lawn Solutions Battle Insecticide to get the job sorted quickly and easily. Always remember to follow the manufacturer’s handling and safety instructions.

The most effective time to apply the treatment is as late in the day as possible while the adults are active.

To ensure the grubs are eradicated, apply the treatment again in two weeks. This is an especially important timeframe because eggs take 2-5 weeks to hatch and more grub’s will become present. A re-application at this point will ensure that any missed eggs or grubs are eliminated.

Prevention for Lawn Grubs and Pests

Unfortunately attack by these grubs can happen to any lawn and can occur numerous times during a season.

This is why we recommend Grub Guard Ultimate, Acelepryn GR, and Acelepryn Liquid. Acelepryn provides safe and effective control of black beetle while minimising the impact on the environment and non-target organisms, such as bees and earthworms.

Acelepryn targets pests such as black beetle, stem weevil, cut worm and army worm. The great thing about Acelepryn in comparison to other pesticides, is that it’s preventative. This is why spring is a great time to spread it out and protect your lawn for up to six months.

 

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.

There has been an increase in seed heads appearing across many turf varieties recently, in most cases this will be due to the seasonal change and is not a cause for major concern.

If your lawn has been fertilised in recent weeks and has sufficient moisture in the soil, they should stop appearing on their own within a matter of weeks.

 

Seed Heads – When these strange little things start popping up in your lawn it’s common that many people first think they have weeds in their lawn.

But they are not actually a weed, they are a seed head that has grown from the grass itself.

Normally when a turf variety goes to seed, it’s because it’s under stress from something, usually a lack of water or nutrient. Most common lawn types in Australia produce a sterile seed head, meaning they can’t be spread by seed, only through vegetative sprigs or runners. Although going to seed isn’t a bad thing for your lawn, it doesn’t look great or feel soft underfoot and can be a sign of an underlying problem.

Seed heads can be pretty easy to avoid for the most part, by sticking to a consistent lawn care program. The best way to stop your lawn from going to seed is through regular watering, mowing and fertilising throughout the year.

In most circumstances your lawn will stop going to seed on its own within a couple of weeks or so and it will be business as usual. If there has been dramatic weather change, it will stop seeding once conditions have gone back to normal or once the plant has adjusted. If weather conditions have been fairly consistent, then you will want to look at what it is that may have caused it to go into stress in the first place, like insufficient water, nutrient or soil composition.

If you haven’t had a lot of water or haven’t fertilised in a while, a really good deep soaking and an application with a good quality slow release fertiliser, should put an end to a nutrient or water deficiency and shortly after the grass will go back to normal.

If your lawn has an ongoing seeding issue and you can’t seem to get on top of it, contact your local turf supplier who can help with some local advice based on your current weather and growing conditions.

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

 

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.

It’s easy to get excited about doing a lawn renovation and all the things you might want to do to have your lawn the envy of the street. The best advice we can give you is to not go too early with any vigorous lawn maintenance activities like dethatching or top dressing. Your lawn needs to be actively growing and performing strongly during the warmer months before undertaking these activities. October long weekend in most states is a good guide.

You can prepare by organising the necessary equipment you need for each step, so you are ready to go when the lawn has started growing strongly again.

Do I need a lawn renovation?

A lawn renovation may be necessary if your lawn has developed a combination of thatch and compaction. It can also be a good time to do so when your lawn is looking unhealthy and specific soil improvements are required to improve the lawns foundation.

A full lawn renovation could be required every 3-4 years. Its not a must to do all the steps, but it can be highly beneficial from time to time if you are looking to achieve the best results with your lawn. Dethatching or top dressing will only be required more regularly if the lawn is a bit neglected. Some turf varieties require more frequent renovations, couch grass for example, depending on the level of inputs and preferred height of cut.

How do I do a lawn renovation?

Making sure you undertake a lawn renovation in the best order will ensure you get the best out of each activity and you get your lawn recovering from winter as quickly as possible.

1. Weeds removal
2. Dethatching
3. Aerating
4. Fertilising
5. Top dressing
6. Watering for recovery

Here is what you need:

• Knapsack/Pressure sprayer
• Herbicides like All Purpose Weed Control for weeds treatment
• Dethatching rake/machine (or hired machine)
• Manual aerating device, like a garden fork, tine aerator or manual corer (or hired machine)
• Fertiliser like Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser
• Pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert
• Top dressing soil/sand
• Soil spreader
• pH test kit
• Soil amendments if required (gypsum, lime, sulphate of ammonia for e.g)
• Irrigation or sprinkler

Now that you’re prepared, here are some helpful videos to guide you through the process when the weather warms up:

 

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.

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

Prevention is the best solution

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

What is Grub Guard Ultimate?

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

When should you apply Grub Guard Ultimate?

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

How to apply Acelepryn based products?

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

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

Acelepryn Liquid

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

Acelepryn Liquid 100ml

Acelepryn 10kg

Common signs of grubs

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

How do I know if my lawn has grubs?

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

What to do if you already have grubs?

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

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

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

Grub Treat and Protect Bundle

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

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.

Did you know there is such a thing as too early to mow? Here at Lawn Solutions, we believe there is no better sound than a mower starting up on a Saturday morning, but your neighbours might disagree! In this blog, we look at what time each state allows you to start up your mower to help you keep the peace between you and your neighbours.

Just like power equipment and construction noise in residential areas, there are permitted hours for each region to run your mower. Your local environmental protection agency often puts these noise regulations in place to help ensure your neighbours are not woken up at dawn and can get a good early night’s sleep.

So, what are the regulations for your state? Let’s take a look…

New South Wales

In NSW, mow between 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, you can mow between 8am to 8pm. In NSW these rules have been set out by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

Queensland

The Environmental Protection Act 1994 in QLD states that you can mow your lawn between 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, mow between 8am to 7pm.

Victoria

In Victoria, you can mow Monday to Friday between 7 am to 8pm. You can mow between 9am – 8pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, according to the Environmental Protection Authority Victoria.

South Australia

In South Australia, you can mow between 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 7pm Sunday and public holidays. These rules have been set out by EPA South Australia.

Tasmania 

In Tasmania, you can mow between 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday. On Saturdays you can mow between 9am to 8pm and Sundays and public holidays between 10am to 8pm. These rules have been set out by EPA Tasmania.

Northern Territory 

In the NT, you can mow between 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 8pm Sunday and public holidays, according to the NT EPA.

Canberra

In the ACT, lawn mowing can be done 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 8pm Sundays and public holidays, according to Access Canberra.

Western Australia

In WA, generally lawn mowers can be used between 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays. This is for most regions within WA.

Mowing Tips

Now that you have got what time you can mow down packed let’s take a look at a few tips on how you can sure you get the best cut:

• Mow regularly enough so that only one third of the leaf is removed with each pass.
• Ensure your mowers blades are nice and sharp.
• Mow when the lawn is dry and try to avoid mowing when the lawn is wet.
• Mow at the same length and keep it consistent.
• Switch mowing directions.
• Mow in the mornings or afternoons. Avoid mowing in the middle of the day.
• Keep at a consistent pace.

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.

Pre-emergent herbicides are fantastic products to add to your lawn care regime. With these herbicides, your application timing can impact how well it will work to prevent weeds in your lawn. In this blog, we look at the optimal times throughout the year to apply a pre-emergent to get the best results.

How Does a Pre-Emergent Work?

Pre-emergents work by targeting weed seedlings during germination. They create a barrier at the soil level that affects the germination of any new seedlings. This means they will target weeds before they appear but will not be effective after weeds have started growing.

Why Should I Time My Application?

As pre-emergents work by targeting weeds before they appear, you will need to time your application just before weeds are set to start growing in your lawn. If you can create the barrier at the soil level before the weeds are set to start growing, you can stop them during their germination phase.

When to Apply a Pre-Emergent for Seasonal Summer Weeds?

Some seasonal summer weeds that pre-emergents will help target include Summer Grass, Crabgrass, and Crowsfoot. Seasonal summer weeds will start to germinate when the soil temperatures begin to warm back up, usually when the average soil temperature is above approximately 14 degrees. So, it is best to get your application down before the temperatures are set to rise in your region. The exact time for your application will change depending on your location and temperatures in your region. As a guide, this will usually occur around early to mid-spring.

When Should I Apply a Pre-Emergent for Seasonal Winter Weeds?

Pre-emergents can also be used to help prevent seasonal winter weeds, including Winter Grass. Seasonal winter weeds will start to germinate once the average soil temperatures start to drop below approximately 14 degrees. Therefore, it is best to get your application on just before this is set to occur. Like prevention for summer weeds, the exact time this will occur will depend on your location and temperatures in your region. As a guide, this will usually happen around mid to late autumn.

What Pre-Emergent Should I Use?

When it comes to using pre-emergents, we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Oxafert Pre-Emergent Herbicide and Fertiliser. Oxafert comes in a handy 3kg bag that will treat up to 100m2. It is safe for most warm season turf types, including Sir Walter DNA Certified, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, Sir Grange, Zoysia Australis and Kikuyu. This product also contains a balanced ratio of nutrients to help boost your lawn for healthier all-round turf. Oxafert will remain active on your lawn for up to 12 weeks, for protection of seasonal weeds.

What Weeds Will Oxafert Target?

Oxafert will help control the germination of Winter Grass, Summer Grass, Crowsfoot, Creeping Oxalis and Crabgrass.

What Should I Use for Weeds That Are Already Growing?

If you already have weeds growing in your lawn, it is best to get on top of them as soon as possible to help prevent their spread. Whem there are only a few weeds growing throughout your lawn, hand removal is an effective option. If the weeds are more widespread and there is too much to remove by hand you may need to look at using an herbicide for removal. For removing common broadleaf weeds like Clover, Bindii, Creeping Oxalis, Cudweed and Thistles, we recommend using a broadleaf herbicide like our All Purpose Weed Control.

As always, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us for free expert advice on 1800ALLTURF (1800255873) or 07 5543 8304.