Category: Seasonal Advice

Get the right curve during spring growth surge

Has your lawn had a strong lift in its growth? This is your lawn’s spring growth surge.

Spring is the time when the flowers are blooming, and your gardens are beginning to sing. Your lawn responds to consistent higher temperatures in spring just like the flowers and plants in your garden.

What is spring growth surge?

Spring Surge Growth is created by warmer temperatures which assist the soil temperature to increase. With the addition of water and fertiliser, your lawn will break the winter dormancy and it will increase in leaf growth and root production.

It is important during this time that you maintain an even growth curve without over fertilising – excessive fertiliser causes excessive leaf growth and grass clippings which is obviously not preferable to achieving a low maintenance lawn.

The best lawn care pattern for spring involves the following:

• Aerate the soil profile to assist with even water movement throughout the roots of your lawn. (This will be easier if there is some moisture in the soil, so shortly after rain is ideal)
• Fertilise your lawn as per the label rates
• Water in thoroughly

Most turf surfaces require one or two applications of fertiliser during the spring and summer period, but this will vary based on the amount of wear your lawn is subjected to during the growing months. For fertilising we recommend using a granular fertiliser like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. This fertiliser has a well balanced ratio of nutrients your lawn needs to thrive.

Mowing regularly

During this time it is also important to ensure you are mowing regularly to keep up with the growth surge. For mowing, we recommend mowing frequently enough so that only one third of the leaf blade is removed with each pass. Cutting this way will limit the amount of stress caused to the plant and help avoid scalping.

This extreme growth surge that occurs during spring will only last for a few weeks, at which time growth rates will normalise.

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR)

If your lawn is growing too fast to keep on top of, you can look at using a plant growth regulator like Primo Maxx to help slow down the growth of your lawn. This product works by suppressing the plants vertical growth and increases the plants lateral growth. This helps your lawn become denser while reducing the number of times you need to mow.

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.

What is a Soursob?

Scientific name: Oxalis pes-caprae

Soursobs are regularly confused with creeping Oxalis due to their very similar leaf appearance. Soursobs spread with large heart shaped leaves along the ground, producing flowers with 5 petals and have a long white tuberous root. Cooler conditions are when Soursobs like to appear in Autumn and Winter. The problem with Soursobs is that they are extremely resilient to herbicides and have a fast-growing system of onion like bulbs growing beneath the surface. In addition to this, they have small secondary bulbs known as bulbils. These bulbils are attached to the root system and each Soursob can have as many as 20 bulbils! When you remove the plant, the bulbils are left behind that then detach and grow into a new plant and the cycle continues.

One of the most important things to do is to try and target Soursob before it flowers. It is when it is flowering that the bulbils are growing and creating more plants.

Flowering times:

• Winter to spring in western NSW.
• June to October in SA. (In SA 1.25 million hectares are infested!)
• June to October in WA.
• Mainly June to November in SE Australia.
• It does occur in QLD but dies out over time.

How to remove Soursob

Completely eradicating Soursobs from your lawn will take a bit of time and effort. Unlike many other weeds, it is not recommended to remove them by hand, as the bulbils will break off and continue to grow beneath the soil allowing it to reappear. There are also no selective herbicides readily available for domestic lawns that will target the Soursobs, so you will need to take a few other steps to try and remove it. Mowing them off regularly will weaken the plant helping your grass to overcome the infestation. Bulb exhaustion occurs just before flowering, so this is the perfect time to implement your mowing and non-selective herbicide application, when the plant is weak. This is the only stage that physical removal will be an option, by digging up under the plant and removing the soil around it as well.

You will be able to tell the plant is at the exhaustion stage if you carefully dig up a plant – the adult bulb will be shrivelled and the root under the bulb won’t have grown yet or is extremely young and thin. Spot spraying carefully or using a weed wand with an application of Glyphosate (Round Up or Zero) will be your best course of action, but you must be careful when applying as it will kill your turf as well. Acting quickly will also help you to stop them in their tracks before they produce more bulbils.

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, Acelepryn GR or Grub Guard Ultimate 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 Acelepryn GR?

Acelepryn GR is an insecticide that provides your lawn with 6 months of protection from grubs and caterpillars like Armyworm in one single application. Acelepryn GR 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!

What is Grub Guard Ultimate?

Lawn Solutions Grub Guard Ultimate Turf Insecticide delivers excellent preventative control against a large range of common lawn pests.

Optimal results are achieved when applied early in the season at the appearance of overwintering adult pests.

This 4kg bucket will cover up to 500m2

The long residual performance of Lawn Solutions Grub Guard Ultimate Turf Insecticide will provide up to 6 months of protection at the higher application rates.

Curative control of pest outbreaks later in the season can also be achieved using the higher recommended application rates.

 

 

Grub Guard Ultimate prevents and treats a broad range of lawn pests including:

• • Lawn Armyworm

• • Lawn Curl Grub (African Black Beetle Larvae)

• • Argentine Stem Weevil

• • Blllbug Larvae

• • Sod Webworm

When should you apply Acelepryn GR?

As a general guide, Acelepryn GR is best used in September/October and March/April to prevent a grub attack year round. One application of Acelepryn 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 GR?

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.

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 Grub Guard for a fast knock-down treatment, along with Acelepryn GR – 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.

“One year of seeds brings seven years of weeds!” – This could not be any truer than when it comes to the fight against Winter Grass in your turf.

 

If you have an invasion of Winter Grass, you’ll definitely want to treat it before it goes to seed.  If you allow it to drop its seeds, next winter it will be back, twice as bad as it was the previous year. Best plan of attack is to treat it as soon as it appears or better yet, apply a pre-emergent like Oxafert to stop it germinating at all.

What is Winter Grass?

 Winter Grass, or Poa annua as it is scientifically known, is a low growing turf grass. It has soft, drooping green leaves grown in tufts with triangular shaped seed heads.

Winter Grass is widespread in Australia and spreads throughout the cooler months.

When does it appear?

This weed begins germinating in the soil in some areas as early as March. You will start to see it emerging within your turf as the temperatures begin to decline. It will continue to spread throughout the Winter months.

How do I get rid of Winter Grass?

Winter Grass can be removed very easily by hand as it doesn’t have particularly deep roots. It doesn’t have any runners and will grow in simple clumps. Removing it by hand can be somewhat tedious so fortunately there are specifically targeted herbicide controls you can use.

Winter Grass Treatment

Winter Grass Killer is a selective control that will kill Winter Grass by targeting the roots, so it is extremely important to spray early in its life cycle before seed heads appear. Munns Winter Grass Killer is another option that is safe to use on kikuyu lawns.

Winter Grass Prevention

Targeting it before it emerges is the key to preventing it from germinating and going to seed. A pre-emergent like Oxafert can be applied and it will target the Winter Grass before it emerges from the soil.

A 3kg bag of OxaFert treats up to 100m².

Once it goes to seed, they will be present again in your turf the following year and the cycle will continue. Using a combination of a pre-emergent like Oxafert and a selective control like Winter Grass Killer at the correct time of year should ensure it is eradicated from your lawn.

Oxafert is also available in a 20kg bag known as Oxa-Pro

 

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.

The magical winter wonderland created by frost can be a pretty sight, but what does frost mean for your lawn? When temperatures are cool overnight, the dew on your lawn freezes. For warm season turf varieties this can cause some discolouration and damage to the leaf blade of the grass. This can be a common occurrence for the more southern states of Australia.

In this blog we will investigate why this is occurring and what you can do to help minimise the effects of frost to your lawn.

Radiation Frost

Southern States of Australia suffer from what scientists call radiation frost. This is where the ground and ambient air cools down by the loss of heat to the atmosphere, causing frost. This commonly occurs under clear skies and with little or no wind. These frosts can occur when the temperatures have dropped, and overnight temperatures are at 0 degrees or below. The frost itself, is the result of the dew freezing on your lawn, which typically occurs in the early morning. The drop in temperature then causes the moisture inside the leaf blade to freeze and expand. The cell wall of the grass then ruptures, damaging the turf. This frost also causes significant discolouration to the blade of the leaf. When this damage does occur, the grass can become yellow and brown, often in patterns across the lawn. The discolouration occurs as result of the damage caused by the frost to the cell walls of the grass, slowing down photosynthesis.

Difference between cool season and warm season grasses

The amount of discolouration and damage caused by these frosts will be dependant largely on the type of variety you have. Cool season grasses like fescue and rye contain proteins which prevent them from freezing. Warm season grasses like buffalo, couch, kikuyu and zoysia, don’t have this protein and are much more susceptible to these frosts. Warm season varieties are also the most common types in Australia, as they are more suited to Australian conditions overall.

What can you do?

It is important that whenever there is frost on the lawn you stay off it. By walking across it, you are actually causing the blades to break and causing more damage. This too includes mowing. If you do still need to mow, best to wait until the frost has melted to prevent damage. This also means it’s best to keep your car off the lawn when there is frost as well.

A very light watering just before the sun comes up in the mornings, to remove frost from the leaf can help too. This will melt the frost quicker and more evenly, reducing the appearance of brown patches on the lawn.

The health of your lawn is one of the most important factors in ensuring your turf is able to tolerate frosts. Using a fertiliser with increased iron before winter will help strengthen your lawn for the frosty months ahead.

How to improve the appearance of a frost damaged lawn?

An application of ColourGuard Plus will instantly restore your lawns colour. ColourGuard Plus is a natural green pigment product that is sprayed onto the lawn and is absorbed into the leaf of the grass. This means that once absorbed the colour won’t run, bleed or stain. ColourGuard Plus can increase the surface temperature of your grass, helping to limit the damage that will occur from frost. So, the best time to apply it is before the frosty mornings occur.

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.

While your lawn has slowed in growth, there may be some pesky weeds infiltrating or some nutritional or appearance related issues that need to be addressed during this time.

Here’s some winter lawn care products that you may require, or want to consider using over the coming months…

Winter Lawn Care Products | Treating and Preventing Lawn Weeds

Winter Grass Killer

If you are looking for a selective herbicide for the control of Winter Grass in lawn turf, Winter Grass Killer is the answer. Winter Grass Killer mixes readily with water for easy application. Breaks down quickly so there’s no residue left in the soil.

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 or fescue lawns.
• 2-3 applications required.
• Active constituent: 175g/L Endothal as the Dipotassium Salt.
• Will treat 200m2 in total.

Should be applied with a fine spray as soon as the winter grass appears and before it has a chance to flower and set seed.

All Purpose Weed Control

All Purpose Weed Control can knock out common weeds such as Bindii, Creeping Oxalis, Catsear, Clover, Cudweed, Dandelion and Thistles.

This weed killer is suitable for established couch, bent, kikuyu, paspalum, buffalo, zoysia, fescue and rye lawns and turf.

Easy to use, clip on hose on attachment will make application easier than ever. No need to measure and mix up concentrates.

Lawn Solutions All Purpose Weed Control 2L ready-to-use bottle treats up to 200m2.

Amgrow Bin-Die Selective Lawn Weeder

Amgrow Chemspray Bin-Die is suitable for use on most grasses including Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo Lawn, Nullarbor Couch Grass, Eureka Kikuyu, RTF Fescue, Platinum Zoysia and all other lawn types.

This weeds killer will treat bindii, catsear, clover, creeping oxalis, cudweed, dandelion, plain thistle and other broad leaf weeds.

Hard to control weeds such as clover often need a follow up spray.

Active ingredient: Bromoxynil

Highly concentrated 250ml will cover approx. 400 sq metres.

Monument Herbicide

Monument Herbicide is the broadest spectrum selective post-emergence herbicide for turf.

Delivers long lasting results with rarely needed follow up applications.

Monument Liquid Herbicide by Syngenta controls, Burr Medic, Bindii, Ryegrass, Winter Grass, Catsear, Chickweed, Clover, Cotula, Creeping Oxalis, Curled Dock, Milk Thistle, Mullumbimby Couch and Nutgrass.

• Highly effective in controlling Poa annua, Ryegrass, Kikuyu, Sedges and a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds in one pass
• Convenient liquid formulation
• Complete couch solution for Poa annua (Winter Grass)
• Fully systemic action (xylem and phloem) with root, shoot and leaf uptake

Monument Liquid Herbicide is safe to use on – Common Couch, Hybrid Couch, QLD Blue Couch and Zoysia – DO NOT USE on Kikuyu or Buffalo

For best results:

• Consider weed growth stage at time of application
• Consider the soil temperature at time of application
• Always apply with a non-ionic surfactant

Read label before use – ensure correct application rates are applied.

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Winter Lawn Care Products | Lawn Nutrition and Colour

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is a premium, professional foliar fertiliser designed to bring out the best in any lawn.

Providing health and colour to your lawn during the growing period.

Exceed is ideal for correcting nutrient deficiencies quickly, addressing stress related issues or for a general boost to overall health.

Exceed can be used on all grass types including kikuyu, couch, buffalo, zoysia and cool season varieties.

ColourGuard Plus 

Wanting to keep your lawn looking as best it can until the warmer months?

ColourGuard Plus is a liquid fertiliser and a natural grass pigment that instantly restores the colour of your lawn.

Apply this 100% natural grass colourant to keep your lawn looking green year-round.

Just one application can give your lawn up to three months of great colour.

ColourGuard Plus delivers micron-sized pigment solids into the tiny pores of leaf tissues via water spray. The colour pigments are organic and natural making ColourGuard a safe product for the environment, pets, and people.

Once it’s dried, it’s locked in. ColourGuard won’t bleed, run, or stain once absorbed.

Easy to use, works on all lawns, in extreme heat, rain, cold and frost. Plus, ColourGuard reduces the amount of fertiliser and water your lawn requires.

Lawn Solutions ColourGuard can dry on your lawn in as little as 2 hours when in full sunlight and will work like a lawn paint.

ColourGuard Plus is available in 4 convenient sizes:

• 2L Ready-to-use Bottle
• 100ml Concentrate
• ColourGuard Plus 2.5lt Concentrate
• ColourGuard Plus 10lt Concentrate

Easy to use, works on all lawns, in extreme heat, rain, cold and frost. Plus, ColourGuard reduces the amount of fertiliser and water your lawn requires.

Lawn Solutions ColourGuard can dry on your lawn in as little as 2 hours when in full sunlight and will work like a lawn paint.

Lawn Rescue

Lawn Rescue is a blend of liquid fertilisers, seaweed extracts and wetting agents and is ideal for use during establishment, post establishment and for post-winter revival.

Promoting the development of root systems and growth in new lawns, Lawn Rescue stimulates, supports and protects root growth in established lawns year-round.

Featuring both nutrient and rehydration properties, Lawn Rescue is the perfect solution for tired, slow-growing lawns.

Will restore colour and health to lawns that are looking dry and thin and is suitable for all lawn varieties.

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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.

Winter weeds can be a real nuisance and undo all the hard work you put into getting your lawn looking superb during the warmer months.

The best time to treat winter weeds in your lawn is during winter. By doing so, you have a better chance of getting them before germination. This will stop them from dropping their seeds back into the soil and coming back again next season.

Here are some of the most common weeds that appear during winter and what you can do to remove them from your lawn.

Winter Grass

Winter Grass (Poa Annua) is a low growing turf grass. It has soft, drooping green leaves grown in tufts with triangular shaped seed heads. If you allow Winter Grass to drop its seeds, next winter it will be back, twice as badly as it was the previous year.

Winter Grass can be removed very easily by hand as it doesn’t have particularly deep roots and it doesn’t have any runners, growing in simple clumps.

Using a combination of a pre-emergent like Oxafert and a selective Winter Grass control like Winter Grass Killer at the correct time of year should ensure Winter Grass is eradicated from your lawn. Amgrow Winter Grass Killer is safe to use on buffalo lawns (including Sir Walter DNA Certified), blue and common couches. However, Amgrow Winter Grass Killer should be avoided on Kikuyu and red fescue lawns. If you do happen to have a Kikuyu lawn an alternative post emergent herbicide is Munns Professional Winter Grass Killer.

You can find more information on managing and treating Winter Grass here.

Bindii

Bindii is possibly the most annoying weed due to the pain it causes to our bare feet! It is a low growing weed with a flower at its centre. At maturity, the flower produces a prickly seed pod. This seed pod is a particular menace during the warmer months when we are trying to enjoy our lawns. Bindii can be managed by hand or by applying a selective broadleaf herbicide like Bin-Die or Lawn Solutions Australia All Purpose Weed Control. This will help to eradicate these weeds in all lawn types including kikuyu and couch. It is safe to use on most varieties of buffalo except the ST varieties. A repeat application may be required.

The best time to target Bindii is in Winter before it produces the seed pod and spreads throughout your lawn.

Check out our blog on Bindii here for more information.

Clover

Clover is another common winter weed. It is one of those legume plants, like beans and lucerne or alfalfa, that draws nitrogen from the air and stores it in its roots.  As the roots die back, the nitrogen is replenished into the soil but where there is sufficient nitrogen in your soil to keep your lawn healthy, the clover struggles to survive. In most cases when you see clover growing in your lawn it means that there isn’t enough nitrogen. So, a fertilise will help increase the nitrogen and slow the clover down.

Clover can also be managed by applying a selective broadleaf herbicide like Bin-Die or Lawn Solutions Australia All Purpose Weed Control.

For more information on removing clover click here.

Creeping Oxalis

Creeping Oxalis has small light green heart shaped leaves, very similar in appearance to clover. (Oxalis, have heart shaped leaves while clover has oval shaped leaves.) The flowers are small, about 3-4mm in diameter and bright yellow in colour containing five petals. Creeping Oxalis, as its name suggests, quickly runs along the surface of the soil and produces roots from the leaf as it goes. When seed pods mature, they dry out and explode, causing the seed to spread.

Once again, a selective herbicide such as Lawn Solutions Australia All Purpose Weed Control will help to eradicate these weeds in all lawn types including kikuyu and couch and are safe to use on most varieties of buffalo except the ST varieties.

You can find more information on Creeping Oxalis here.

We  carry a wide range of weed and pest control products for buffalo and other lawn varieties. Remember to always follow manufacturer’s instructions on the pack.

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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.

Winter Grass is one of the more frustrating weeds to remove. As winter grass grows it produces triangular shaped seed heads. These seeds make the weed easier to identify but are a sign that it has already started spreading for next season. In this blog, we look at what winter grass is and how you can stop it from spreading throughout your lawn.

Winter Grass

Winter Grass, botanically known as Poa Annua is a low growing weed that has soft, drooping green leaves, and grows in tufts with white seeds. This weed will start to appear when the average soil temperature drops to 16 – 17 degrees. For most areas, this is around mid to late Autumn or when you start to notice the cooler temperatures. When the soil temperatures drop below this, the winter grass seeds that are in the soil will start to germinate and grow.

How Does Winter Grass Spread?

As Winter grass continues to grow, it will produce triangular seeds heads. These seeds are then dropped into the lawn, or spread by wind, birds, underfoot… and will grow a new winter grass weed/plant.

Prevention

Pre-emergent herbicides like Oxafert and Oxapro target seasonal weed seeds that are already in the soil, stopping them from germinating, before the weed starts to appear! Pre-emergents are best applied in mid to late Autumn, or when the temperatures start to drop in your location. This is when the seasonal winter weed seeds that are already in the soil will start to germinate.

You can also apply a pre-emergent in early to mid Spring, or when the temperatures are starting to rise to help stop seasonal summer weeds, like Summer Grass and Crabgrass/Crowsfoot.

How Pre-Emergents Work

Pre-emergents work by forming a barrier at the soil level, affecting the germination of any new seedlings. This prevents any new weeds from growing and spreading throughout your lawn for up to 12 weeks.

It is important to note, pre-emergents will only stop weeds during germination and won’t stop any existing weeds that are already in the lawn. If you are wanting to target weeds that are already growing in your lawn it is best to use a post emergent herbicide for control.

How to Apply Oxafert

When applying Oxafert and Oxapro, spread out the granules evenly by using a sweeping hand motion or apply with a fertiliser spreader for even coverage. Oxafert and Oxapro are best applied to dry foliage and watered in immediately after application.

Winter Grass in Your Lawn Already?

If Winter Grass has already infiltrated your lawn, it is best to use a selective post-emergent herbicide. Amgrow Winter Grass Killer is a selective herbicide safe to use on most varieties including Blue Couch, Common Couch, Bent, Buffalo (including Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo) and Brown top lawns. This is not safe to use on Kikuyu or Fescue lawns. Another post-emergent herbicide that is safe to use on Kikuyu lawns is Munns Winter Grass Killer.

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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.

Is your lawn having problems and not sure where to start? In this blog, we look at troubleshooting common lawn care problems to help you get your lawn back on track and in good health.

Step 1 – Is your lawn getting the amount of sunlight it needs?

Different types of grasses need different amounts of sunlight to thrive. If your lawn isn’t getting enough sun, it can become thin and sparse, and will eventually die out.

Buffalo grasses have a high shade tolerance needing a minimum of 3-4 hours of direct light or scattered light.

Couch grasses require at least 5-6 hours of direct light.

Kikuyu grasses love full sun areas, needing direct light throughout the whole day.

If your lawn isn’t getting the amount of light it needs, regularly prunes back any trees, bushes, and other foliage. This will help increase sunlight to the lawn. If your lawn is shaded by the house or other structures, choose a shade-tolerant variety that will be suited for your area.

For more information on why your lawn needs sunlight, check out our blog here.

Step 2 – Is your lawn getting affected by wear or a compacted soil base?

Does your lawn get lots of foot traffic either from pets or kids? When the soil base underneath your lawn becomes compacted, it can be difficult for the grass to grow its roots deep into the soil, affecting the lawn.

To help the soil deal with a compacted base, aerate the soil. Aeration is best done with a garden fork or tyne aerator. To aerate your lawn simply insert the fork into the lawn and give it wiggle back and forth. This will help fracture the soil profile, allowing air, nutrients, and water to flow better throughout the soil and allow the grass to grow a deeper root system.

Check out our blog on aeration for more information here.

Step 3 – Are you watering too much or not enough?

When watering an established lawn, it is best to only give it water when it needs it. Usually, you will only need to water when there is not enough rainfall to meet your lawn’s needs. The tell-tale signs your lawn needs water are:

• If the leaf is wilting or losing colour
• If your lawn leaves a footprint behind when you walk over it
• During hot weather, if your lawn is dry and crusty, and taking on a brown colour.

If you do need to water your lawn, it is best to water in the morning before the heat of the day. Avoid afternoon and evening watering as the lawn will sit damp overnight as this can cause fungal diseases to develop.

Step 4 – Does your lawn need fertilising?

Is your lawn lacking the nutrients it needs or is it in need of a boost? If so, a well-rounded fertiliser with a balanced ratio of nutrients may be needed.

For fertilising we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser this contains a combination of slow and fast release granules that will give your lawn a quick initial boost and will continue to feed the lawn for up to 12 weeks. This is a well-balanced fertiliser that contains all the essential nutrients your lawn needs to stay healthy and is suitable for all lawn varieties.

Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is also a great option for liquid fertiliser. Exceed will give your lawn a quick boost as it is absorbed by the leaf of the grass.

It is best to apply fertiliser around 2-3 times a year, once in Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

Step 5 – Is your lawn being mown enough?

During the hotter weather, warm-season varieties like couch, buffalo, kikuyu, and zoysia will be growing at a fast rate and will need to be mown more frequently.

For mowing, it is best to ensure you are mowing frequently enough so you remove no more than one-third of the leaf with each pass.

If your lawn has become overgrown or you are wanting to reduce your mowing height, mow a notch or two lower than your preferred mowing height. After this, the lawn won’t look great for the first few weeks, but the lawn will be able to recover and grow back at a lower height. Then on the next mow, you can raise your mower to your preferred mowing height and continue to mow regularly. This is best done when the grass is actively growing in spring and summer and should be avoided in the cooler months.

Step 6 – Is your lawn affected by grubs?

Has your lawn become dry and straw-like? Are their brown patches gradually spreading throughout your lawn? Common signs of a grub infestation include brown patches, increased bird activity and a spongy lawn.

If you are unsure if your lawn is affected by grubs, it is best to do a 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 likely to be active.

If your lawn is grub affected, a fast-acting product like Grub Guard or Baythroid Advanced will provide a quick knockdown. A preventative insecticide like Acelepryn GR will help prevent another grub attack from occurring for up to 6 months.

For more information on how to stop grubs in your lawn, check out our blog here

Step 7 – Is rain and humidity affecting your lawn?

Over the last few months, lots of areas across Australia have been facing hot, humid, and rainy conditions. This creates the perfect conditions for lawn diseases to occur.

Here’s what to do if your lawn has been affected by the disease:

• Stop additional irrigation and only water if your lawn needs it. This will allow the lawn to dry out.
• Give the area a good aerate with a garden fork. This will help drain away any excess moisture in the soil profile.
• If the lawn is still showing disease after this, you can look at applying a fungicide like Mancozeb to help clear it up.

Please check out our blog on lawn diseases for more information here.

Step 8 – Do you have the best-suited type of lawn?

In certain situations, different lawn types are better suited for different areas.

If your area receives a lot of shade, a shade-tolerant variety like Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo (which needs as little as 3-4 hours of direct sunlight per day) is an ideal choice.

If your lawn is going to be getting a lot of traffic from pets and kids, choose grass with a high wear tolerance like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda or Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo.

If you are after a high-end manicured look a fantastic grass to look at is Sir Grange Zoysia.

For more specific advice on choosing the best turf variety for your home and family, have a chat with

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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.

Sedge weeds like Nutgrass are some of the worst weeds when it comes to their ability to infiltrate your lawn.

They are highly invasive and very difficult to get rid of, but there is a product you can use to selectively treat them on your lawn.

Sedges are part of the Cyperus genus which includes about 700 types of sedges. Sedges have triangular cross-sections and spirally arranged leaves in 3 vertical rows along the stem. A common factor in areas where these weeds tend to occur is poor soil.

For this article, we are going to focus on two in particular that are commonly found in Australian lawns, Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch.

Nutgrass

Botanical name: Cyperus Esculentus

Description:

• Nutgrass gets its name from the nut-like tubers found on the roots (rhizomes) of the plant.
• It is identifiable as it is usually a lighter green than the rest of your lawn and tends to grow taller.
• Nutgrass has 3 blades that shoot up from the stem and has a triangular stem rather than a circular stem like most grasses.

Mullumbimby Couch

Botanical name: Cyperus brevifolius

Description:

• A perennial mat-forming, grass-like sedge up to 15cm high with dark green, glossy, strap-like leaves.
• Possesses tough long, rhizomes that are red to purple in colour.
• Grows best in areas of excessive soil moisture and humidity and can be difficult to control due to a strong network of rhizomes from which individual plants can regenerate.

Treatment

Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch are incredibly difficult to eradicate so it is best you act quickly before they spread and become almost impossible to remove.

You can remove them by digging 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.

Sedge Post-Emergent Herbicides

If there is a large amount of Nutgrass or Mullumbimby Couch in your lawn, you will need to treat it with a selective herbicide such as Lawn Solutions Sedge Control or Amgrow Sedgehammer.

Another herbicide option is Paspalum, Nutgrass and Clover Selective Weed Killer, but you can only use it to spot spray buffalo and kikuyu turf varieties as it will harm your lawn as well. It is safe to cover spray-on Couch (excluding QLD Blue Couch), Bent and Fescue turf varieties.

If you don’t treat these weeds, they will continue to multiply and infest your whole lawn, so it’s definitely worth doing in order to save your lawn from continued infestation.

Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the pack when using herbicides. These chemicals are generally on the expensive side, but you only need a very small quantity to treat the affected area. Be aware that repeated applications may also be required.

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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.