Category: Seasonal Advice

Why Regular Mowing Is Important

Posted on by Apex Digital

Why regular mowing is important

Sometimes there’s always something better to do than spend a portion of your weekend mowing the lawn.

There are those that are die-hard lawn fanatics who love mowing regularly and those that just simply find the thought of having to mow the lawn all the time as a massive annoyance.

If conditions have been ideal, you might be cursing the dreaded growth rate of your lawn. During times of rain, combined with high humidity, you might also find that you have been unable to get out and mow for weeks, even if you wanted to.

mowing

If your lawn is growing rapidly, it is important that you get out there and get on top of it regularly. Just remember it’s only a short amount of time before it will slow down and you can get back to the odd mow here and there when it needs it.

 

Here’s why you should keep to a regular routine and mow your lawn when it needs it.

  1. Consistent mowing heights allow for consistent nutrients within the grass, helping your lawn look the same throughout.
  2. Leaving your lawn too long can block out the sun from reaching the undergrowth and can lead to dying off from below.
  3. Letting your lawn get too long actually ends up causing you to mow your lawn more often! When you do finally mow, you are taking off more of the leaf which will stress your lawn. Once the lawn gets quite long, don’t take more than a third of the leaf off at a time. You have to mow off a third, wait a few days and then mow again to get it back to the optimal height. So, sticking to the one-third rule is extremely important in maintaining a healthy lawn.
  4. The mower may have difficulty cutting down the tall grass even with an increased blade height, so it will be a much more difficult task.
  5. A lawn that isn’t mowed regularly to the recommended height is often less healthy than a manicured lawn.
  6. A lawn full of weak grass is more susceptible to disease, pests and weeds.
  7. Mowing your lawn encourages lateral growth. It’s this lateral growth that helps your lawn become thicker.

By sticking to a regular mowing and lawn maintenance routine, your lawn will be healthier and be less likely to develop problems that will only cost you more time and money in the long run.

 

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 Are Plant Growth Regulators?

Posted on by Apex Digital

Stadium quality turf with PGR’s

We know many of you are always looking for ways to take your lawns to the next level. One way to do this is by using what the turf professionals use, Plant Growth Regulators. Used on golf courses and sports grounds across the world, Plant Growth Regulators known as PGRs, are now available in an economical size to use in your own back garden.

In this article we focus on the benefits of plant growth regulators, Primo Maxx by Syngenta specifically, that can help your lawn perform like stadium-quality turf.

What is a Plant Growth Regulator or PGR?

A PGR is an innovative solution that influences a plant’s growth and development.

Recent types of PGRs, such as Syngenta’s turf growth regulator Primo Maxx are formulated as a microemulsion concentrate that quickly enters the leaves and shoots before systemically moving throughout the entire plant.

Better looking lawns, faster:

  • Reduces grass growth: reduced mowing.
  • Less bare patches: improved aesthetic.
  • Greener grass.
  • The best-looking edges with less work.

Once absorbed, the active ingredient works to temporarily block the plant’s ability to produce a growth hormone called Gibberellic Acid. This suppresses the plant’s vertical growth while allowing normal processes like photosynthesis and respiration to continue.

Energy is diverted into the plant’s lateral growth, resulting in smaller and finer leaves, increased tillering, and a larger, deeper root mass. The turf becomes denser with a more vibrant colour.

Save water with PGRs

Regular PGR application ticks a lot of sustainability boxes, the biggest one being greener grass with less water requirements.

PGRs like Primo Maxx improve water management efficiency by encouraging the stomates (pores) of a plant to close for longer periods, which slows down the rate of water lost through transpiration.

Control growth and mow less

Slowing down turf growth also decreases the need to mow, which in turn reduces waste and makes maintenance practices far more sustainable. Applying Primo Maxx to turfgrass effectively holds back vertical grass growth within 3 to 4 weeks of initial application.

Stand up to turf stress and extreme heat

Increased temperatures add to turf stress in all situations, resulting in an undesirable loss of colour, turf density and quality.

Build a tougher lawn:

  • Increased root density: drought resistance & improved lawn resilience
  • Increased density: improved shade tolerance
  • Increased durability: hardier under children and pet use

The main reason is that PGR applications like Primo Maxx increase the level of bioactive cytokinins in the plant, improving its tolerance to heat and drought-induced stress. This allows the turf to recover faster from drought effects, extreme heat, or stress from high traffic and heavy play.

PGR TIP:

The right application is always key to achieving good results with a PGR, so it’s important to track the growth rate of your turfgrass alongside the rate of PGR application. When using Primo Maxx for the first time leave an area to the side untreated so you can compare the results of your application.

What does Primo Maxx do?

Primo Maxx forces the grass to grow thicker instead of taller. The lateral stems become fuller as the colour of the lawn becomes a nicer shade of green. Your lawn will not only be lush and attractive, but it will also have what it needs to stay that way.

plant growth regulators

Primo Maxx Promotes deeper, stronger roots

Instead of using energy on growth, it uses it on creating healthier roots

Primo Maxx Improves water use efficiency

The grass makes the most of the water it receives, whether rain or irrigation, less water use

Primo Maxx helps turf tolerate shade

Shady areas naturally grow thin; Primo assist with this.

Primo Maxx creates stronger, denser turf

Stronger, denser turf resists wear and disease better and helps suppress weeds.

  • Promotes denser, healthier turf that is better able to withstand a variety of stresses including heat, drought, diseases and traffic.
  • Slows the production of gibberellic acid, a plant hormone that promotes cell elongation. Vertical shoot growth is slowed, while lateral and below-ground growth of rhizomes, stolons, tillers and roots is stimulated.
  • Reduces mowing by up to 50%.
  • Is claimed to suppress Winter grass growth.
  • Cuts mowing in half, reduces seed head production, fertilizer use, watering and clipping yield, makes lawns look great with half the work or for less than 3 cents a square metre.

 

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.

Summer Grass Weeds

Posted on by Apex Digital

Summer Grass Weeds

Not all weeds can be easily treated with common broadleaf herbicides. Some, mainly summer grass weeds, require a specific herbicide product for treatment.

In this article, we talk about summer grass, paspalum and crabgrass/crowsfoot.

Summer Grass

Digitaria Sanguinalis and Digitaria Cilaris

summer grass

Summer grass is an annual weed that appears in the warmer months of the year. It will then go to seed into autumn where it can emerge over several years. There are two varieties of Summer grass that are very similar in appearance. If left untreated, it can grow as high as 30cm and 1m wide, thrive in conditions of high temperatures and high humidity.

Description

Summer grass is an annual weed that has soft hairy leaves that grow close to the ground in clusters. The grassroots at the node (joint) and the sheathes of the leaf are usually purple-tinged in colour at the base. Because Summer grass spreads by seed, it is extremely important that you act before this happens.

Paspalum

Paspalum Dilatatum

This is a perennial grass weed that is found mostly in the South Eastern states of Australia.

It will start out as clumps and then will spread throughout sparse and poor performing lawns.

Description

This weed has a purple tinge at the base of broad grass leaves that stem from a central crown. It primarily grows throughout the warmer months from late spring to early autumn. This weed spreads through the transportation of sticky seeds. These seeds easily adhere themselves to pets, shoes and objects before falling off in a new location.

Crowsfoot or Crabgrass

Eleusine Indica or Digitaria (Finger-grasses)

crowsfoot

Crowsfoot is known by many names, but one it sometimes goes by here in Australia is Crabgrass.

Description 

Crowsfoot grass is a summer annual that grows in easy to identify tufts, staying fairly flat to the ground with almost white flat sheathed stems and smooth strap-like leaves.

This weed is difficult to control as can tolerate low mowing and will thrive in nutrient-deprived and compacted soil conditions. It will begin to germinate in the soil when temperatures reach above 15°C and can grow extremely quickly once active.

Seed heads appear usually from late spring or early summer. These seed heads can have as many as ten spikelets on each long stem. In an unhealthy lawn, if left to seed and spread, Crowsfoot will quickly infiltrate right through the entire lawn. Crowsfoot is commonly found throughout most Australian states including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Prevention

The best way to control these types of weeds is to maintain a healthy lawn where they are unlikely to infiltrate and spread. Being proactive and removing them as soon as they appear and before they go to seed will be the key to preventing them from spreading out of control. It is always easier to control weeds from the outset rather than to try to remove them once they get out of hand.

By choosing a suitable lawn species for your area, keeping it healthy and well maintained and at the right mowing height for your chosen variety, you’ll have a leg up on any potential weed invasions.

Treatment

Hand removal

All of the above grass weeds can be removed by hand, but they will continue to re-emerge in sparse unhealthy lawn areas. Getting your grass to spread and thicken will make it difficult for these weeds to infiltrate. Make sure you dig underneath the crown, below soil level and remove the entire root of the plant. Be careful not to spread any seeds during the process. If you act quickly you should be able to eradicate them fairly easily from your lawn this way.

Post-Emergent Herbicides

If these grass weeds have spread throughout your lawn and are out of control, you may need to look at applying a selective herbicide.

Paspalum, Nutgrass & Clover Weed Killer and herbicides formulated with the active DSMA will control paspalum, crowsfoot/crabgrass and summer grass.

These herbicides can be easily mixed in a pressure sprayer, with the addition of a surfactant or wetting agent like Sprayfix or a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid to ensure it adheres better to the leaf. For best results, spray the weeds when they are actively growing during the warmer months. Repeated applications may be required in order to fully eradicate them from your lawn. Make sure you adhere to the application rates and instructions on the product label.

*For kikuyu, buffalo lawns and QLD Blue Couch, it is advised to only spot spray and not spray the entire lawn as it can cause harm to your grass as well.

Due to a supply shortage of DSMA across the industry, many garden centres and stores have no longer been able to get stock of these herbicides.

Another option is to treat the individual weed tufts with a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate (Round Up or Zero). You will need to make sure you do so extremely carefully as it will kill everything it comes in contact with. The safest way is to use a small paintbrush or weed wand and carefully brush the glyphosate only onto the invading weeds leaf.

Pre-Emergent Herbicides

A really effective way of stopping Crowsfoot/Crabgrass and Summer Grass from germinating in your lawn again next year is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert.

oxafert

These herbicides act by stopping weeds from germinating from the soil in the first place. In order for them to work effectively, you need to apply them before emergence. For many of these weeds, this would mean you would be best applying it in early to mid-spring, but they can be applied at any time.

 

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.

How to Calibrate Your Sprayer

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When using specialised lawn care products on your lawn, calibrating your sprayer is important to ensure the correct amount of product is applied to your lawn size. In this blog, we look at how to calibrate your sprayer and how to apply a few different commercial grade lawn care products.

Important Note Before Reading:

When applying each of these products, please ensure you are wearing the correct PPE for each product, as stated on the product label.

When using these types of products, always read the label before application.

Different types of sprayers

There is a wide range of different types of sprayers that are on the market. Backpack sprayers are better suited for larger areas as they usually hold a larger amount of water and can be easier to use when spraying for longer. Other handheld sprayers vary in size and design are better suited for medium to small lawn sizes.

As every different type of sprayer and brand of sprayer will disperse water at different rates calibrating your sprayer is important, especially when applying commercial-grade products.

backpack sprayer

Why is calibrating your chemical sprayer important?

When applying products to your lawn it is important to ensure you are applying the correct amount of product for your lawn size. This will help avoid either not spraying enough or too much product to your lawn.

How to calibrate your sprayer

To calibrate your sprayer, you will need to find out how much water your sprayer takes to spray 100 m2 and add the label rate of the product to that quantity of water.

To find out how much water your sprayer takes to spray 100m2, best to spray a 10m2 hard surface like concrete and multiply it by 10. From this you can determine that if it’s going to take say 5L of water for you to cover 100sqm, then that’s the required amount of water you need to mix the product with.

When calibrating your sprayer, it is also important to walk at the same speed as this will also affect your calibration.

Best to check your sprayer’s nozzle regularly for any blockages and wear and tear as this can also affect your sprayer.

Applying Primo Maxx (Plant Growth Regulator)

When applying Primo Maxx, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

For Buffalo, Common Couch and Hybrid Couch add 10 to 40mL of Primo Maxx per 100m2. For Kikuyu add 20 to 80mL of Primo Maxx per 100m2.

Please have a look at the Primo Maxx Label for further information.

primo maxx

Applying Monument Liquid Herbicide

When applying Monument Liquid Herbicide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates do change for Monument depending on what weed you are wanting to target. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rates for the weed you are targeting. The below details how you can convert mL/ha to mL/100m2.

150 mL/ha (for Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch only)

Therefore, 150 mL per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 1.5 mL per 100 m2

Then add 1.5mL of Monument (for Nutgrass and Mullumbimby Couch only) to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Monument Liquid Herbicide Label for further information.

monument herbicide

Applying Heritage Maxx Systemic Fungicide

When applying Heritage Maxx, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

For Heritage Maxx, the label rate is:

6L/ha

Therefore, 6L per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 60 mL per 100 m2

Then add 60mL of Heritage Maxx to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100m2.

Please have a look at the Heritage Maxx Label for further information.

heritage maxx

Applying Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide

When applying Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rates do change for Duke depending on what weed you are wanting to target. Please have a look at the label for the correct application rates for the weed you are targeting. The below details how you can convert g/ha to g/100 m2.

150g/ha (for Winter Grass and Ryegrass only)

Therefore, 150g per 10 000 m2

Therefore, 1.5g per 100 m2

It is best to mix the herbicide with a small amount of water first to ensure the product is properly dissolved and then add to your sprayer.

Then add 1.5g of Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide to your calibrated sprayer to treat 100 m2.

Please have a look at the Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide Label for further information.

Applying Agador Insecticide

When applying Agador Insecticide, firstly calibrate your sprayer.

The application rate for Agador does change for the pest which you were wanting to target.

For Couch Mites use 10 to 20 mL per 100m2. For Ring Nematode and Sting Nematode use 20mL per 100m2.

Please have a look at the Agador Label for further information.

agador

Have a ColourGuard RTU and want to use it in a knapsack?

If you have a ColourGuard hose on bottle and are wanting to apply it through a sprayer, use half the 2L bottle of ColourGuard and apply with 3.5L of water. This will then be able to cover up to 100m2.

When applying each of these products, please ensure you are wearing the correct PPE for each product, as stated on the product label.

When using these types of products, always read the label before application.

 

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.

Crowsfoot (Eleusine Indica)

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Crowsfoot (Eleusine Indica)

Crowsfoot is known by many names, but one of the most common it goes by here in Australia is Crabgrass.

Crowsfoot, as its name suggests, has a spiked flower with a similar appearance to that of a crow’s foot.

Description:

Crowsfoot grass is a summer annual that grows in easy to identify tufts. It stays fairly flat to the ground with almost white flat sheathed stems and smooth strap-like leaves.

Crowsfoot grass is difficult to control weeds that can tolerate low mowing and will thrive in nutrient-deprived and compacted soil conditions. It will begin to germinate in the soil when temperatures reach above 15°C and can grow extremely quickly once active.

Seed heads appear usually from late spring or early summer. These seed heads can have as many as ten spikelets on each long stem. In an unhealthy lawn, if left to seed and spread, Crowsfoot will quickly infiltrate right through the entire lawn. Crowsfoot is commonly found throughout most Australian states including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

crowsfoot

How to remove crowsfoot

The best way to remove crowsfoot is to chip out by hand. Make sure when doing so that you carefully remove the entire plant and don’t spread any seeds during the process.

Treating Crowsfoot with a selective herbicide can be difficult as many herbicides will kill your lawn variety as well.

Paspalum, Nutgrass & Clover Weed Killer and herbicides formulated with the active DSMA will control crowsfoot. It can be easily mixed in a pressure sprayer, with the addition of a surfactant or wetting agent to ensure it adheres better to the leaf. For best results, spray the crowsfoot when it is actively growing during the warmer months. Repeated applications may be required in order to fully eradicate it from your lawn. Make sure you adhere to the application rates on the side of the product.

*For kikuyu, buffalo lawns and QLD Blue Couch, it is best to only spot spray the crowsfoot and not the entire lawn as it can cause harm to your grass as well.

Due to a supply shortage of DSMA across the industry, many garden centres and stores have no longer been able to get stock of these herbicides.

Another option is to treat the individual weed tufts with a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate (Round Up or Zero). You will need to make sure you do so extremely carefully as it will kill everything it comes in contact with. The safest way is to use a small paintbrush or weed wand and carefully brush the glyphosate only onto the crowsfoot leaf.

How to prevent crowsfoot

The best way to control Crowsfoot is to maintain a healthy lawn where it is unlikely to infiltrate and spread. Being proactive and removing it as soon as it appears and before it goes to seed will be the key to preventing it from spreading out of control.

Another way of preventing the seed from germinating is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert in early spring. An application in Autumn will also help to prevent the germination of winter weeds as well.

oxafert

 

 

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.

How To Combat Winter Lawn Weeds

Posted on by Apex Digital

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

Winter Grass (Poa Annua) is low growing turfgrass. 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 bad 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

Lawn Weeds 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

lawn weeds 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

Lawn Weeds ?ÛÒ 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.

 

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.

How Low Can You Mow? | Winter Mowing

Posted on by Apex Digital

Mowing in Winter

Mowing your lawn at a higher height will allow for better photosynthesis and food supply to your lawn

Our warm-season lawns have slowed down in most states as the temperatures have decreased. Your lawn won’t completely stop growing through the winter in Australia, it will just grow at a much slower rate. Once soil temperatures drop below 14 degrees Celsius your grass will enter a slower rate of growth to conserve energy which is known as dormancy. So, what does this mean for your lawn and should this change how you mow over winter?

Increasing mowing height

An important thing you can do to help your lawn adjust to the cooler temperatures is to increase the height of your lawnmower. Keeping the mowing height nice and high will give your lawn the best chance to absorb sunlight and nutrients. A longer leaf will help block out weeds and help your lawn to retain its colour for longer. A healthy lawn heading into winter will ensure it is better prepared for the cold and frost and help it to achieve a quicker spring recovery.

How often should I mow?

As a rough guide, you will only need to mow your lawn every few weeks during winter. This will differ depending on the turf variety you have. While we recommend you leave your lawn longer, make sure you don’t let it get too long either. While you will not need to mow as often as you were throughout summer it is still important to remain consistent with your mowing schedule. This will help maintain a consistent growth pattern so that your lawn will enter the warmer months in top condition.

Mowing too high

Mow higher than 5-6cm and it will prevent sunlight from properly penetrating the grass profile and you may cause scalping when it comes to mowing again. Scalping will then leave the browning of your lawn, which will leave it susceptible to disease and weeds.

Mowing too low

Like the issue caused by scalping as mentioned above, resist the urge to give your lawn a really low cut in winter in an attempt to get out of having to mow again for a longer period of time. This will leave your lawn much more susceptible to winter weeds and frost as well, which will give you a lot more work to do come spring to get it back to its best.

Removing your grass clippings

When mowing throughout the cooler months make sure you pick up all leaves and grass clippings that are left behind. This will allow the grass to receive as much sunlight as it can throughout the cooler months when sunlight can be limited.

 

 

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.

Dry Patch & Heat Stress

Posted on by Apex Digital

This is a common problem when our summer temperatures increase on established and new lawns under 6-12 months old. A well-managed lawn with a good deep root system will survive our hot summers but occasionally we have to help nature to ensure all available water does reach the roots. 

 Dry Patch or Heat Stress can be caused by the following;

  • Poor, shallow watering techniques encourage a shallow roots system. In the cooler months this won’t be a problem but as soon as temperatures increase the plant may wilt and go into stress. 
  • Loss of soil moisture in the soil profile. During a prolonged drought the subsoil may dry out and deep watering with a sprinkler for up to an hour in one spot may be required to start replenishing this moisture loss. 
  • Hydrophobic soils can be naturally occurring or caused by certain organics in the profile. These soils once dry, become very difficult to re-wet and a soil wetting agent is highly recommended to combat this problem. 
  • High thatch levels in an established lawn can prevent water from migrating into the profile. 

What to do? 

  • Reduce stress from foot and vehicle traffic. Minimise any non-essential herbicide applications.
  • Watering your lawn. No two sites are the same so the information we provide is a guide only. In South-East Qld we recommend approximately 10mm of irrigation in winter and at least 25mm in summer. Shady areas will not require this amount and exposed sites with sandy profiles may require a lot more. Measure the amount of water you are applying to any one spot on the lawn. A rain gauge is the best tool to measure the amount of water you are applying. Lawns new and old may be affected by extreme heat and dry so be on the lookout for telltale signs of stress which is usually the leaf turning to a blue-grey colour. Left unchecked and the leaf will turn brown and die. This doesn’t mean that the lawn is dead, but it may take a while for the new leaf to regenerate. 
  • Reduce thatch annually if required. Dethatch with a specialist scarifying machine or we can recommend a contractor to take care of it for you.
  • Improved water penetration with decompaction and aeration. Once again let us know if you need a contractor to carry this out for you. For more information on decompaction follow this link. Apply a soil wetting agent to improve infiltration from dry patches. There are a lot of products on the market, but I like the concept of combining a Kelp or Seaweed product with soil wetting agents. Other products like “Wetta Soil”, “Natrakelp” and “Seasol” can be sourced from your local garden centre or you can source products online from the Lawn Solutions store like “Lawn Rescue” and “Lawn Soaker”. Follow the label instructions and water in well. 

It doesn’t matter how drought-tolerant a lawn variety is, at the end of the day all plants need water. Some need more than others. Depending on when you installed it may take up to 12 months for a new lawn to become truly established. 

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.

Lawn Grubs

Posted on by Apex Digital

This page will help you to identify various types of pests and provide some advice on how to easily manage them yourself.

There are three types of lawn grub that eat the leaf of lawns in South East Queensland, these are; Army Worm, Sod Web Worm and Cut Worm, these are all larvae of small moths that are active from spring to autumn but more common in the wetter months from December to May. Lawn grubs prefer healthy, lush turfgrass, so be on guard during this time. 

These small moths seek out the lushest lawn and lay their eggs in flight (Sod webworm) under building eves, underneath the leaves of plants, shrubs, trees and within the turf canopy. Hundreds of microscopic larvae drift on fine threads onto the ground, the ones that land on a lawn develop into grubs feeding on the leaves of the turf plant. If hatching occurs when no wind is present, a heavy outbreak could occur and in an isolated area, this could cause complete defoliation within days. Under severe infestations, the stems of some grasses are sometimes eaten as well. The average life cycle of most lawn grubs during periods of activity is usually around three weeks. A healthy lawn will easily recover from a mild outbreak of grubs however newly established lawns left unchecked can be completely destroyed in severe outbreaks, especially on Blue Couch varieties. 

There are other pests that live in the soil and eat the roots causing unhealthy turfgrass growth. The main pest we see in SE Qld is the Black Beetle larvae. Low populations will generally not be noticeable, however, heavy infestations can cause turfgrass loss. It is difficult to diagnose as the larvae are not visible unless you expose the soil. 

 We have a new pest soon to arrive in South East Queensland.

The “Fall Army Worm” is migrating down the Queensland coast from Asia. This pest looks similar to our regular Army Worm only it is larger and more ferocious. We are yet to see the effects of this pest, but we have been advised that “Acelepryn” offers protection. 

Do you have lawn grubs and how can you check? 

  • Check the lawn in the early evening for the presence of this small white moth. Sometimes walking around the lawn will cause them to fly away, 
  • Another indicator is the presence of a small red wasp which flies low over the grass during the day, the wasp is searching the lawn for a host grub to lay its eggs into, 
  • Another method to check for the presence of lawn grubs is to lay out a wet hessian sack or a large wet rag over the suspected areas in the evening, check under the sack in the morning and the grubs should still be active in the dark cool environment, by thinking it is still nighttime. 

What can you do? 

  • For total peace of mind apply the preventive product “Acelepryn GR” in spring/ early summer to prevent infestations for up to 6 months. Acelepryn is non-toxic and safe to use. Its easily applied as a granule through a normal fertiliser spreader and provides protection for all lawn grubs including Black Beetle larvae. 
  • For a quick kill, the chemical “Bifenthrin” seems to be the most available chemical available. This product can be used as a protective treatment when applied at regular intervals or as a knockdown treatment to control existing pests. Lawn grubs generally feed at night, so for best results apply pesticide in the late afternoon or as indicated on the label. BEWARE! A new outbreak can occur within one to two weeks of spraying, if there is a lot of lawn grub activity in your area you could expect another re-infestation after the chemical has been used up.  

BEFORE YOU APPLY ANY PESTICIDE (HERBICIDE, INSECTICIDE OR FUNGICIDE) READ THE LABEL, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AND BE AWARE OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND FIRST AID 

We stock these products at our Tamborine office. Alternatively, you can order online from Lawn Solutions Australia.

How can you prevent it from happening? 

  • • Apply the preventative herbicide “Acelepryn” at the start of the lawn grub season. Up to 6 months of control can be achieved at a higher rate. Acelepryn is also effective at preventing Black Beetle when applied in spring. 
  • • Bug lights are quite effective. They won’t stop the larvae from dropping in and causing some damage, but they will help catch the moths laying eggs in the area and causing major outbreaks, 
  • • Do not overfeed your lawn with high nitrogen fertilizers during the summer months, alternatively use organic fertilisers and seaweed-based products that strengthen the turf plant making it less desirable for grubs to eat, 
  • • Keep an eye on lawn areas being defoliated and do the overnight sack test as mentioned earlier. Treat as soon as grubs have been identified. 

 

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

Couch Mite

Posted on by Apex Digital

This page will help you to identify couch mite and provide some advice on how to easily manage them yourself.

Couchgrass mites are active where ever couchgrass is grown. For the most part, common couchgrass is the most susceptible while the vegetative propagated hybrid couchgrass like Tifway, Tifdwarf, and Tifgreen are usually resistant.

The couchgrass mite is rarely a problem on short cut turf found on golf course greens, tees, and fairways. Symptoms first appear as a weak growing couchgrass turf. The leaves turn a light green and curl abnormally. The internodes shorten, and the tissue swells resulting in the couchgrass becoming tufted so that a clumping pattern becomes evident in the turf stand. These tufts give the appearance of “witches brooms”. Eventually the grass loses its vigor, thins out, and if severe enough, dies.

The mite is extremely small, invisible to the naked eye – only visible under a microscope. Hand lenses usually do not have the magnifying power to make the mite visible.

The mite appears wormlike with two pairs of legs facing forward. The lifecycle of this mite is quite rapid. Under ideal conditions, the mite can complete its life cycle from hatching to an adult in 7 days. Under most summertime conditions, the adults lay eggs every 2 to 5 days with the mite completing its lifecycle in 10 to 14 days. The mites tend to develop between the leaf sheath and blade. This location makes it often difficult to get a chemical spray to the mite.

Culturally, lowering the mowing height will make for a less favorable environment for the mite. Care should be done not to cause scalping. Removing clippings will also help reduce mite populations. Irrigating and fertilising make for a healthier couchgrass turf. Miticides may or may not be effective. If used be sure to apply with adequate water and suitable spray adjuvants.

Short residual insecticides are effective but may need to be applied multiple times. In the United States many managers try to “outgrow” the mite through fertilisation and irrigation.

 

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