Watering
Water is an important element in your lawn care and maintenance program. With a clever choice of lawn and the correct preparation you can keep watering to a minimum once your lawn is established.
When should you water your lawn?
Once your lawn has established, you need to encourage deep roots and therefore a more drought tolerant lawn. If you continue to water your lawn lightly and frequently, this will lead to shallow roots and a lawn that has been taught to expect regular watering, so without it, it will begin to struggle during even the shortest of periods without moisture.
So, once you can no longer pull up your new lawn, you need to slowly start backing off the watering. Increase the time you water for but do it less frequently. We recommend to aim for 1-2 hours once a week.
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The best time to water your lawn is early morning. This is when there is no wind and less chance of water loss due to heat related evaporation. In humid areas, avoid late afternoon or early evening watering as this can increase the chance of fungal diseases.
Signs your lawn needs a water
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Leaf is wilting or losing colour.
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If you walk across your lawn and leave a footprint behind, then your lawn is likely lacking in water. If it bounces back, your lawn should be well hydrated. This is known as the footprint test.
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During hot weather, if it’s dry and crusty, taking on a brown colour, there’s a good chance it needs water.
Fertilising
Fertilising is essential to keep your lawn healthy and thriving. At different times throughout the year your lawn needs a nutrient boost to keep it going throughout the seasons.
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Spring fertilising helps your lawn break its winter dormancy, helping it to start growing again while the weather warms.
Summer fertilising helps your lawn maintain an even growth pattern.
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Autumn fertilising prepares your lawn for the winter months. It encourages prolonged growth to ensure a thick coverage and extended colour. This application is the most important one of the year.
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This is why we recommend to fertilise your lawn 3-4 times a year. The beginning of every season is an easy reminder!
In sandy soil fertilisers will leach very quickly, hence more applications to do the job. In a heavy clay soil your lawn fertiliser will last longer because of moister retention and slower water movement.
What’s the best lawn fertiliser to use?
There are many types of lawn fertiliser available in the market – organic, chemically blended, slow release, liquids just to name a few – but we recommend the Lawn Solutions Australia Premium Lawn Food. It spreads easily and will give your lawn a slow dose of nutrients over an extended period of time, keeping your lawn lush all year round.
The right way to fertilise your lawn
Mowing
Regularly mowing your lawn encourages thick, lateral growth and an overall healthier lawn.
Lawn Mowing Height
Different lawn varieties have different preferred mowing heights.
Sir Walter DNA Certified : 30 to 50mm
TifTuf Bermuda: 5 to 30mm
Eureka Kikuyu: 30 to 50mm
RTF Tall Fescue: 30 to 50mm
The One Third Rule of Grass
You should mow your lawn frequently enough so that you remove no more than one-third of the leaf with each pass. Cutting this way will limit the amount of stress caused to the plant and help avoid scalping.
Sharpen Your Mower Blades
Ensuring your mower blades are nice and sharp will help your grass look better after a mow and help keep your lawn healthier. We recommend checking your mower blades at the start of every growing season to ensure they are in good shape or need sharpening.
If the blades have any cracks, bends, extremely thin blades, or even holes in the blades fin, then your blades need to be replaced.
If there is still plenty of meat left on your blades and they are in their correct shape, they may simply need to be sharpened.
For most people, the easiest fix is to have your mower blades looked at by a professional.
Tips for Mowing Your Lawn
Mow when the lawn is dry and try to avoid mowing when the lawn is wet
Mow at the same length and mow regularly
Switch mowing directions
Mow in the mornings or afternoons. Avoid mowing in the middle of the day
Keep at a consistent pace
Rotary or cylinder mower?
Rotary mowers have spinning blades rotating on a vertical axis under a cutting deck. They work best on a medium to high cut and are now available as both petrol and battery powered. Some trusty rotary mower brands to look out for include Honda, Victa, Toro, Bosh, Ryobi, Masport, Ozito, Makita and Husqvarna.
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Cylinder mowers can provide a cleaner cut than rotary mowers and are especially good for fine leaf varieties like TifTuf Bermuda. There are a few different choices available. There are cheaper models available like the Ozito Cylinder Mower. Bigger cylinder mowers like Scott Bonnar, Protea, Swardman and Bushranger tend to be priced at the higher end.
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You can mow any variety with any mower, so whatever you have access to will work!
Lawn mowing
tips and tricks
Weeds, Pests, Disease
Sometimes you might have an unexpected and unwanted visitor in your lawn. Weeds, pests and disease can be damaging and unsightly in your lawn, so its best to treat them when you can.
Weeds need to be accurately identified so that you can use the best form of treatment. Selective herbicides specific to the weed you are targeting will be the most effective.
Applying a pre-emergent herbicide through vulnerable seasons will help to keep weeds at bay.
Weeds
The most common pest we have in South Australian lawns is the black beetle. Its root-feeding grub can do a lot of damage very quickly. Applying an Acelepryn-based product in September and March will give your lawn year-round protection from damaging bugs.
Pests
Disease
Fungal disease in lawns, for the most part, are not common in residential lawns across Australia. Unfortunately, when the conditions are right, the odd fungal issue will rear its head. Some turf varieties are more susceptible than others and some areas are prone to suffer more than others too.
When these turf diseases take hold, it is important that you identify the particular condition and target it with an appropriate response quickly.
Fungal related symptoms to look out for:
What causes fungal disease?
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Weather conditions (particularly temperature and humidity)
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Overwatering
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Soil compaction
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Overfertilising or using the wrong type of fertiliser
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Incompatible grass varieties for your area
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Poor mowing habits (mowing too low in particular)
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Coloured patches or rings in your lawn (yellow, white or brown)
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Powdery coatings or threads on the grass blade surface
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Thinned out areas, or areas of wet or slimy looking turf
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Leaf blades with irregular discolouration or texture
Treatment options
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Aeration - Loosening of the soil to remove compaction and improve drainage. Aeration will improve your lawns ability to absorb water, nutrient and oxygen which will help your lawn stay healthier.
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Fertilising - Overapplying fertiliser or underapplying to nutrient deficient soils can promote some fungal diseases. Make sure that you stick to a fertilising program that provides your grass with the nutrient it needs in regular intervals throughout the year.
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Remove thatch - Over time your lawn can develop a thick layer of thatch, dead organic matter, excessive roots and stems within the profile of your grass. Dethatching prevents water log in your roots and allows proper drainage, this will help to prevent the risk of fungal issues.
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Irrigation and Shade Management - Avoid over-watering, particularly in shaded areas. Shade prevents the quick evaporation of dew or surface water and continued dampness will encourage fungal disease. When watering, do so early in the morning not at night, to allow the area to dry during the day. Water deeply, but less frequently, to encourage stronger roots and to allow the water to absorb properly.
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Fungicide application - If all of the above fail, or if you have a particularly nasty fungal problem you will need to apply a fungicide. Fungicides kill fungi and the spores within the soil or plant. Mancozeb is a trusted protectant fungicide that controls a wide range of diseases like powdery mildew, dollar spot and rust. For best results, a complete spray of the entire lawn is recommended.