watering

Watering is often overlooked as the cause for stressed lawn.

It is easy to forget that your lawn is a living plant- and needs just as much care and water as any plant. 90% of problems with grass is directed to water practices.

You might be thinking to yourself “But I water my lawn the recommended amount”.

Here are some things to consider: Your lawn may not be receiving that amount of water you are expecting- some of the sprinklers may be blocked, broken or dribbling. Sprinklers may not be running long enough to allow for 10mm water per session or regular strong wind can drive the water away from where it needs to fall.

It is always a good idea to check over your retic stations every now and then. One of our handy tips is the ice cream bucket trick. Place multiple empty containers across your lawn, time how long it takes to collect 10mm water – this will tell you the correct duration setting for that station on your controller. Find out your watering schedule for new lawn or established.

Lastly, for ultra water consumption and to really make your watering practice count, we suggest the use of a wetting system. We use and recommend a two-part quality soil wetting program, Aqua Force and Bi-Agra. Aqua Force is a premium grade commercial wetting agent, it’s role is to increase water penetration into the soil, where as Bi-Agra acts as a moisture retaining aid, meaning it encourages the soil to hold the water once it has sunk into the soil.

Correct fertilising is important for lawn care here in Perth. For new lawn: check to see if your turf has developed a root system by gently lifting a corner of a couple of rolls, then apply a small amount of fertiliser every 6 weeks until your new lawn has established. We recommend Baileys Brilliance lightly applied in growing seasons and during winter we recommend using a slow-release lawn fertiliser such as Scott’s Lawn Builder.

For every change of season, we suggest a heavier application to give the grass support during the stressful time of winter and summer. An important tip- do not use fertiliser with added weed killer on buffalo lawns – selected herbicides to be sued on buffalo with caution. We supply Palmetto Lawn Fertiliser tubs on site – give us a call or email and we can organise this for you.

fertilising

mowing

A general rule for mowing – mow regular.

By sticking to a regular mowing and maintenance routine, your lawn will be healthier and happier and will prevent issues that will only cost more in the long run.

The longer you leave it the more problems arise. For example Long grass blades will block the sun from reaching the undergrowth and when you eventually mow it will strain your lawn because more than one third was cut off. Also, inconsistent mowing prevents lateral growth (and lateral growth is what helps your lawn become thicker and look lusher).

For new lawn: Mow every 7-10 days of installation for established lawn: weekly to fortnightly to maintain a leaf height between 10-20mm (for Couch & Zoysia) 30-55mm (Buffalo). The aim is to avoid removing more than ONE THIRD of the leaf material at each mow.

In periods of extreme heat in shady conditions (e.g. under trees) and In late autumn to assist colour retention over winter its best to mow the grass higher. Over winter, mow every 2-3 weeks (buffalo less often) as the growth of the grass slows down.