Maintenance

WE STOCK AND SELL ALL YOUR FERTILISER, WETTING AGENT AND MOISTURE RETAINING NEEDS

MOWING

If you are installing your new lawn in an active growing period such as spring, summer and autumn, mow no sooner than two weeks from installation. Check to see the roots have taken hold in the soil by lifting the edge of a roll or two. Once you cannot lift the roll, it has taken root, and is ready for mowing. If you are laying turf in winter, mowing once a month is usually sufficient unless you have Kikuyu. When you mow, ensure to maintain sufficient leaf cover for photosynthesis. This allows rapid recovery, keeps the soil cool, protects the roots from scorching and suppresses weeds. We recommend the following mowing heights; Couchbetween 12mm and 20mm. Kikuyu and Zoysia between 15mm and 30mm. Buffalobetween 30mm to 50mm.

Mowing heights can be set to the lower height in summer, but it is highly recommended to keep it longer in the winter. Fine grass should be cut shorter than coarse grasses. The aim is to remove no more than ⅓ of the leaf material at any one time.

Mowing too short in summer leads to sun scorching and root damage, and in winter it reduces vigour. If grass is allowed to grow too long between mowing, it will expose stems giving a scalped, patchy and brown appearance. Recovery from scalping will be slow and weed growth will be encouraged. Frequency of cutting depends on your lawn variety, how well it is growing, and the time of year. Lawn grasses recommended for WA conditions grow rapidly in summer and slower in winter. After mowing, clippings should be removed from your lawn. A large amount of clippings can prevent the air, water and sunlight getting to your turf and it can start to rot. Mowing height should be lifted slightly in late April or early May. The taller leaf height increases the amount of carbohydrate, which is then stored in the root system. The carbohydrate protects your lawn against winter frost damage. Mowing higher in winter will also help prevent winter weed germination.

DETHATCHING If your lawn becomes too thick and spongy over winter, de-thatching should be done in spring. To dethatch, first apply eco growth emerald, 3 weeks prior. After 3 weeks, mow as close as possible to the ground.

(For Buffalo owners: stop at this step. Do not vertimow Buffalo! Instead, drop your mowing height down lower and lower at every pass, decreasing height and thatch to ground level).

To remove thatch from a very small lawn, use a thatching rake, which will slice into the lawn and bring up vast amounts of dead material. Rake in one direction to prevent damaging grass roots. The more practical and effective method is to rent a machine called a dethatcher or vertimower. Make at least two passes over the lawn with the dethatcher to get all the thatch. Make the second pass at a 90-degree angle to the first. Once you remove the thatch layer, clean the lawn with a metal leaf rake. Remove all waste. Vertimowing can be performed on Nara, Empire, Kenda, Kikuyu and Wintergreen. Once again, do not vertimow Sapphire or any other Buffalo variety.

Fertilisers

The most important times to feed your lawn is spring and autumn. Fertiliser applied in early spring will help the lawn recover quickly from winter dormancy, and resist the establishment of summer weeds. When applied in autumn, your lawn will maintain growth and good colour well into winter. In summer, fertilising can normally be applied at a rate of 3kg per 100 m². Fertiliser should always be applied when the leaf of the lawn is quite dry, and watered in immediately. Avoid fertilising on very hot days. If lawns are overfed, they become too lush; promoting thatching, diseases and other problems. They also need more frequent mowing. However, as a general rule, fertilise at a rate of 3kg per 100m² (30g per m²) every 6-8 weeks with

Eco Growth Emerald Fertiliser

Watering

Once your lawn is established, you should water during the recommended times set by the Water Corporation. However, you can water by hand at any time. It would also be wise to use a wetting agent and a moisture retaining agent on a regular basis to ensure that your lawn is getting the maximum benefit of your watering. We use and recommend BI-AGRA as a wetting agent and moisture retaining agent. Once BI-AGRA is applied, two deep waterings per week should be sufficient, and will help produce a more drought tolerant lawn.
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Weed Control

Weeds are the greatest pest problem facing the home gardener. Most lawn weeds are opportunistic and quickly take over areas that have become thinned as a result of poor maintenance or inadequate growing conditions. Weeds are fast to germinate, grow and spread. Once weeds are well established, there is little chance that the lawn will be able to out-compete them without you coming to the rescue. To help you find the right remedy to control your weed problem, email a picture to We can help identify and provide the best advice on what to use for your particular variety of turf. Buffalo can be sensitive to regular spray treatments.
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