Turf Maintenance
Mowing
Your lawn will require regular mowing to maintain optimum health and appearance. The level of maintenance required in terms of mowing will vary depending on the variety of lawn turf, the amount of sunlight the lawn receives and seasonal growth rates.
Your new lawn will require mowing 4-6 weeks after installation. During the establishment phase, the standard guidance is to never mow more than 10-15 mm off the leaf blade. Once established you can gradually reduce the mowing height to the recommended height.
Indicative mowing heights for common grass varieties are:
- Sir Grange Zoysia: 5mm to left unmown
- Sir Walter Buffalo Grass: 30mm to 50mm. Never mow your Sir Walter too short.
- TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda: 5mm to 30mm
- Eureka Kikuyu: 30mm to 50mm
For shaded areas, raising your mower a notch or two when you mow can improve the health of your turf by maximising the surface area of the lawn absorbing the available sunlight.
During the warmer months, maintaining a slightly longer lawn will keep the soil temperature cooler, limiting evaporation and retaining moisture at the roots of your grass. This helps minimise stress on the lawn.
If you've let your lawn overgrow, mow in two stages rather than attempting to cut the lawn short on the first mow.
Grass clippings should be removed from your lawn after mowing to avoid maintain airflow and prevent damage to your lawn.
Watering
Your lawn is a living thing that requires water for growth and development. Newly laid turf must be sufficiently watered to ensure establishment and the development of roots, while established lawns require regular ongoing watering will help maintain peak condition.
Initial watering is essential to the successful establishment of newly laid lawn turf. You must water your new grass as soon as it is installed, otherwise, it will begin to dry out and turn brown. If you're installing a large area of lawn, don't wait until you have finished to begin watering. Water each section as it is laid and ensuring adequate watering to keep the surface soil moist until the turf roots establish. To check the moisture level, poke your finger 25mm into the soil to see if it is damp or dry.
The establishment period varies depending on the time of year when the turf is laid, however it is usually 3-4 weeks in the summer and 4-6 weeks in the winter.
Watering your lawn on a regular basis, will encourage the lawn to grow strong and have healthy roots. We suggest watering 4 - 10 days apart depending on the type of soil and weather conditions.
Fertilising
Regular applications of fertiliser will help your lawn to maintain health and vigour throughout the year, making your lawn the envy of the street.
To get the most out of your fertiliser, make sure you apply it at the right time of the year. Most common warmer climate turf varieties, such as buffalo, couch, kikuyu, and zoysia, benefit from fertilisation around mid-spring, when the lawn starts to develop again after winter. We would also suggest fertilising during the summer near Australia Day, then in the autumn, following Easter or Anzac Day, to help the lawn prepare for the cooler months.
The most important part of applying fertiliser is to cover the area as evenly as possible. For the best coverage, we recommend walking up and back, then across in the opposite direction. Keep track of how far you spread the granules to avoid doubling up on application in areas.
To prevent the fertiliser from burning the grass, water it in promptly, for 20-30 minutes.
Fertilisers are best purchased directly from us when you order your lawn. If you are unsure of the best fertiliser for your turf variety, give us a call and we can help advise you on the best fertiliser to keep your lawn healthy and performing at its best.
Aerating
Your grass requires open space in the soil to absorb nutrients and water, allowing it to perform effectively. Aeration encourages deep root growth, resulting in a dense and flourishing lawn. The primary reason for aeration is to reduce soil compaction.
Warm-season varieties such as Sir Walter DNA Certified, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, Eureka Kikuyu, and Sir Grange Zoysia are best aerated in the spring and summer while they are in active growth. It is not advisable to aerate during the cooler months of the year as the grass will take a long time to recover and your lawn will struggle to keep up with the additional stress of an aeration.
Aeration may be required more frequently depending on your soil type and lawn use. If your soil has a heavy clay base, it will tend to compress more easily and should be aerated at least once a year.
You can aerate a sandy lawn once a year or every two years. If you reside in a harsher environment, aerating your lawn twice a year may be a good idea for enhancing grass growth and health.
Aerating your lawn is divided into four stages: preparation, aeration, fertilisation, and topdressing. Follow these steps to aerate your lawn:
- Dethatch
- Mow
- Water
- Aerate
- Fertilise
- Top-dress
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