Simple Lawn Maintenance Guide

The team at Turf Australia have prepared a simple yet effective guide to turf maintenance. They have outlined seven (7) key items which are important to ensure your new and established lawn stays green providing you and your family with the best possible outdoor space. The original article can be found on their website. 

1. Effective Mowing

The key to a beautiful lawn is to keep it young, and the best way to do this is by mowing regularly which promotes new growth. Some top tips include;

• Do not scalp your lawn in the hot months
• Do not mow grass which is stressed or wet
• Ensure your mower blades are clean and sharp
• Mow regularly, never mowing more then 1/3 of the height per cut
• Match the mowing height to the expected wear 

2. Watering

Your lawn may not need as much water as you think. Extra watering won't necessarily benefit your lawn. Top tips include;

• Only water when your lawn needs it – change of  colour may indicate water needs
• A lawn should be partly dried out between watering as it allows air to get to the root system and creates a more drought resistant lawn
• One deep watering is far more beneficial than frequent shallow watering – and it will save you time
• The best time to water is early in the morning when less water is lost through evaporation and wind; avoid watering in the evening or at night as the lawn will     remain wet encouraging disease
• Your lawn may become dormant in periods of dry weather without watering, however, if the soil is kept moist, it will survive and in the rainy season come back as good as ever

3. Fertilising 

Fertilising is an important part of lawn maintenance; it promotes new leaf gives your lawn the boost it requires. Some top tips include;

• Don’t over do it! Little and often is best.
• Use a fertliser with a high nitrogen content
• Match fertiliser rate to growth rate. Don’t fertilise when the grass is growing vigorously
• Slow release fertilisers don’t need watering in, soluble fertlisers do
• Fertlising in late summer and autumn helps maintain a better colour in winter
• Lawns in alkaline and sandy areas may need an iron supplement

4. Renovation and Repair

From time to time, your lawn will need require some maintenance from wear and tear. Some top tips for this include;

• Soil may become hard and hydrophobic; using a garden fork to break up and aerate the ground will assist in fixing the problem. Normally this does not need to be done more than once per year (the best time of year is spring)
• The best method is to use the fork moving backwards.  Drive the fork in vertically and lever it through 30 degrees to crack crack the ground. Keep doing this at 15cm intervals
• It’s easy to patch worn areas by turning new grass into the worn areas •
• Lift a flap of soil and put grass runners half in and half out parallel to the ground
• Keep the patched area damp until the roots have taken hold

5.Top Dressing

Top dressing is not always required but can be used to create an extra smooth surface. For this it is best to shave the lawn down, using a washed river sand and never make it more then 1cm deep. Working the the top dressing in until some leaf shows. You can also use an organic fertiliser under the top dressing if required. For more information on top dressing see our previous blog post 

6. Pest Treatments

Although rare, pest treatment may be required. Contact us for for more information on treating specific issues or determining whether or not you have a pest problem. 

7. Weeding

A well maintained lawn should not require too much weeding. Hand weeding is generally recommended as using chemicals may discolour the lawn, consult with a lawn specialist should the weed situation get out of hand and always ensure you use the correct product for your lawn type. 

Lawn Prep is the key

We have so many customers call and ask us if installing their roll on lawn is hard. The simple answer; no. As long as you have completed all the preparation work, laying the lawn doesn't have to be a painful task. 

Here are a few tips to ensure that your area is ready to have its new roll on lawn installed. 

1. Complete the rest of your garden fist.

If you are doing a complete garden transformation be sure to have completed all the other elements of the garden before tackling the lawn. These include retaining walls, garden beds and paths. This will ensure that you are off the grass and will give your new roll on lawn plenty of time to establish and thrive.

2. Clear the ground and check your soil type.

Ensure that the area you are wanting to install roll on lawn is free of any vegetation or debris. If you have used a product such as Round Up, make sure you wait at least two weeks before installing your lawn to ensure that no residue is on or in the soil. Check your soil type and and be sure to add the necessary soil improvers to give your turf the best start. For clay soils add gypsum, sandy soils add organic material, acid soils add lime and alkaline soils add sulpher.

3. Spread a quality turf underlay.   

Turf underlay is a a blend of topsoil and organic material. It is blended to give your new lawn the optimum balance of nutrients and minerals it needs for the roots to establish well. We recommend the 'new lawn' soil mix from Soils Aint Soils, but any blend of topsoil and organic material will be suitable. Spread the underlay evenly to a depth of approximately 100 - 150mm 

4. Check the Site levels and Drainage

Check if the site needs excavating or filling and also look out for drainage issues and install ‘ag pipe’ (agricultural drainage pipe) if necessary. If you find that you do need to excavate and imported soil is required, allow 100-150mm for soil.

Once you have completed the steps above you are ready to install your new Superior Lawns turf. Below is a video which recaps the above information. For more tips for your lawn check out our latest blog posts or visit the Lawn Solutions Australia website. 

Facts about real turf... did you know?

With so much information out there it can sometimes be hard to know what is fact or fiction. The team at Superior Lawns Australia want to dissolve the myth that real turf is just a water guzzling element to our homes. Although turf does complete a house and truly make it a home, it offers so many more health, social and environmental benefits.

Here is a list prepared by the Turf Growers Association of WA 

• Oxygen generation
• Soil erosion control
• Dust stabilisation
• Water filtration/purification
• Rain water entrapment for groundwater replenishment
• Flood control/decrease runoff
• Air pollution control
• Enhanced entrapment and biodegradation of synthetic organic compounds
• Reduced Greenhouse gases
• Restoration of disturbed soils
• Urban heat dissipation/temperature reduction
• Noise abatement
• Glare reduction
• Reduced smog pollution
• Eliminates hiding places for ticks, snakes and other potentially noxious pests
• Decreased allergy-related pollens
• Fire prevention (grassed firebreaks)

A lush green lawn offers so much more then just something to walk on. Our prices start from only $6.60 per square metre and you can install the lawn yourself. Give us a call on 9303 2627 or email sales@superiorlawns.com.au to find out which lawn would be the best for your needs. 

Grass Clippings can be good for your lawn... heres why

Every so often it is a good thing to leave small grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. Why?... because they are an excellent source of Nitrogen, which some organic fertilisers are often lacking in. 

That being said, definitely don't stop fertilising with a good quality granular slow release fertilser as grass clippings alone wont be able to give your lawn all the nutrients it requires; but there is certainly an argument for combining both during the growing season to produce lush, healthy lawn. 

There are two things that you need to know;

1. the clippings need to be very small; and
2. If your recently applied pesticides, fungicides or herbicides to your lawn, you should wait until you have mowed at lease three (3) times after application. 

Ensuring that the grass clippings are small will ensure you do not damage your lawn. You can achieve this by giving your lawn a mow earlier than you would normally to ensure that you are only removing a small amount of the tip of the plant and do this without the catcher on, or the best thing would be to use a mulching lawn mower - which is just your standard mower with a rear or side chute which sends the clippings back into the blades and cuts them even finer before they settle on the lawn. The reason for small clippings is to ensure that they only take a few days to disappear into your lawn and start breaking down to release the nutrients into your lawn. 

It is important to note that longer grass clippings should never be left on the lawn. They take far longer to breakdown, if at all and will usually just be picked up during your next mow - providing nothing for your lawn and a bit of mess for the neighbours!

The other important thing to remember is that if you have applied a pesticide, fungicide or herbicide to your lawn you need to catch the clippings for at least 3 mows. These treatments are for targeted areas and you do not want to risk spreading the chemical over your healthy lawn. 

It is recommended that to maintain a healthy lawn you should be using a slow release fertiliser every 8 weeks during the growing season. Leaving your lawn clippings would be recommended in between your fertiliser cycle so you are giving your lawn a source of added nutrients every 4 weeks and alternating on the type of nutrients provided each time. 

For more tips on maintaining lush green lawn have a read through our blog posts or visit the Lawn Solutions Australia website. 

Did you know it's important to clean your lawn mower?

Cleaning your mower is an important part of your lawn maintenance. Grass build up can negatively impact the performance of your mower and ultimately affect the look of your freshly mowed lawn. 

Over time, grass clippings can build up on the underside of the mower deck (the case that houses the mower blades) and above the blades, this can create performance issues with your mower and in some cases spread lawn disease.

If you have a side-discharge mower; the build-up can impede the discharge hole, causing clumps of grass to gather instead of being spread evenly, these clumps will begin to compost and can burn the lawn underneath. For mowers with a catcher; the build-up can limit the amount of grass that can be pulled up to the catcher, causing more trips to the bin and if you happen to have a mulching mower, a build-up of clippings will reduce the space that the blades have to circulate, meaning that the grass may not be cut as fine.

Even slightly wet grass will trap moisture against your mower deck, blade, and blade shaft, creating conditions that are ripe for rust build-up. If you discover rust, you’ll want to remove all of the flakes immediately, then paint and seal the area to prevent the rust from spreading.

The longer you go without cleaning the underside of your mower deck, the harder the build-up of grass will become. The continual wetting and drying of the grass will create a horrible mess that is rock-hard, and trust us it will not come off easily.

If you’ve got a build-up, break out the wire brush and screw driver and start scraping away. Make sure to remove the spark plug first to prevent accidental starting.

If you have time cleaning your mower deck after every use will prevent build-up over the long run, but we generally think that if you are cleaning your mower 2 or 3 times throughout the mowing season, you’ll keep it in good shape.

This blog post was found on the Lawn Solutions Australia website.

Special Announcement: Superior Lawns to start selling TIFTUF

As Lawn Solutions Australia releases their latest press release, here at Superior Lawns Australia we are proud to announce that we will commence selling TifTuf in 2018. 

NEW WATER SAVING TURF ARRIVES IN WA, AS BILLS PREDICTED TO SURGE BY 50 PER CENT

 A revolutionary new water saving turf has arrived in Western Australia, as a new report predicts water bills will skyrocket by as much as 50 per cent in the next decade.

The Lawn Solutions Australia variety - known as TifTuf - was developed in drought-prone areas of the United States and uses 38% less water than other species.

Lawn Solutions Australia Technical Manager, Joe Rogers says TifTuf couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

“This is the perfect solution to Perth’s water problems, the report out today from Infrastructure Australia shows that bills could rise by $600, or 50 per cent, over the next ten years, said Rogers.”

“That could put the average Perth family’s water bill as high as $1827! It’s predicted to exceed $2500 by 2040!

“Water Corporation of WA data shows that rainfall has dropped by 19 per cent since the 1970s,” said Rogers.

“Western Australia is now ranked in the top three locations most impacted by climate change.

“The situation is so serious that the WA Water Minister even called for homeowners to rip up their lawns to save water.

“But clearly – ripping up turf is not the answer to a water crisis, particularly with our climate issues. Turf is essential because it supports natural habitats, helps breakdown carbon and prevents urban island heat effect.

“TifTuf provides a fantastic water-saving option for homeowners, businesses and governments across Western Australia.

“The turf can be utilised by everyone across the state – not only saving water, but saving a huge amount when it comes to your water bill.  

“TifTuf took 25 years to develop in the USA, for use in climates that face extreme drought conditions. It’s actually designed to be a cost saving measure – because the price of water is so high in America.

“What we have found with TifTuf in the USA is that after 3 seasons, the saving that is delivered on water actually covers the cost of supply and installation of the turf itself.

 “It has the ability to tolerate drought, but also extreme heat, extreme cold and shade. 

“Lawn Solutions Australia is thrilled to launch this innovative product, which is the perfect fit for Western Australia’s unique environment.

“Lawn Solutions Australia would be happy to meet with the WA Government and discuss how it could utilise TifTuf in all future projects and our range of water savings measures which could benefit the state.

Did I hear you ask how to get stripes in your lawn?

Luckily for you, it’s not just the curators of our biggest sporting ovals who can create the beautiful striped-look on a lawn; you can give it a go too.

Although it looks like there’s a lot of work involved, creating that striped-appearance is relatively easy to achieve. The number-one thing you need to to have before you start, is a healthy, thick lawn as the stripes won’t look as good on a patchy or discoloured lawn.

A common misconception is that you need a cylinder mower to get the stripe-look. Although a cylinder mower definitely helps and makes it easier to get that manicured-look, your average rotary mower should also do the trick.

The reason stripes appear, is simply the way the light reflects off the grass-blade. Blades bent towards you look dark, and blades bent the opposite way you will appear lighter. All this means is you have to bend the grass blades opposing ways to create the stripe effect.

The professional jobs you see at the MCG or golf courses are achieved using highly-specialised mowing equipment with inbuilt rollers that bend the grass blades when mowing.

Whilst you may not get the look exactly like they do with your rotary mower, you can still get a similar effect that will still look great. The way to do this, is to mow your lawn in the direction you would like the stripes to face. For instance, if you want them running parallel to the curb, mow your lawn in this same pattern. Now it’s time to bend those grass blades to create the effect. This is best done by using a roller to push the blades down.

Rollers can be purchased or rented from your local hardware store (water-filled ones are the best as they are easy to move around when empty). Remember, you have to roll the lawn in the same pattern which you mowed the grass to get the desired effect – the hardest part is making sure you keep nice and straight!

To make your stripes stand out even more, go over the area with the roller several times to push the grass right down. Just remember that the stripes will disappear as the grass grows, so they will only last a couple of days during the growing season. It’s best to mow and roll the day before you want them to look their best.

You really can create a fantastic look to your lawn by mowing and rolling-in some stripes.

The original blog post was found on the Lawn Solutions Australia's website

What are Catch Cups?

Catch Cups are vital to being able to measure the water output from your reticulation.  Catch cups (graduated measuring containers) allow you to test how efficiently an irrigation system is operating and the sprinkler application rates. 

To test, you should:

• spread catch cups or indeed any sized containers randomly around the watering zone
• make sure they are at least 1 metre from the closest sprinkler 
• time how long it takes the sprinklers to fill the catch cups to the depth of 30mm – this is the amount we recommend for your lawn. 

Once you have your reading, adjust your irrigation controller to allow for a standard drink; (30mm) using the time taken to fill the cups. If you have more than a 10% variation between the cups you need to adjust your reticulation system (e.g. add more sprinkler heads)

**NB visit the water corporation website to apply for a watering exemption for your new lawn. New lawns require additional sprinker times on each day. 

Free Catch Cups

Thanks to the Water Corporation we are able to supply you with free catch cups to ensure your new lawn is receiving the correct amount of water and your watering time is allocated accordingly. For all orders over 30 square metres you will receive a complimentary set of catch cups to ensure your reticulation is working correctly. 

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Well its almost here... Summer! Summer is the peak growing period for all of our lawn types and we thought it best to give you our top tips to having the best lawn on the street (without wasting your time, money or water!)

Regular deep watering is better for your lawn then frequent shallow watering. This type of watering allows the root system to properly establish, creating a more drought tolerant lawn - reducing your water bill over time. 

Low mowing, rather then leaving your mower at a higher setting will also benefit your lawn during extended dry periods - which lets face it, is most of Summer. A recent study at our very own University of Western Australia found that having a shorter leaf area allows less moisture to evaporate which in turn creates a more drought tolerant lawn. 

Make sure you apply a slow release fertiliser and soil wetter to give your lawn the added nutrient boost it requires. Remember, the healthier your lawn, the less susceptible it is to weeds and or disease which means your lawn will be able to withstand any long hot dry spells which are headed our way. 

Following these simple and easy tips you should be able to maintain that lush green lawn look throughout Summer providing you with that outdoor living environment we all love to enjoy. For more tips check out our previous blog posts or visit the Lawn Solutions Australia website. 

What is the 1/3 rule and what does it mean for my lawn?

Many lawn maintenance professionals say to only cut one-third of your leaf-height when mowing. Sharp mower blades are important with mowing, but the amount you take off can affect its recovery
That fresh lawn smell – soothing as it may be for us humans – is actually a distress signal for grass as it goes into repair mode

Known widely as the One Third Rule, lawn grasses should only be brought down each mowing – as the name suggests – by one third of the leaf height at any one time, in order to maintain peak condition.

The ‘One-Third-Rule’ has been drummed into many turfgrass professionals and the wider lawn-loving public over many years, but is there any truth to this and where did it originate?

It relates to the length of leaf that you should limit yourself to taking off at each mow. The reason behind this is to lessen the stress placed on the grass during the destructive mowing process. 

By removing only one-third of the leaf during a mowing event, you will limit the amount of photosynthesizing material removed and allow the plant to maintain reasonable growth by minimizing this stress among others.

It is also based on the correlation between the percentage of top-growth removed and the subsequent effect this removal has on root-growth. It is little-known that root-growth can be severely impeded, and actually cease for a period of time, depending on the amount of top-growth removed.

Research that first introduced this theory was carried out by Franklin Crider in 1955 whilst he was an employee with the US Department of Agriculture that he undertook on pasture and forage-grasses.

Three separate studies were conducted within his experiment whereby the amount and frequency of cutting of the grass leaves (forage removal) were compared to root-growth.

His first experiment evaluated cutting leaf tissue at different intervals on cool-season turf species and Florida paspalum and bermudagrass among his warm-season grass experiments.

The second experiment examined the effects of cutting on root-growth in the field and the last experiment examined different percentages of top-growth removed on different grasses for multiple cuttings.

Crider showed that when more than half of the forage is removed from a plant, root growth stops within the first day or two afterward and stays stopped anywhere for a further six to 18 days, with an average of 11 days, depending on the grass-type.

For real-world lawn maintenance, this means that if you were to cut more than half of the top-growth of your lawn grass, at an interval of less than 11 days, the roots would never fully recover leading to greater stresses and eventual decline.

Crider also showed in his experiments the effect that a single removal of top growth, in 10-percent increments, has on root growth. When 40-percent or less of the forage is removed, 0-percent of the roots stop growing. However, when 50-percent-or-more of the forage is removed, an increasing percentage of the roots stop growing; and when 90 percent of the forage is removed, 100 percent of the roots stop growing.

In other words, leaving more than a third of the leaf at any time the grass is mown during the growing season allows the roots to continue to grow. If the roots keep growing, the plant will remain healthy and perform better than under the stresses placed on it by harder mowing and slower root-growth.

His research ultimately proved what was theorised; in that cutting too much leaf tissue off results in the stoppage of root-growth and placing unnecessary burden on the turf.

The One-Third Rule has been around for decades and is known to minimise plant stress and should be adhered to wherever practical for your own lawn’s best performance.

Consistent mowing height and frequency will always put your lawn in a better position to perform well and overcome the various other stresses that inevitably occur with weather and wear and tear.

This article was adapted from the Lawn Solutions Australia website. Click here for more information.