Aussie Homeowner s Guide to a Lush Green Lawn

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2 Aussie Homeowner s Guide to a Lush Green Lawn Owning a well-maintained lawn is one of the easiest, most satisfying things a homeowner can do. From a purely aesthetic view, lawns enhance the quality of life, contribute to social harmony, increase property values and complement other landscape plants. Most homeowners don t realise that their lawns are actually good for the environment as well. Grass is a natural filter which reduces air pollution and noise. It absorbs massive amounts of carbon and releases clean oxygen, resulting in cleaner, better air. Here are some more advantages of a lush green lawn on your property: Provides excellent soil erosion control. Improves recharge and quality protection of groundwater and provides flood control. Absorbs carbon dioxide. Dissipates heat which cools down your home. Open green spaces with high visibility deter potential intruders. Reduces fire hazards. Has a positive effect on mental health. A great environment for your kids and pets to play. Replacing an Existing Lawn If you re looking to replace a lawn which has seen better days, it s important to understand why you didn t get the results you were seeking in the first place. This is very important because it helps guide you when selecting a new lawn variety. Here are three common reasons why you may need to replace your lawn: Wear and tear: Some lawn varieties just won t take the rough and tumble of kids, dogs and backyard footy. A maturing garden: As gardens grow, lawns can suffer. The area under shade increases and established plants will take more of the available moisture and nutrients. Neglect: Lack of simple yet essential maintenance such as feeding, weeding and watering during dry times can lead to failure. Choosing the Right Lawn Grass Choosing the right grass is the first step to a beautiful looking lawn and could save you a lot of anguish later on if you find the reason why your lawn isn t lush and green is because the grass isn t the right variety. Before choosing the right lawn grass it s important to understand growing conditions available at your property. Only then can you choose the grass which is most likely to thrive. Here s what you should consider in assessing your property: Aspect: Is your lawn sunny, shady, dappled light all day or full afternoon sun with morning shade? Soil: Heavy clays or sandy soils will need amending to grow a quality lawn. Rainfall: Match your lawn grass type to local conditions so you don't have to water excessively. Use: Will your lawn be a trophy lawn - one that s looked at but not used much - or will it be a play zone? The Seed vs. Instant Turf Dilemma It s a question many homeowners agonise over, and if you re wondering which one you should choose here are some considerations you should be aware of: Some soil preparation will be needed whether you choose to sow seed or lay instant turf rolls. A seeded lawn will involve a much lower financial outlay. However, it will require more care during establishment and it may be months before it can be used. Turf rolls are fast and easy to lay and can be walked on in as little as a week. However, the cost of buying and laying quality turf over a large area can be prohibitive.

3 Top Tip In heavy clay soil, add gypsum and washed river sand to open up the soil structure for better root penetration. In sandy soil, add Everydrop granular soil wetter and blend through some Lawn Builder Topdress Mix to improve soil structure and moisture retention. Steps to choosing the right grass type Step#1: Do some basic research online about turf varieties, but make sure you re looking at information that applies to your location and climate zone. Step#2: Approach your local garden centre, turf supplier or horticulturist to check out varieties which are growing well in your location. Step#3: Ask yourself how your lawn will be used. Some lawns such as the vigorous runner grasses will self-repair better than others. This is important if your lawn will be heavily used. Step#4: Consider how much time and effort your lawn will need to remain looking good. For example, kikuyu is tough, fast growing and inexpensive but will need mowing every week in summer. Top Tip When choosing the right turf, make a brief list of your soil type and the aspect, shade and slope of your property in addition to lifestyle needs, then talk them over with a turf supplier. Top Five lawn varieties you can choose from Soft-leaved Buffalo Arguably the most popular grass type in Australia today. Excellent at self-repairing. Ideal for yards with high family use. Good drought tolerance. Most types hold winter colour well. Popular varieties include Sir Walter and Palmetto. Sapphire can tolerate cold down to -10 C, while Velvet is considered as one of the best wearing turf varieties available. Kikuyu Budget friendly, fast-growing and excellent at self-repairing. Excellent choice for larger areas Quite drought hardy Low shade tolerance High maintenance - requires frequent mowing. Can become invasive if edges are not confined. Look for modern, sterile varieties such as Village Green and Kenda. Couch An old fashioned turf grass - it's fine blades (leaves) give a formal look. Most types are hard wearing but with low shade tolerance. Maintenance varies from low to high with variety. Most will require annual top-dressing. Santa Ana is considered the best looking variety but it can become invasive if allowed to spread into the garden. Queensland Blue Called a couch because of its resemblance to couch but in fact it is not related. Excellent grass in warm, humid and coastal areas. Tolerates dry and wet conditions.

4 Easier to mow and maintain than a true couch. Does not tolerate shade well. Zoysia Less well known but an excellent lawn grass. Leaf is slightly larger than couch but finer than buffalo. Thrives in most conditions including high heat, humidity and coastal areas. Very low water and maintenance needs once established. Native Nara is a native zoysia. It has a fine appearance. Suited to coastal and warm to hot climates. Excellent salt and drought tolerance. Before putting in a new lawn, consider installing sub-surface drip irrigation. Connect this to a computerised timer fitted with a moisture sensor and you ll never have to think about watering again! Some spots just aren t right for lawns, needing a plant or landscape solution instead. Too shady, too wet or too dry, high levels of foot or even vehicle traffic are all examples of why you may want to consider gardens or paths instead of persisting with a lawn. When is the best time to prepare a new lawn? This can vary greatly depending on where you live but the best rule of thumb is to avoid extremes of temperature while the lawn is establishing. Spring to early Summer and late Summer to early Autumn are considered best in most climates. Maintaining Your Lawn An expanse of green grass is one of the great traditions of the typical Aussie garden. It's hard to imagine a home in the suburbs without the 'show' lawn in front and the family-sized cricket pitch or footy field out the back. Of course you need to take care of your lawn and keep it looking its best. Here is how you can keep your lawn healthy and green.

5 Mowing Your Lawn How long should your grass be? Go for foot feel. Trim your grass so it feels comfortable with a little bit of spring under bare feet. Never mow too low. You may think you re getting the jump on growth, but the grass will most probably grow back faster, may develop patchiness and ultimately you ll damage your lawn. Avoid watering immediately before or after mowing. Mow in the morning or afternoon. Avoid the hottest times of day to minimise lawn stress. A quality cut comes from a well maintained mower. Service your mower regularly. Ensure the disc and under-deck are kept clean, the blades are clean and sharp and the engine oil and spark plug are changed as per the service book. Empty the catcher frequently. Don't allow the catcher to fill right up. Empty it before it is completely full, otherwise your mower will sink in with the extra weight giving the grass an uneven cut. Mulch Mowing A mulching mower uses a modified disc and blade system that cuts the grass initially and then recuts the clippings to a super-fine state before forcefully blowing them back down on to the lawn. When mowing in mulching mode, the catcher is not used. Top Tip Regular mulch-mowing will improve the ability of your lawn to retain moisture. The mulched clippings act like micro-mulch, building up the moisture retaining ability of the soil and reducing both the frequency and duration of watering. The fine clippings (now mulch) break down, adding valuable nutrients and organic matter to your lawn and soil. The layer also protects against rapid drying and potential sunburn over summer. Mulch mow isn't always the best way to go. There are times you should mow with the catcher on: When your grass is damp If there will be lots of foot traffic after mowing - the clippings can get picked up on shoes and feet. When your grass is too long. Through cool, damp months when the clippings may not break down fast enough, giving rise to possible fungal problems. Watering Your Lawn A healthy lawn that is regularly fed, maintained and mown will be able to tolerate dry conditions quite well. However, there will always be times when it needs a bit of extra water. The key to good watering is to ensure it is both effective and efficient. Watering early in the day is best. If you water in the evening, the grass will stay wet overnight, creating humidity which could lead to the spread of fungal diseases. Don t water when it s windy. Aim for deeper moisture penetration by watering less often, slower and for longer to encourage deeper roots. If you find nothing soaks in when you water, apply Lawn Builder + Wetting Agent or Everydrop Liquid Soil Wetter When using a sprinkler, fit a mechanical tap timer to turn the tap off after a predetermined time so you don't waste water. Invest in a quality lawn sprinkler with adjustable patterns so you are not watering paths and driveways.

6 Fertilising Your Lawn Just like your body, your lawn also has to be fed the right nutrients so it stays healthy. Fertilising your lawn is quite possibly the easiest task you need to do to gain a perfect lawn. Apply a Lawn Builder Slow Release fertiliser and your lawn will not only become greener but it will also be tougher and more able to resist dry conditions, pests and weed invasion. Regular feeding is so easy and has all these benefits, yet surprisingly as few as one in four homeowners fertilise their lawns! If you only perform one maintenance task, aside from mowing, then make it fertilising. It will take less than 10 minutes for the average lawn and will reward you for months. Before fertilising, rake the lawn to remove leaves and other debris. Allow at least two days after mowing before fertilising. Wait about a week after application before you mow - and leave the catcher off the first time (the fertiliser could all end up in it if it's left on!) Select the Lawn Builder Slow Release fertiliser that s right for your lawn variety and the time of year. Read the instructions on the bag and make sure you do not apply any heavier than the rate recommended. Over application may result in burning of the grass. Best results are achieved by feeding three times a year early Spring, early Summer (before it gets too hot) and mid to late Autumn. If you only feed once a year, do so in late Spring to early Summer. Even coverage is important so ALWAYS use a Scotts spreader (handheld or wheeled). Follow the directions on the pack for when and how to water after fertilising. Don't store an opened bag of lawn food for more than 6 months. Combining fast greening with slow release fertilising. Not that long ago you had to make a choice between long-term feeding or fast greening. Trying to achieve both risked damaging your l a w n a n d a l l m a n n e r o f p o t e n t i a l environmental problems, such as nutrient runoff, overloading the soil with nutrients, damaging the soil chemistry and altering the ph. But not anymore! Lawn Builder Extreme Green lets you have the best of both worlds. You can fertilise on Wednesday, your lawn will be lush green by the time your guests arrive for the barbie on Saturday and best of all, you won t need to feed again for three months. You will need: Top Tip For a quick and easy fast green-up, use Lawn Builder Extreme Green Liquid in the Easy Sprayer bottle. Watch this video to see how it's done. Leaf rake 4kg bag of Lawn Builder Extreme Green Granular Fertiliser Scotts fertiliser spreader (handheld or wheeled) Step 1 Calculate the amount of fertiliser you will need by measuring your lawn in square metres (one large stride = 1 metre approx). Read the instructions on the bag to see how many grams per square metre to apply, then add the appropriate quantity to spreader hopper. Set the spreader to the correct aperture using the spreader setter information on the bag.

7 Step 2 Walk the full area of your lawn while spreading fertiliser, following a pattern that allows slight overlap on the edges of the spread. It is recommended you apply half the fertiliser in a north-south direction over the entire area and the other half in an eastwest direction, to obtain even coverage. If you re using a hand-held spreader you may find it easier to walk backwards. Step 3 Check the bag for more detailed information about when to water but, as a general guide, thoroughly water your lawn immediately after spreading to activate the quick greening component or better still time your application for just before rain if it is forecast. Aeration Why it s important Even with just normal foot traffic, the soil under your lawn can become compacted, making it hard for grass roots to penetrate and breathe. It also becomes more difficult to get nutrients and water down to the root zone. Compaction problems typically appear as worn areas that are slow to repair or spreading dead patches. All round poor performance of the lawn may also be an indicator. Fixing compaction problems is pretty simple. You will need: Spring-tined lawn rake Garden fork or spiked lawn roller Washed river sand or Lawn Builder Topdress Mix Lawn Builder lawn fertiliser (type appropriate for your lawn or purpose) Step 1 Using a metal tined lawn or leaf rake, vigorously rake the lawn to remove all dead grass and other material. Step 2 For smaller areas: Grab a sturdy garden fork and push it around 5 cm into the soil then gently rock back and forth to open the holes

8 up. Continue over the whole lawn area at around 10 cm spacings. For larger lawns: Hire a spiked lawn roller, part fill it with water and then roll over the whole lawn - you ll find it easier to drag than push. Step 3 Spread washed river sand or Lawn Builder Topdress Mix over the area and then, if not previously applied, spread an appropriate Lawn Builder lawn fertiliser. Rake this mix in well before watering. Fixing Patchy and Thinning Lawns One of the biggest worries for homeowners is a patchy and thinning lawn. This is a problem which can happen anywhere a lawn is grown. Fortunately the symptoms are easy enough to remedy - all the steps you need appear below. It s also worth considering some of the main causes of these problems so you can make sure they are less likely to recur. Here are some of the classic symptoms, their causes and some suggestions on fixing the problem. SYMPTOM: Bare patches, often at the edge of pavement, letterbox, deck or in front of the or clothesline. CAUSE: These problems are caused by excess wear from high foot traffic and general use. REPAIR: You can easily repair the area with a patching product or lawn seed but long term you would be better off adding some stepping stones or a small pathway through the lawn. SYMPTOM: Bare patch or thin areas around edge of garden beds and fence lines CAUSE: Overshadowing by surrounding plants resulting in lack of direct sun on the lawn. REPAIR: There are a few approaches that can be used on their own or in combination. Appropriately prune or thin the surrounding plants to reduce shade. Repair and replant with a more shade tolerant lawn variety such as Lawn Builder Seed & Feed - Sun & Shade. If pruning isn t viable and the shade is too deep, consider a landscape solution. Convert the area to a garden, plant a shade-loving groundcover or just mulch it. SYMPTOM: Bare patches at random locations in the lawn. often scorched in the centre with bright green grass around the edges CAUSE: Most probably dog urine! Puppy pee, especially from 'entire' (not desexed) females, is a very concentrated liquid fertiliser, hence the abundant growth around the edges where the concentration is lower. REPAIR: Water the area heavily as soon as you notice the damage or as soon as they weed. Longer term you may want to keep the dogs off the lawn, look into PH balancing food additives and of course buy a reliable patching product such as Lawn Builder Patch Magic. SYMPTOM: Thin all over. CAUSE: If you've eliminated too much shade as a cause then the damage is likely a combination of seasonal extremes and neglect (inadequate general care such as feeding and watering). REPAIR: The best solution for the long term is to adopt a regular lawn care program. The immediate solution is multi-pronged: Aerate your lawn. Apply Everydrop soil wetter to improve moisture retention. Feed with a suitable variety of Lawn Builder Slow Release fertiliser or a seed and feed product such as Lawn Builder Lawn Thickener. SYMPTOM: Bare or very thin patches at random locations in lawn. Remaining grass can easily be pulled away from the soil.

9 CAUSE: If you've been feeding and watering your lawn and it's getting plenty of sun then you may be the victim of lawn grubs, beetles or worms that like to chew through the root system. REPAIR: To identify the culprit you may need to dig up a little soil. Put the offender in a ziplock bag and take it to your local lawn specialist for identification. Depending on the type of pest and it's lifecycle stage, they should be able to recommend a suitable treatment. Lawn Builder + Grub & Insect Control is a family friendly option that feeds your lawn so it helps repair damage while it also kills a host of lawn pests without harming earthworms. How to repair your patchy lawn You will need: Spade or garden fork Lawn Builder Top Dress Mix Lawn Builder Seed & Repair product Step 1 With the spade or fork, remove any dead grass and other unwanted material and break up the soil in the bare area. Step 2 Add Lawn Builder Top Dress Mix and blend through the existing soil. Bring the area to a level that s slightly higher than the surrounding soil, removing excess from high spots if required. This extra height allows for natural settling of soil. Step 3 Following instructions on pack, spread Patch Magic or Seed & Feed evenly over the area. Water gently but thoroughly and keep moist not wet until well established. Keep people and pets off the area until the grass is well established. How to repair your thin lawn You will need: Top Tip For small spots (up to 300mm x 300mm) Patch Magic is ideal but if you have a number of patches or larger areas then consider using Seed & Feed. You ll find specific varieties in the Seed & Feed range that may be more appropriate for your repair needs. Lawn mower Steel spring-tined lawn rake Lawn Builder Seed & Feed variety to suit your needs Step 1 Mow lawn to usual the height, then vigorously rake over the entire lawn area to remove any dead or unwanted grass, leaves and other debris. This will also serve to scratch up the soil a little, making it more receptive for sowing seed. Step 2 Spread seed by hand over the thinning areas, noting any instructions on the label about how thick to sow it. You can try using a Scotts handheld spreader but most lawn seed is too fine and will either clog the mechanism or pour through too fast, even on the lowest setting. Step 3 Water in well and keep moist but not wet until well established. Keep pets and people off seeded areas until grass is well established. regular mowing, feeding and spot repairs are the keys to success. An hour or so a week and your lawn could be the pride of the neighbourhood.

10 If you ve always wanted a lush green lawn without spending a fortune hiring a specialist, you now have all the information required to help you own the most beautiful lawn in your neighbourhood. Whether you have to replace your worn out lawn or get a new one, the simple pleasure of relaxing on a lush green grass, is an experience you will enjoy for a lifetime. For more D.I.Y. Garden Guides and Advice Visit: