Plant Care
Lawns
Lawn is one of the most pleasing ways to cover a large area in the garden. A rich green lawn sets off your house to its best advantage and makes a wonderful area for children to play, and adults to sit and enjoy the scenery.
Choosing Grasses
A lawn can be easy to care for but, remember it’s made up of living plants and, like all living things, they have needs that must be taken care of. Start by choosing a grass that is suitable for your climate and conditions. Most grasses are sun-lovers so in very shaded areas it may be better to select another ground cover.
GRASS TYPES:
Warm Season Grasses
Grow best in late spring, summer and early autumn.
- Kikuyu – A fast growing, running grass that is vigorous and needs to be regularly mown to keep it as a good looking lawn. Takes a small amount of shade. Can be established from runners, seed and turf.
Cool Season Grasses
Grow best in autumn and spring.
- Chewings Fescue – This grass is most often mixed with other grasses to form a fine turf. It is normally grown from seed.
- Kentucky Bluegrass – Usually grown from seed, most often in seed mixtures. Shade tolerant but needs good watering to survive hot summers.
- Browntop Bent – A fine textured lawn grass that has relatively high maintenance requirements. It can be established from runners or turf.
- Turf Type Tall Fescue – Selected forms of what was originally a coarse, hard wearing lawn grass. Modern cultivars are finer and softer. Once established, it’s more drought tolerant than other cool season grasses but always need to be left with plenty of leaf. Available as seeds or turf.
- Ryegrasses – Fine-leafed perennial ryegrasses are most often included in seed mixes. They germinate readily and grow quickly, but need good watering during dry periods. Usually grown from seed.
Mowing
With established lawns, cut warm season grasses to 2.5 cm and cool season grasses to 4 cm. Cut as frequently as possible and remove as little growth as possible. Never mow grass too low or ‘scalp’ the grass. Grasses need their leaf blades to make food for the plant.
Lawn watering
Water in the morning rather than the evening and give thorough, less frequent soakings rather than short, frequent waterings. Don’t allow surface runoff.
Fertilising Lawns
Regular light fertilising during the growing season is better than infrequent, heavy fertilising. Use a correctly balanced fertiliser (such as Thrive Lawn Food). Don’t use highly nitrogenous fertilisers like Sulphate of Ammonia. Yates Lush Lawn Lifter is an enriched organic-based lawn food with a good combination of slow release organic particles and fast acting minerals. Lush Lawn Master lasts for up to 3 months.
Comments (14)
Add a comment
Brett
Yates site member
08:48, 21 September 2009
I have Sir Walter Buffalo and I would like to use a weed & feed type product to feed the lawn, and to remove the clover that has come back with Spring. However, upon reading the back of the products it states not to use with Buffalo lawns. What can you recommend as an appropriate solution?
stephen
Yates site member
08:20, 04 October 2009
hi brett,i would spray the clover with a selective broad leaf herbicide which should be safe for the grass.as always read the directions.once the clover dies,the bare area can be patched,or replanted with grass runners from an inconspicuous part of the garden.remember brett,a healthy,well maintained grassed area will outcompete most weeds.stephen
GORDON
Yates site member
14:56, 06 October 2009
hI I AM NOT QUITE SURE IF I HAVE ALREADY SENT MY REQUEST I WANT TO REDO MY LAWN I WANT TO KILL EVERY THING RAKE THE DRY GRASS AND WEEDS OFF AND APPLY 2INS OF GOOD LAWN SOIL THEN REGRASS MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.MEMBER OF YATES WHAT CONTROL CAN I USE Regards Gordon
Maria
Yates site member
08:51, 10 October 2009
How can i stop birds attacking my new turf Thankyou Maria
Greg
Yates site member
17:52, 06 November 2009
I have a special shade tolerant grass I have put in and at first it knitted well and grew amazingly fast, noe it seems to be dying underneath but has green growth on top? Weird, anyone have any advice?
Brendon
Yates site member
08:51, 12 November 2009
I have a large front lawn area on a rural property in NE Victoria, which I would like to sow with a drought tolerant grass. This lawn will not be watered over the summer months and we are looking for the best type of lawn to suit us.
mwahahahahha
Yates site member
23:50, 17 January 2010
stfu
Therese
Yates site member
16:10, 15 November 2009
I have heard that Kikuyu is sensitive to broadleaf herbicides. How can I effectively get rid of bindi, clover and broad leaf weeds?
vincent
Yates site member
15:46, 03 December 2009
can you tell me a fast grass to grow and kids can play on it thanks all
Max
Yates site member
09:02, 13 December 2009
Hi Vencent, You can not beat kikuyu for speed of growth and wear & tare of kids its recovery is exelent BUT! be prepared to control it and not let it control you. Fertilise 3 times a year(slow releace) mow regularly & deep water once weekly.(TIP)always cut edges at 90 deg.to lawn.& deep as possiable stops runners getting away Good luck & merry christmas
Heather
Yates site member
18:25, 15 December 2009
I have left it rather late to plant some Kikuyu roll-on turf in Perth. Is it to late to plant during Perth's hot summer?
MICHELLE
Yates site member
15:18, 28 December 2009
I have laid a new front lawn with rolls of turf its a month old now. When do I do the first mow? what height? catcher on or off? do I fertilizer or spray for lawn grubs after. Awaiting anyone advice thanks
aaron
Yates site member
21:43, 06 January 2010
hi, not sure if this has been answered yet, but it is ok to lightly mow 10-14 days after it has been installed and has taken root. when cutting just cut so you are only just cutting the lawn. usually you can tell if it has taken root by gently pulling on the grass. as for fertilising or other such products, they generally state on the packaging that lawns younger than 3 months should not be treated. i think this is because it may kill an un-established lawn. check the labels for information before using. hopefully this helped. :)
SUSAN
Yates site member
17:23, 08 January 2010
Would like to know what lawn/grass seed is best for growing under Gum Trees. Preferably drought tolerant as property is situated outside of Kerang Vic.
Tom
Yates site member
07:54, 29 January 2010
Have Lawn Grubs Short fat whitish .Also have wild birds feeding and a dog Can you recommend treatment that is safe pleawe Have about 100 sq metrs to treat
Dermott
Yates site member
14:10, 14 February 2010
here have a look at this http://www.yates.com.au/products/lawn-care/pest-disease-and-weed-control/yates-weed-n-feed-granular/
Add your reply