Guide on How to Maintain Your Buffalo Turf

Regular mowing promotes horizontal growth, helping to thicken and strengthen the lawn. An established Buffalo lawn (at least 3-4 weeks after laying) should be mowed to a height of 2-5 cm. A good rule of thumb when mowing is to only remove one-third of the grass height each time. Removing more than this puts too much stress on the lawn and can lead to poor lawn health and increased weed growth.  

In shady conditions, increase the mowing height as the extra leaf area will allow the lawn to tolerate the low light conditions. For heavy shade conditions set the mower height at 5-7 cm. 

During the warmer months, regular frequent mowing is best, rather than intermittent and more severe mowing. During the cooler months, minimal mowing is required. 

Ensure your lawn mower is well maintained and has sharp blades for a clean cut. 

Keeping your Buffalo lawn and soil hydrated is an essential part of maintaining its health.  

Once the lawn is established, regular and thorough watering encourages deep root growth. This helps to make the lawn more resistant to drought stress, as the grass roots are able to access moisture deep in the soil. Depending on weather conditions, water thoroughly once or twice a week. In areas with sandy soil, more frequent watering may be required. During the coolest months, minimal watering is required.  

Over-watering can encourage excessive growth, disease and root rot, and the lawn will not be as drought tolerant. 

It is best to water in the morning. This allows the grass leaves to dry off during the day. Wet grass leaves overnight can increase the chance of diseases developing.  

The soil surface under the lawn can become water repellent over time. This results in moisture not penetrating evenly down into the root zone. To fix water-repellent soil under a Buffalo lawn and help keep the soil moist, apply Yates Waterwise Hose-on Soil Wetter over the lawn and water in well.   

Fertilising is a vital step in maintaining a healthy lawn. Like all living things, lawns need to be fed! Regularly applying a good quality fertiliser to your Buffalo lawn during the warmer months means your grass has access to the nutrients it requires for strong, thick growth and a deep green colour. Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food is an organic-based lawn fertiliser boosted with extra nutrients for fast greening. The organic ingredients promote healthy soil and the granular formulation is easy to apply. Feed your Buffalo lawn with Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food every spring, summer and early autumn.  

Weeds can be a common problem in Buffalo lawns. Weeds can infest your lawn via many ways; whether on the bottom of shoes, from pets, birds, mowers and gardening equipment, or even airborne from your neighbour’s lawn. Tackling weeds while they’re small and prior to them getting established is far easier than once they have begun to overtake the lawn.  

As soon as broadleaf weeds like Bindii, Clover, Dandelions and Thistles are spotted, they can be treated with a selective herbicide like Yates BuffaloPRO Weed’n’Feed. It comes in an easy hose-on applicator and is a two-in-one formula has been specially designed to be safe for Buffalo lawns. 

Alternatively, for patches of broadleaf weeds, Yates Buffalo PRO Weed Killer Concentrate can be diluted in a watering can or sprayer and applied over the weeds.  

To control and prevent Winter Grass in Buffalo lawns, Munns Professional Winter Grass Killer should be applied as soon as young winter grass seedlings are noticed. For Buffalo lawns with a reoccurring Winter Grass infestation, apply as a preventative spray in autumn to prevent Winter Grass seed from germinating.  

Grass lawns can be attacked by various insect pests, including Curl Grubs and Lawn Armyworm. Lawn Armyworm are caterpillars that chew through lawn leaves and can be common during summer and autumn. Curl Grubs are the larvae of African Black Beetle and live in the soil under the lawn and eat through lawn roots. Symptoms of a Curl Grub infestation include dead and brown patches in the lawn. Curl Grub damage is common from mid to late spring and into summer.  

Yates Grub Kill & Protect for Lawns will control some of the most common lawn insect pests, including Curl Grub and Lawn Armyworm. It’s suitable for all lawn types, including Buffalo, and can provide up to six months of protection against Curl Grub when used at the higher rate.  

Lawn diseases can common in hot and humid environments, such as tropical northern Australia. Conditions that result in your lawn remaining wet for extended periods of time can also be great breeding environments for disease. Brown Patch, Dollar Spot and Helminthosporium are some of the diseases that can affect Buffalo lawns.  

Early symptoms of diseases include discoloured or brown lawn patches and spots on the grass leaves. Yates Mancozeb Plus Garden Fungicide can be used to control some of the most common lawn diseases. Spray the lawn at the first sign of disease. 

Here’s an easy Buffalo lawn care calendar to follow throughout the year: 

• In early Spring, feed your Buffalo lawn with Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food to wake it up from the cooler winter months. 
• Control Curl Grub with Yates Grub Kill & Protect for Lawns as soon as symptoms appear. 

• In early summer, reapply Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food to promote green growth and help keep the lawn healthy.  
• Water the lawn thoroughly once or twice a week and apply Yates Waterwise Hose-on Soil Wetter to help moisture penetrate more effectively down into the root zone.  
• Control Lawn Armyworm with Yates Grub Kill & Protect for Lawns  at the first sign of these caterpillars or their damage. 

• In early autumn, reapply Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food to promote healthy green growth and prepare the lawn for the cooler months ahead. 
• Monitor the lawn for disease symptoms and apply Yates Mancozeb Plus Garden Fungicide  if required.

• In warm areas in Australia, feed the lawn during winter to promote healthy growth. In temperate and cool areas, feeding is not required.