Maintenance, Lawn Care, Pests & Diseases

There is nothing quite like a lush, green lawn to stand on when having a barbecue or to run on when playing that game of cricket or football. That carpet of green on the soles of your feet puts a smile on your face and seems to provide instant relaxation after a hard day at work. It also looks fabulous and is an asset to your home.

Grass is more than just something that looks and feels good in your yard. It is also a part of the ecological balance and a measure of the health of your surrounds. Healthy grass often provides a vital feeding source for birds, insects and worms, who in turn help to keep your lawn looking good by eating damaging pests. Grass also prevents soil erosion, filters pollutants from rain water and the air, slows the rate of water loss from the soil, as well as converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Grass is a living, dynamic ecological balancer in your backyard!

   
 
 

Caring for your lawn is vital to it performing at its best. Whether it is you doing the caring or if you hire someone to do it for you, it is important to follow a few main guidelines. After all, a healthy lawn is more resistant to weeds, diseases and insect pests. So it is important to put some effort in to reduce the need to use pesticides and if you do need to use pesticides, take the time to ensure that they are the least damaging to the environment. This is your yard where you, your family and your friends play, eat and socialise.

1. Develop healthy soil with balanced minerals and high organic carbon.
2. Choose the right grass for your yard, your climate and your lifestyle.
3. Mowing height should be approx 25mm for Couch varieties and approx. 50mm for Palmetto.
4. Mow often and with sharp blades.
5. Couch varieties need to be watered deeply but not too often. Palmetto needs watering little but often.
6. Prevent thatch build-up with spring renovations.
    
 
Pests & Diseases
White Curl Grub
Caterpillars
Symptom: Grass dies in uneven patches. Dead grass can be lifted like carpet off the ground.
Problem: White Curl Grub or Beetle Larvae feeding on roots.
Treatment: Spray Perigen Defence.		 Symptom: Lawn being eaten above ground, then dying.
Problem: Lawn Grass Caterpillars.
Treatment: Spray Perigen Defence.
Brown Patch Fungi
Dollar Spot Fungi
Symptom: Areas of lawn browning off and dying. Cobweb-like fungal threads visible early morning.
Problem: Brown Patch fungi (prevalent in summer)
Treatment: Spray entire lawn area with Lawn & Garden Fungicide.		 Symptom: Areas of lawn browning off and dying. Cobweb-like fungal threads visible early morning.
Problem: Dollar Spot fungi (prevalent in early spring)
Treatment: Spray entire lawn area with Lawn & Garden Fungicide.
Creeping Oxalis
Bindii
Symptom: Small cloverlike leaves, tiny yellow flowers.
Problem: Creeping Oxalis
Treatment: Apply Broadleaf Weeder.		 Symptom: Fine Carrot-like foliage, prickly burr in crown of plant.
Problem: Bindii or Jo Jo Weed.
Treatment: Apply Broadleaf Weeder or Bindii & Clover Killer.
Winter Grass
Mullumbimby Couch
Symptom: Clumpy grass with white/grey seed heads. Appears in late winter, early spring.
Problem: Winter Grass.
Treatment: Brush with Easy Weeder.		 Symptom: Dark green upright-leaved grass that spreads rapidly from damp areas. Has small white bell-vine shaped seed head.
Problem: Mullumbimby Couch.
Treatment: Apply Multiweed.
Clover
Wire Grass
Symptom: Shamrock-like leaves with white bell-shaped flowers.
Problem: Clover.
Treatment: Apply Paspalum & Clover Killer. 		Symptom: Tall tufted perennial grass following overgrazing or soil disturbance.
Problem: Wire Grass.
Treatment: Apply Daconate.


 
  Did you know?

Grass grows at its most vigorous in the early hours of the morning so you should never water it at this time.

That electrical storms or storms where there is a lot of lightning, is good for your grass as it attracts nitrogen into the air which your grass absorbs.

Lightning also increases the paramagnetism in the soils.

Most grasses go dormant or slow growth during winter so you should avoid using fertilizers at this time.

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