Keep your lawn looking lush and healthy all year round with our seasonal lawn care guide. Discover the best practices for fertilising, mowing, watering, and weed control during each season. From spring rejuvenation to winter protection, our guide provides valuable insights to help you achieve a beautiful, thriving lawn year round.
Summer is the time of year to gather in the back yard and enjoy the outdoors with your family and friends.
If you’re struggling with the heat, chances are your lawn is too! South Australian summer conditions can be a stressful time for your lawn. To prepare your lawn for summer, we have some tips to ensure your lawn continues to look lush and healthy through the warmer weather.
Less frequent, short watering can create shallow root systems leaving your lawn vulnerable to drought and heat stress. Instead, opt for deep soakings 1-2 times per week depending on your turf variety. This encourages grass roots to grow deeper into the soil, where they can access moisture reserves during dry spells. This will create a healthier, more resilient lawn that thrives even during the hottest days.
Ideal watering times are early in the morning, or after sunset to avoid the water evaporating before reaching the roots. Wetting agents can also be used to improve water penetration to the grass root system.
View our guide here.
We recommend a NPK blend fertiliser, click here for our fertilising guide.
During dry periods, keeping your lawn on the longer side will reduce stress and help conserve water. Longer grass acts as a shade for the soil, reducing evaporation keeping weeds at bay.
View our guide here.
As the seasons change and the temperatures cool down, it’s time get your lawn ready for winter. A lush, healthy lawn prior to winter will minimise the effects that winter damage may have on your lawn.
Fertilising in Autumn with Oxafert will strengthen your lawn roots and will also prevent winter weeds. Whilst offering nutrients, oxafert also creates a pre-emergent barrier to prevent winter weeds. A lawn care routine with Oxafert will create a space for your families to enjoy well into winter.
Autumn lawncare tips:
View our Mowing guide here.
Oxafert is a key lawn care product to apply coming into winter. Oxafert is a weed pre-emergent and fertiliser, preventing weeds from emerging in your lawn.
View our Fertilising guide here.
A healthy and hydrated lawn is key to surviving winter’s chill. As the weather cools, slower growth can be expected from your lawn. Warm-season grasses like Buffalo, Kikuyu, Couch, Sir Grange, and TifTuf will all enter various levels of dormancy over the winter period.
Winter lawn care tips:
How can I avoid weeds in my lawn?
The key to beating winter weeds is to stop them before they emerge. Oxafert weed pre-emergent acts as a barrier, stopping weeds germinating in your lawn. Oxafert performs best when applied in March and reapplied in June. Oxafert provides up to 12 weeks of weed protection.
Note – Oxafert will not treat any existing weeds. We recommend treating weeds with Lawn Solutions All Purpose Weed Control, then following up with Oxafert.
Read more about Winter weeds.
Can I lay lawn in winter?
Thinking about laying lawn in winter? No problem! While warm-season grasses might take a bit longer to establish due to the cooler weather, installing instant lawn in winter won’t harm it. It’ll establish fully come spring, giving you a fantastic lawn to enjoy. Just remember to minimise foot traffic on the new lawn during winter to aid establishment.
Why lay instant lawn during winter?
Tired of a muddy yard during winter? Instant lawn offers a quick and easy solution. It also acts as a natural weed barrier throughout the cooler months. Thanks to winter rainfall, you’ll need to water significantly less compared to installing during hot summer seasons.
Should I water my grass in winter?
Only water your lawn if it needs it during the cooler months. In dry winters, regular watering will be required to maintain your lawn’s hydration. Monitor rainfall and adjust your schedule accordingly.
How can I prevent my lawn from frost damage?
While frost can’t be avoided, a healthy, well-hydrated lawn is more resilient to frost damage. To boost winter health, fertilise in autumn. Avoid walking on your lawn during frosty mornings as blades are fragile. A light watering before dawn can also help maintain colour by gently melting the frost.
Does lawn need fertilising in winter?
Fertilising in winter is not required as the turf is in dormancy. Instead, feed your lawn with a NPK blend fertiliser in Autum. A pre-winter feeding strengthens your grass for the colder months, helping it maintain a good winter colour.
How often should I mow during winter?
Warm-season grasses require less mowing during winter. When you do mow, raise the mower height and leave the blades a little longer. Avoid scalping or mowing too low, as the grass won’t recover until spring. Remember to remove grass clippings, leaves, and debris from your lawn to keep it healthy.
If you have any lawn care questions, be sure to contact our friendly team!
Spring, the beginning of the lawn growing season! It’s the time to give your grass some love and care to help it bounce back from the stressful conditions of winter. Whether you’re planning a complete lawn renovation or a quick pick me up, spring is the perfect time to get your lawn ready to enjoy it over the warmer months.
Fertilising lawn in spring
Spring is an ideal time to apply fertiliser, we recommend a NPK blend fertiliser such as Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser. Fertilising will give your lawn the nutrient boost it needs to bounce back after the dormancy period.
Fertilising guide here.
Dethatching in Spring
As the weather warms and your grass springs back to life, it’s a good time to address thatch buildup. Thatch is a layer of dead organic matter that accumulates between the grass blades and the soil which can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots. To keep your lawn healthy, consider dethatching, giving it a close mow to remove the excess thatch and promote growth.
To tackle a light thatch buildup, use a dethatching rake. For areas with a large thatch build up, the approach depends on your grass type: scalping works well for Couch grass, Kikuyu, and TifTuf (due to their underground rhizomes), but be gentle with Sir Walter Buffalo. Buffalo grows through above-ground runners, avoid removing too much leaf material as this will hinder the growth.
Aerating in Spring
To promote a dense, healthy lawn, aerating is important to alleviate soil compaction and allow nutrients and water to penetrate the roots of your lawn. It also creates a strong root system and will assist the turf growth.
Aerating sandals (sandals with spikes) or a garden fork, are both great tools for this job. Simply punch holes into the soil, aiming for spacing between the holes of around 8 – 10cm.
Mowing in Spring
Begin mowing as soon as your lawn needs it, ensuring your mower blades are sharp. Regular mowing will help to reduce unwanted weeds that may have appeared over the cooler period. Mowing frequency will depend on your turf variety.
Mowing guide here.
Watering Lawn in Spring
As the days get warmer, you will need to increase your watering frequency. We recommend less frequent, deep waters to promote a more drought tolerant lawn. Watering for longer periods of time will help strengthen the root system and allow it to handle high temperatures and stress.
Watering guide here.
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