Lawn Care: Essential Watering Tips
*IMPORTANT!* Watering & Establishment
Lay your turf immediately upon delivery and don’t let your lawn dry out! Keep your lawn moist during the establishment period – this is generally about two to four weeks – but depends on the time of year, weather conditions, and where you are located.
The edges will typically dry out the fastest and if this starts to happen increase the amount of water you are applying. Also you need to be thorough and systematic, ensuring you water all areas.
- Watering 4 times a day in warm conditions is quite normal.
- For example:
Early morning Mid/late morning Late afternoon Early evening
It should be so wet that you can’t walk on it. Now you don’t need to flood your lawn, just be sure to keep the turf and immediate underlying soil moist.
- Your lawn will let you know if it is drying out by its appearance and behaviour. The leaf blades will start to curl, shrivel, and dry out so you’ll know when it needs a drink. Monitoring your lawn’s condition during this period is crucial to ensure healthy and resilient grass.
- HOT CONDITIONS
During hot conditions, especially if it is windy, the lawn will dry out very quickly and more watering may be required.
Ongoing Watering
Once your lawn sets root into the soil, it is starting to become established. You can test for this by trying to generally lift a corner of a roll or slab, if it doesn’t lift easily, the roots have set into the soil. This is a good thing as it means your lawn is growing well.
Once establishment is happening you can start to back off the watering, depending on the weather and the climate in your region.
The idea is to get to the point where you water less frequently, but give the lawn a deep soaking. This encourages deep root systems and so a more self-sufficient and drought tolerant lawn. As the water drains through the soil, the roots seek the water out deeper in the soil, rather than just hanging around near the surface, which is what will happen if you just give it short, regular splashes. Educate your lawn to go the distance. Proper watering practices contribute to a healthy lawn.
The Best Time To Water
The best time to water your garden is early morning or late in the afternoon/early evening, when there is no wind and less chance of water loss due to heat related evaporation.
In humid areas, avoid late afternoon or early evening watering as this can increase the chance of fungal diseases. It is crucial to understand and address your lawn’s specific watering needs to ensure optimal health and growth.
When to Mow
Mowing is recommended when the turf cannot be lifted, or as a guideline, 10-14 days after installation in warm weather or 14-28 days in cold weather.
Mow when the turf is dry and ensure your mower blades are sharp.
This will give your lawn the best cut.
Preferably never remove more than one third of the leaf blade (maintain a suitable height for your particular turf as stated in the lawn characteristics), at this height the turf will retain moisture and nutrients (low mowing may damage your lawn).
For the first couple of mows, mow in the same direction as the turf was laid, as this will help prevent scalping. Mowing frequently will help produce a healthy, lush green lawn and is a crucial part of comprehensive lawn maintenance.
If you’d like a copy of our Maintenance Guide please click here
When to Use Lawn Fertiliser?
To maintain a healthy, vigorous lawn, we recommend you fertilise two weeks after installation and then every 6-8 weeks all year round or at least the start of each new season.
When fertilising your lawn, apply approximately 30g per square metre and remember to water in well.
To help hold the colour of your lawn during winter, you can fertilise in late autumn using a combination of organic and slow release fertilisers.
For lush green lawns, use a nitrogen – based fertiliser. Our Sales staff at Australian Lawn Concepts can also assist you on choosing the correct fertiliser for your lawn. Customised lawn treatment, including specialized fertilization, is essential for addressing specific lawn issues and ensuring optimal health and beauty.
Lawn Pests: Lawn Grub, Lawn Army-worm
Armyworm (or the more common name, lawn grub) is a moth caterpillar that feeds on the turf foliage at night. The grubs come in large numbers and can cause rapid damage as they move across turf areas. An indicator that Armyworm is in your lawn is the presence of birds feeding in the early morning or late afternoon.
The eggs are laid in masses of 600-700 eggs that are covered with long, light brown hairs, these felt-like egg masses are cemented to leaves of trees and shrubs or on buildings close to lights and are often found on eaves and open ceilings. Brushing the egg masses off helps to physically control the insect, (we do not recommend hosing the eggs as this will wash the eggs into your turf).
The lawn armyworm is a native of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, and the South Pacific. The lawn armyworm is a serious problem and loves feeding on just about any lawn type. Severe damage to lawns is characterized by a completely denuded circular area sharply defined by a front of undamaged turf. With heavy populations of actively feeding larvae, this destruction may advance about 1 foot each night.
As a prevention we recommend you maintain your lawn with regular mowing during the warmer months. Armyworm can be sprayed with any Lawn Grub killer or Acelepryn. To rid your lawn of Armyworm simply purchase Pest Control by calling Freephone 1800 767 644. Professional lawn care services are also available to handle pest control efficiently.
Weed Control
Bindii
- From the stem at the base of the leaves, tiny flowers are produced in spring, and these turn into burrs or sharp spines. Effective treatment requires understanding your lawn’s specific needs to ensure the best results.
- Best sprayed with Turf Control
Nut Grass and Mullumbimby Couch
- A weed that spreads by a tough wirey root system with small nut like tubers that form on the roots
- It is a perennial weed with grass like leaves in the shape of triangular flower stems which bear flowers and seeds in umbrella like heads with a reddish-purple or brown appearance
- Nut grass is extremely difficult to kill, and the best way to rid this nasty weed is by digging out the whole plant ensuring you remove all the roots and bulbs (any roots or bulbs left will reproduce)
- Registered product such as Tempra which can be purchased from the Australian Lawn Concepts Turf Consultants or Project Consultants. Other intrusive weeds include: Paspalum Crowsfoot Summergrass Wintergrass and Catsear and again the best way to rid each of these weeds is to dig out and also ensure the roots are dug up as well. Addressing these weed issues is crucial for maintaining a healthy and aesthetically pleasing front lawn.
- To order your Weed Control just Call Freephone 1800 767 644
Maintain a lush, green lawn with ALC’s comprehensive lawn care products and helpful lawn care guides. Our fully insured team offers expert advice and tailored solutions for lawns of any size, ensuring they receive the best care possible.
From keeping your lawns mowed to perfection and controlling weeds to promoting new growth, we provide everything your lawn needs. Whether you require regular maintenance or one-off services, we ensure your lawn remains healthy and vibrant year-round.
Contact us today for professional lawn care that makes a difference.