Seasonal Care

Spring

Most of the grass we grow in Australia are warm season varieties that don’t do well over winter. Chances are your lawn’s looking a bit worse for wear leading into spring. Browning is typical, as is thinning. This will have the flow-on effect of making any bare patches look worse than they actually are. On the positive side, your lawn is about to bust back into lush, green life.

 Tasks

  • Rake vigorously to not only clear fallen leaves and twigs but more importantly; to strip out dead and brown grass (“thatch”) to allow more light through to new shoots.

  • This is the critical time of year to give your lawn a balanced, slow release feed. Fertilising now provides the nutrients to reinvigorate the lawn so it can power into summer. If you only fertilise once a year, do it in Spring!

  • Watch watering. This can be a tricky time of year for watering. The soil hasn’t warmed and nights may still be cool, so a deep watering may last for longer than expected. Burrow your finger down into the lawn. If it’s damp, don’t water.

  • Now’s the time to get your mower serviced and the blades sharpened or changed. If you’ve been mowing with a catcher over winter, switch to mulch mowing now.

  • Weed watch. Weeds are coming to life too! Fertilising the lawn to thicken it up will help keep weeds at bay. Very sparse areas are the most likely to become infested with weeds.

  • “Dethatching” a lawn refers to the mechanical removal from a lawn of a thatch layer that is too thick. Dethatching is not nearly as big a part of lawn care as is mowing. You may have noticed your lawn has a build-up of dead organic matter, excessive roots and stems that have developed within the profile of your grass. This is a natural process caused by your lawn producing more organic matter than what can be broken down. Some turf varieties will thatch more than others and overtime the height of your lawn can increase and can become quite unsightly.Dethatching will help to remove this layer so that air and nutrients are able to reach your soil base and can more effectively feed your lawn. Reducing thatch also prevents water log in your roots and allows proper drainage, this will help to prevent the risk of fungal issues. Getting in a couple of low-mows and gradually reducing the height of your lawn will reduce the thatch layer in your lawn. A good time to do this is towards the end of spring when the lawn is establishing quickly and will have time to recover. Do not do this in the cooler months as you will cause significant damage to your lawn and it will not be able to recover during winter.

Summer

This is potentially the most challenging time of year for your lawn, with extreme heat, wind and dryness all getting thrown at it. While you can’t do much about the weather, you can make sure your lawn is well set up to survive these trying conditions.

Tasks

  • Apply slow-release BT Eco Fertiliser again in early Summer – three months after the first feed. Avoid fertilising once daytime temperatures reach 30 deg C.

  • Get water-wise. Lawns can dry out very quickly in Summer. Water early in the morning while it’s cool so your lawn gets a chance to absorb the maximum amount of water. Late watering may induce overnight humidity resulting in fungal problems.

  • Growth usually slows down in hot, dry weather due to stress. Raise the cutting height of the mower to leave the grass longer, providing shade and natural cooling to the roots and soil. Mulch mow as this helps insulate the soil and roots and reduce evaporation. Mow early or late in the day to reduce the incidence of the grass developing burned tips.

  • Weed watch. Weeds may continue to thrive in Summer, especially dandelion and cats-ear that have large tap roots that help them survive drought. Take care using lawn weeding products – many brands suggest avoiding use in hot weather.

Autumn

You can almost hear lawns and gardens, not to mention gardeners, breath a sigh of relief as evenings become cooler and days shorter. Now’s the time to repair any damage done by Summer and, more importantly, set your lawn up for the cold times ahead.

 Tasks:

  • If you only feed your lawn once a year, do it in Spring; if you only fertilise twice a year, do it in Spring and Autumn. Feeding now will green your lawn up ahead of winter and also make it stronger and better able to resist damage from extreme cold, even frost.

  • It can be easy to overlook the lawn drying out at this time of year. Windy weather can be just as drying as a hot day. Making the most of any rain or water you do apply by using a soaker sprinkler, will improve water penetration significantly.

  • Mowing frequency will decrease as growth slows. In Autumn your lawn is storing energy for Winter so, growth/mowing frequency should drop. Ensure you clear leaves to allow your lawn as much sunlight as possible leading into the harsh winter.

TIP: If your lawn doesn’t need mowing but leaves are a problem, raise the cutting height of your mower to the limit, fit the catcher and use it like a vacuum cleaner.

  • Weed watch. Weeds are generally not problematic in Autumn but there’s one pesky variety that needs to be dealt with now.

  • Bindi’s. Did you find your lawn full of bindii prickles in Summer? Now is the time to take action – it’s an annual weed that starts its growth in Autumn. The easy way to treat bindii and other lawn weeds is with Bin-Die weed killer.

Read the label carefully to ensure your lawn is a suitable variety before use.

Winter

Lawns hibernate through Winter, with maintenance demands are lower.

Tasks

  • Fertilising the lawn in Winter is not generally recommended, especially if you have already fed it three times since the start of Spring. There is little point in feeding because growth has slowed and the lawn will not take up nutrients.

  • It’s surprising how dry the lawn and garden can become in Winter. Keep an eye on the moisture levels by feeling deep into the thatch. If it feels moist, don’t water. In winter it’s best to water in the morning. If you water in the afternoon before a cold night water may freeze, causing damage. Don’t over water because a lawn that stays wet can rot when it’s cold.

  • In most places, you’ll probably only need to mow two or three times across winter. Switch to catching rather than mulching because clippings left on the lawn may cause fungal problems. Keep the lawn clear of fallen leaves and trim back overhanging branches that may be restricting light.

  • Weed watch. Most weeds are dormant over Winter but there are a few to watch for. It’s still not too late to treat bindii and this should also deal with broadleaf weeds, thistles and oxalis (clovers).The most conspicuous weed is likely to be Winter Grass. It will stand out lush and bright green. Winter grass is best removed by hand – selective lawn weeders will not kill it. Hand removal is easy – use an old fashioned daisy grubber then throw the plants into a bucket. Dispose of them in your green waste bin.