Autumn and Winter Maintenance
Tips For The Best Lawn This Winter
As the winter months approach you should Increase Mowing Height and it is your Last Chance For a Granular Fertiliser before Winter. Reduce your sprinkler time ready to switch off your sprinklers for Winter. You can continue to fertilise through winter but just need to change to a liquid (foliar) fertiliser. You may already be noticing the start of winter weeds and need to consider weed treatment with a suitable herbicide, if the weeds have not yet taken over, then there is also still time to spray a pre-emergent to gain control of your lawn before the weeds do. Winter is also a fantastic time to do some Lawnmower Maintenance. Let's look below at True Blue Turf's top tips for winter.
1. Increase Mowing Height
When you mow, ensure to maintain sufficient leaf cover for photosynthesis. This allows rapid recovery, keeps the soil cool, protects the roots from scorching and suppresses weeds. Fine grass should be cut shorter than coarse grasses. We recommend the following mowing heights; Wintergreen Couch between 12mm and 20mm. Kikuyu, Kenda, Nara & Empire Zoysia between 15mm and 30mm. Sapphire Buffalo between 30mm and 50mm.
The aim is to remove no more than ⅓ of the leaf material at any one time. Mowing too short in summer leads to sun scorching and root damage, and in winter it reduces vigour.
Mowing height should be lifted slightly in late April or early May. The taller leaf height increases the amount of carbohydrate, which is then stored in the root system. The carbohydrate protects your lawn against winter frost damage. Mowing higher in winter will also help shade the soil and unwanted seeds, helping to prevent winter weed germination.
After mowing, clippings should be removed from your lawn. A large amount of clippings can prevent the air, water and sunlight getting to your turf and it can start to rot.
Lastly, regularly mowed lawns will result in more green leaf with less weeds and less invasion of the grass into surrounding garden beds. Regular mowing will also ensure the lawn is not scalped by removing too much green leaf in a single mow, as this can easily kill sections of lawn which are under stress.
2. Last Chance For a Granular Fertiliser
Fertiliser applied in autumn, will help your lawn maintain growth and good colour well into winter. Fertiliser should always be applied when the leaf of the lawn is quite dry, and watered in immediately. Avoid fertilising on very hot days. If lawns are overfed, they become too lush; promoting thatching, diseases and other problems. They also need more frequent mowing. However, as a general rule, fertilise at a rate of 3kg per 100m² (30g per m²) every 6-8 weeks.
CLICK HERE for our used and recommended Eco Growth Eco Prime Emerald.
Eco Prime Emerald is a wonderful fertilising product, promoting the natural good fungal spores in your soil to come to life, stopping soil compaction and releasing food for your lawn’s roots. A rock mineral fertiliser, derived from natural volcanic and sedimentary deposits, containing some of nature’s richest soil building materials. Eco Growth Emerald contains excellent micro-elements which are beneficial soil microbes, and are naturally slow to release and non-leaching. These intelligent fertilisers use microbes to gradually make the minerals available to your plant roots, essential for good healthy growth, and to help create deep roots. Your lawn will stress less in warmer weather with a healthy root system.
CLICK HERE for our used and recommended Eco Growth Eco Prime Emerald.
Eco Prime Emerald is a wonderful fertilising product, promoting the natural good fungal spores in your soil to come to life, stopping soil compaction and releasing food for your lawn’s roots. A rock mineral fertiliser, derived from natural volcanic and sedimentary deposits, containing some of nature’s richest soil building materials. Eco Growth Emerald contains excellent micro-elements which are beneficial soil microbes, and are naturally slow to release and non-leaching. These intelligent fertilisers use microbes to gradually make the minerals available to your plant roots, essential for good healthy growth, and to help create deep roots. Your lawn will stress less in warmer weather with a healthy root system.
3. Switch off your sprinklers (unless establishing new lawn)
Temperatures and evaporation rates are generally lower in winter, which means your garden isn’t as thirsty as usual. By switching off your sprinklers during winter we save water for the warmer months ahead.
The Switch-off has been in place since 2010, and has been a permanent water saving initiative ever since. When we all switch our sprinklers off during winter, we can save up to 5 billion litres of water each year.
Check here to see if your postcode is included:
https://www.watercorporation.com.au/wintersprinklerswitchoff
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. I have a rainwater tank – can I still use my sprinklers?
The Winter Sprinkler Switch-off does not apply to irrigation systems that use water collected by rainwater tanks. The ban only applies to scheme and bore water users in Perth, Mandurah and parts of the South West and Great Southern regions. However, we do encourage everyone to irrigate only when necessary, regardless of the source.
2. But won’t my garden die? I definitely need to water my lawn!
Winter brings with it cooler temperatures and lower evaporation rates which means the plants in our gardens don’t need as much water. Most lawns also go dormant over winter, so rainfall should be enough to keep your lawn alive.
4. Liquid (Foliar) Fertiliser in Winter
During the wetter months, switch to a liquid fertiliser rather than a granular one. The root system is not active enough to utilise the granular fertiliser in winter, however, the liquid feed is absorbed directly through the leaf, and because you are keeping your lawn a little longer over the cool season, it is particularly effective now.
When applied regularly in winter, your lawn will maintain growth and good colour through winter.
We recommend a high nitrogen and iron fertiliser like Bailey's:
When applied regularly in winter, your lawn will maintain growth and good colour through winter.
We recommend a high nitrogen and iron fertiliser like Bailey's:
Baileys Turfect Green Plus (1L)
Treats 330m²
Baileys Turfect Green Plus (5L)
Treats 1,650m²
Baileys GT Green (20L)
Treats 5,000m²
SUITABLE FOR: All lawn types
5. Weed Treatment
Remember, if you had a problem with a particular weed last year then it would be best to treat with a pre-emergent to gain control of your lawn before the weeds do.
If you had Winter Grass (Poa Annua) last year, to prevent Winter Grass gaining control of your lawn area, now is the time to spray a preventative. Any Winter Grass that has started to appear in your lawn already is best to hand-pull before it seeds. Weeds are the greatest pest problem facing the home gardener. Most lawn weeds are opportunistic and quickly take over areas that have become thinned as a result of poor maintenance or inadequate growing conditions. Weeds are fast to germinate, grow and spread. Once weeds are well established, there is little chance that the lawn will be able to out-compete them without you coming to the rescue.
To help you find the right remedy to control your weed problem, email a picture to info@trueblueturf.com.au. We can help identify and provide the best advice and product(s) to use for your particular variety of turf.
NB: Buffalo can be sensitive to regular spray treatments.
Below are our 2 most popular products in weed control for True Blue Turf's home lawn enthusiasts:
Pre-Emergent:
6. Lawnmower Maintenance
While your lawn is not needing to be mowed so much, now is a great time to do some maintenance on your mower. Below are our top 5 tips for maintaining your mower. Whether you do the job yourself, or take it to a professional, we will outline why it is important to look after your mower.
TIP 1. SHARPEN OR REPLACE THE BLADES
Your mower cannot cut your lawn effectively with blunt blades. Remove the spark plug wire for safety, then use a spanner to remove the blades and sharpen or replace if necessary. If you are not confident in sharpening them yourself, drop in to a nearby sharpening service for help.
TIP 2. CLEAN YOUR LAWN MOWER
Turn your mower over on its side (ensure the petrol tank is empty first) and hose down underneath, removing all of the debris. You may need to use warm soapy water and a brush to dislodge anything that is stuck. Cleaning your mower will help reduce spreading plant illness and ensure your machine runs smoother. We recommend that you wear protective gloves if cleaning by hand while the blades are still attached.
TIP 3. REPLACE THE AIR FILTER
Just like the air filter in a car, a mower filter can get clogged easily. Replacing it is a cheap and easy fix to help your machine run much better, ultimately saving you time and money. Each mower is slightly different, so if you don't have instructions on how to replace your air filter, then a simple internet search should give you the information you need.
TIP 4. CHANGE THE OIL
Refer to your owner's manual and check how often and what type of oil you should use to maintain your lawn mower. If you don't have your manual, a simple internet search should bring one up for you (as most manuals are posted online by suppliers). Drain the old oil and carefully replace it using a funnel to prevent spillage.
TIP 5. CHECK THE SPARK PLUG
The spark plug is important because without it, the combustion engine will not ignite (meaning your mower will not start!). If you see dirt or indicators of corrosion, remove the spark plug and spray it with brake cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes, then gently clean it with a wire brush. Once clean, gently buff the plug with a soft cloth. It is then ready to place back in your mower. If your mower still doesn't start after this treatment, it may be time to replace the spark plug altogether.