When to water

  • Water only when your lawn needs it! How often you water your lawn will depend on the weather, the type of grass and soil you have.
  • The lawn should be partly dried out between waterings. This lets in air to the root system, stimulates deeper root formation and creates a more drought resistant lawn.
  • Watering every day or every other day is bad for your lawn and leads to disease and a shallow root system.
  • Winter watering is generally not necessary unless it is an abnormally dry season. During warmer months, a good deep watering once to twice a week will be sufficient.

 

Before watering your lawn please remember to check if water restrictions are in place with your local water authority.

Time of day
Watering your lawn should be avoided during the heat of the day. Water in the early morning or evening to minimise water loss through evaporation.

How Much
Place an ice-cream container on your lawn before watering. When the water in the container is 10-15mm deep, your lawn has had enough water. This can also be tested by a soil moisture metre or simply use a long screwdriver or a spade. If you can’t push a 6″ screwdriver into your lawn your not watering enough.

Avoid wasting water through water runoff.
To minimise water runoff, test wetting depth of your lawn after watering and only continue watering to wet the full root depth.

Establishing a new lawn
Please refer to your local turf or seed supplier for watering guidelines for the establishment of a new lawn.

How to mow

  • Your grass should be cut according to the type of grass. Mow Couch between 20-30mm. Mow Buffalo & Kikuyu between 20-50mm
  • The higher the mower height, the deeper and more extensive the roots.
  • Don’t mow if hot weather is expected, or cut the grass shorter than 25mm, as the grass needs enough leaf area to protect itself form the burning effects of the sun.
  • Sharpen mower blades as dull blades encourage plant water loss and introduction of disease.
  • Keep mowing frequency to a rate where not more than 1/3 of the height of the grass is removed at anyone mowing.

 

When to fertilise

  • Fertilise regularly all year round to ensure a healthy lawn and deter weeds.
  • Use a balanced plant food that contains nitrogen(N). phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).
  • Apply fertiliser prior to and during water restriction periods to help make lawns stronger and assist in their recovery when the weather cools.

 

Relax and have fun in your garden over summer! You can use this guide to take care of your lawn and your whole family will enjoy it too.

How to irrigate

  • Regularly maintain your irrigation system to ensure maximum uniformity of coverage.
  • Test the evenness of the distribution and the number of minutes to run sprinklers by placing 5 or 6 empty tin cans randomly across your lawn to measure the level of each can in mm.  An efficient system will show an even level in each can.
  • Use soil moisture meters or rain shut off devices where possible.
  • Adjust automatic timers of in ground irrigation systems according to the plant’s seasonally changing water needs.

 

The footprint test
To check if your lawn needs watering, try this simple footprint test. Walk across the lawn and see how long it takes for the grass to spring back. If the lawn is adequately moist you will hardly be able to see your footprints. If the leaves are very slow to spring back your lawn needs water.

 

Maintaining a healthy lawn for your home is easy and doesn’t take a lot of water! Contained in this brochure are a number of useful tips on watering, fertilising and mowing that will help to keep your grass looking healthy all year round.

Your lawn

  • Lawns help to purify and cool the air. An average front lawn offers the same cooling as 2.5 air conditioners.
  • Lawns are an important source of plant oxygen exchange. A 15x15m turf area will sustain oxygen requirements for a family of 4.
  • Lawns are a natural filter to protect water quality and the environment.
  • Lawns provide noise abatement and glare reduction.
  • Lawns provide a safe, high quality, play area for children and pets.
  • A well maintained lawn increases the value of your property.

 

Top tips

  • Water only when your lawn needs water.
  • Check the four day weather forecast before watering your lawn.
  • Water in the early morning and evening.
  • Water less often and more deeply.
  • Maintain your lawn and lawn care equipment.
  • Select a grass that needs less water.

 

More water wise tips

  • Older lawn with compacted soil will benefit from aeration to promote sub-surface water infiltration. This is best done in spring through summer with a pitch fork or mechanical aerators.
  • Thatch is the organic cushion that builds up above the soil level. De-thatching is required periodically in older lawns to promote deeper root growth and allow water penetration. De-thatching machines can be hired from your local machinery hire outlet.
  • Soil wetting agents assist water to penetrate thick thatch, highly organic soils or water repellant soil that prevent water from getting to the root zone.

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