This is everything you need to know about how to take care of your lawn in winter.
Hey, I'm Debbie.
In most regions across Australia,
the lawns typically go through a period of dormancy during the colder months.
During this time,
it's crucial to take steps to maintain and support the lawn's health.
This this includes watering and mowing
the grass less often, and try to avoid walking on the grass as much as possible.
By following these steps,
you'll ensure your lawn looks lush and vibrant by springtime.
Let's get into it.
First of all, the type of lawn you have
and where you live will dictate how to take care of it.
The most common grasses here in Australia are warm season grasses.
This includes buffalo, couch, and kikuyu.
Buffalo and kikuyu grasses are
self-repairing, making them quick to bounce back when the weather warms up.
Couch grasses usually self-repair when fully established.
All it needs is some warmer weather
to return to its original color, so don't be concerned if your grass is
looking a little dull by the end of winter.
In tropical regions, most grasses are often unaffected
in winter, maintaining their color and natural growth.
During winter, you should turn your
irrigation system down to a minimum or turn it off altogether.
If you live in a tropical area, you can just water occasionally.
It's best to do this first thing
in the morning to give the lawn enough time to dry out by nightfall.
This prevents rotten fungal diseases.
In cooler climates, where couch, buffalo and kikuyu lawn types are dormant,
program your irrigation systems to come on once a week or once a fortnight.
By avoiding excessive watering, you'll prevent over-saturation,
which can compact the soil, preventing nutrients from reaching the roots.
Weeds can occur all year round.
However, winter is an ideal time for weeds
to grow if not managed correctly, as both the grass and the weeds will be
competing for sunlight, water and nutrients.
It's important to control the weed as soon as you see them.
You do not want them to go to seed,
as this will produce a generation of weeds for years to come.
Many people choose to use herbicides to control weeds, so when you see weeds
in your lawn, apply a selective herbicide or an all-purpose herbicide.
All herbicides are designed to kill plants
as well as lawns, so be careful how and where you use them.
Also remember, the herbicides will work best in the warmer months,
so it might take a bit longer for herbicides to work in winter.
Whether you choose a herbicide or physical removal, just remember to remove the whole
plant, including the root, so it doesn't grow back.
Winter is a time to improve soil health.
Applying a soil booster will improve
the microbial activity and the nutrient uptake.
Buffalo, couch and kikuyu are dormant in winter,
so don't feed the lawn with fertilisers, as there's little to no growth.
The lawn doesn't need it at this time and the fertiliser will be wasted.
You can, however, continue to apply a lawn tonic like this seaweed-based solution
every month to help the lawn cope with the frost and cold weather.
No matter if you're in tropical or cooler areas, the general rule is to keep your
grass a little longer than usual, especially in shaded areas.
While grass such as couch can be mowed lower than broader leaf grasses such as
buffalo and kikuyu, you want to keep your grass double the length in height
in winter compared to other times of the year.
For couch, the general rule is to mow your
grass to 15 mm in summer and 30 mm in winter, whereas buffalo and kikuyu mow
to 30 to 40 mm in summer and 50 to 60 mm in winter.
If you are in the tropics and your lawn
isn't dormant, follow the spring summer height guides even through winter.
When you are mowing, make sure you use the catcher to avoid
the grass clippings on the lawn, as it may be slow to break down during
this time and increase the risk of fungal disease.
In the very cold climates in southern
states of Australia where winter brings harsh frost, commonly known as Jack frost,
it's essential to implement strategies to manage and prevent winterkill.
Winterkill refers to damage or death
of grass due to crown, hydration, low temperatures and ice encasements.
It's important that whenever there is frost on the lawn, you stay off it.
By walking across it,
you are actually causing the blades to break and resulting in more damage.
No grass is immune to winterkill.
You can tell this is occurring by turning yellow and looking dead.
Tropical climates in Australia generally
don't experience extreme cold temperatures that can lead to winterkill.
However, it's important to remember that there can still be variations
in temperature and weather patterns within tropical regions.
And there you have it the key steps to take care of your lawn this winter.