Turf Maintenance
Turf maintenance involves mowing, pest management and fertilising operations.
*NOTE – a pest is any plant / insect / animal in the wrong place at the wrong time. Therefore this includes weeds, lawn grubs and invasive grasses.
The amount of operations required is dependent on the time of the year, the environmental conditions, the lifecycle stage of the turfgrass and the turfgrass variety. This ‘Lawn Maintenance Table’ below provides a general guide for each variety and the time period that each operation should take place over one year.
NOTE – this table is a general guide only, it is designed to help you understand the amount of maintenance each variety requires.
Lawn Maintenance Table
| January | February | March | April | May | June | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mowing | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Fertilising | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Wintergreen Couch | Mowing | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Fertilising | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Buffalo Grass | Mowing | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Fertilising | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| July | August | September | October | November | December | ||
| Mowing | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | |
| Fertilising | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | |
| Wintergreen Couch | Mowing | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | |
| Fertilising | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Buffalo Grass | Mowing | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Pest Management | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | |
| Fertilising | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
Turf Pest Management
Pest management in turf involves the use of a number of methods to reduce the detrimental effects that weeds, insects and fungi can have on turf. Coastal Turf employs the use of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system in our production system, this involves researching the pest and all of the available management methods (chemical, biological and cultural) to discover the best method of managing a particular pest. Coastal Turf does not believe in the sole use of regular chemical pesticides to control pests, but rather a combination of a range of methods to improve the production system and the surrounding environment. You can use this method in your domestic lawn also!
It is Coastal Turf’s belief that the best method of pest management is regular mowing. By mowing the turf regularly an environment is created that best suits the turfgrass, creating a much healthier turf and lawn that is able to out compete pests.
Specific Pest Information – Lawn Grub
Lawn Grubs (Spodoptera spp.) – feed of the fresh, young, green leaf of your turf just above the ground. They drastically reduce the quality and growth of your turf. This photo below displays a typical lawn affected by Lawn Grub –
Common symptoms are - brown, dry and brittle turf. Closer inspection reveals the leaf blade of the turf to be eaten by something (as this photo displays). The actual lawn grub looks very similar to a caterpillar. (as this photo displays). They are range in colour from bright green to dark green / brown in colour with black dots down there back.
*NOTE – Lawn grubs are also known as ‘Armyworm’. This is because they start in one section of your lawn and work their way across the lawn along a set line, similar to soldiers in a battle.
Lifecycle – To best understand how to control and PREVENT lawn grubs it is best to understand there lifecycle. The lifecycle of the Lawn Grub is explained below –
The adult Lawn grub is actually a moth, brown in colour. Please see the photo below –
The adult female moth flies around at night and is attracted to well maintained lawns. She lays her eggs into soft cocoons on the awnings of your house, under side of leaves and even your clothes line. These cocoons look like this –
These cocoons then hatch into the caterpillars (or LARVAE). These caterpillars are the ones (lifecycle stage) that do the damage to your lawn. They will live for approx 3 weeks if allowed to. However it is best get rid of them ASAP.
So how do we get rid of Lawn grubs ?
Control Methods –
Chemical control: A range of insecticides are registered for the control of Lawn grub in turf. These are readily available from your local hardware or nursery. If possible spray late in the day as the Lawn Grub / Larvae are active at night.
Cultural Control : By breaking the lifecycle of the lawn grub you are able to PREVENT any lawn grubs getting into your lawn in the first place. This is best achieved by keeping an eye out for the soft cocoons on your awnings and gardens and either brushing or hosing them off. This will kill the eggs, hence not allowing the Lawn Grub / Larvae to eat your beautiful lush lawn.
Additional info – Lawn grubs are more likely to occur after rainfall. This is because the grass is lush and green. Therefore keep an eye out for the moths and cocoons after rain.
*Turf recovery – even if your lawn has been completely eaten by lawn grub (lawn looks brown, brittle and dead). Your lawn will recover. The best thing to do is –
1). apply a chemical insecticide to kill all of the existing lawn grubs (make sure that you do this first BEFORE fertilizing, as if you fertilize first you will only be ‘feeding’ the existing lawn grubs).
Coastal Turf Uses and Recommends -
‘RICHGRO Lawn Beetle and Grub Killa’
This product comes in an easy to apply granule (sand) form. You do NOT have to mix up any sprays. Simply sprinkle the ‘RICHGRO Lawn Beetle and Grub Killa’ over your lawn and water in (even better do it when it is raining!). Your Lawn Grub problems will be gone within 3 days! It is best to concentrate on the areas that are closest to your verandahs, awnings and large trees.
‘RICHGRO Lawn Beetle and Grub Killa’ is available from all BUNNINGS stores and most good Nurseries and Hardware
2). Fertilize your lawn with ‘Scotts Lawn Builder + Grub and Insect Control’. Found in Bunnings a
nd most local hardware stores. This product will fertilize your lawn to enable a quick recovery and will also ensure that NO lawn grubs survive.
3). Water / irrigate your turf for 2 – 3 days after applying fertilizer to ensure a quick recovery !
I hope that this info helped !
If you have any questions specifically about turf please feel free to email them to us at coastalturf@gmail.com
Fungus -Stay Tuned !
Soft Weeds – Stay Tuned !
