How to grow the perfect Australian lawn, top tips, steps and grasses

Is there anything better than a bowling green lawn that the family loves to play on and makes the neighbours jealous?

Who doesn’t appreciate a great lawn?

Is there any better sight?

A lush green manicured lawn surrounding our modern-day castle – the house we proudly call home.

To have a well-groomed lawn is more than aesthetic, it’s a symbol to others that you have the time and/or the money to support such a complimentary feature. It also gives us a chance to puff our chest out with pride, inspiring pure envy from the neighbours.

A healthy lawn around the house can reduce stress and increase wellbeing.

Studies have shown that access to green spaces can increase productivity and generally improve our mood. Read on for my simple guide to victory in our quest for the best lawn in the street, suburb, town, city – if not the world.

Growing the perfect lawn is easier than you think.

THREE STEPS TO THE PERFECT LAWN

Step One: Choose your green

There is no single perfect grass to suit every lawn, climate and soil type, which is why there are so many varieties available. See my top five picks below to get you started.

Most turf suppliers will have a turf selection tool available to help you choose. Your key questions are:

● How much sun or shade do I get?

● What are the water and soil requirements?

● What look am I after? Soil types, aesthetics?

● Is this suitable for pets and active children?

Talking to a licensed landscaper or turf supplier will help you make the right choice.

You can even visit the turf farm and physically see them to better understand what they will look like.

At Home’s lawn expert Dennis Scott. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Step Two: Choose your timing

Once the type of grass has been selected, we need to get it on the ground and growing. Timing the laying of your turf is your secret to success.

Spring is without doubt the best time to lay turf in your garden. Good, moderate temperature, and enough rainfall to promote new growth. But, never fear, Spring is by no means the only time you can lay your new lawn.

Winter depends on your local area, if you see temperatures regularly in the lower single digits it’s best to hold off until Spring. In the colder weather patterns, grass normally goes dormant and if it is not established, it may not be strong enough to survive.

Autumn is a good time to be laying turf in these areas, but aim to have it laid and established before the frost and colder weather hits.

Mowing is crucial to keeping your lawn healthy.

Summer is all about adequate water. Water the grass every day to help establish the root development and prevent it from drying out and dying.

Step Three: Keep it healthy

The best piece of advice I have been given for lawn maintenance is to be proactive and not reactive. Most people only act when they see something going wrong. I encourage proactivity! Create a schedule to fertilise, treat for common pests and disease and water.

Add a regular mowing schedule and you have the basics covered. I recommend minimum twice weekly during the warmer months and three times a week during the cooler months. Make sure your mower has sharp blades and you are not taking more than 1/3rd of the grass leaf off during the mow.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR THE PERFECT LAWN

1: It’s best to water in the early morning

Watering in the late afternoon can leave the grass wet for too long creating fungal issues. To ensure each drop of water counts it’s actually best to water in the early morning as this also helps prevent evaporation during the day.

2: It’s better to cut your grass short

Different lawn varieties perform best at different heights. Ask your lawn supplier what best suits your variety. Whichever height you have chosen it is recommended not to take more than 1/3 of the blade off in any one mow. Sharp blades on your mower are a must!

Chances are you’re probably not watering your lawn enough.

3: Watering daily is best

Grass will perform better with longer deeper watering sessions. This helps encourage deeper roots and stronger stem growth. Watering in shorter more frequent sessions will result in the grass expecting water and making it lazy and not establishing deeper roots to source the water deeper in the soil.

4: Fertilise your lawn only in spring

Spring is a great time to fertilise but please don’t forget the other changes of season. At different times of the year your lawn will require specific nutrients.

5: Irrigation systems can save water

Smart irrigation systems with control sensors not only water the entire lawn at a set time and day they in fact save 15-20 per cent water compared to a garden hose and sprinkler.

BEST GRASS FOR LAWNS IN AUSTRALIA

Buffalo

Classic Buffalo grass. Picture: Bunnings

A classic backyard grass. Durable, water friendly and easy to maintain. Wide leaf blade, that can be feel scratchy to the touch. New softer leaf varieties such as Sapphire are now available. Good in shaded areas and remains green year-round.

Couch

Quick repair Couch grass. Picture: Bunnings

Tough narrow leafed variety with the ability to quickly repair. If you have a high traffic scenario Couch is the answer. Quick growing grass that may need mowing more often. Can be mowed extremely short for that bowling green look. Fertilise, water and mow on repeat for this grass.

Tiff Tuff

Its fine leaf blade, deep green colour with dense growth produces a soft leaf to walk on and yet is able to handle high wear situations. It’s a great looking all-round lawn that will retain good summer and winter colour. Once established it’s very drought tolerant!

Kikuyu

A favourite for Aussie backyards. Rapid green growth, drought tolerant, wear resistance, tolerant to most soil types and an ability to survive both gardener neglect and a hammering from children and pets. Sounds perfect, however, it can be invasive to garden beds and will require a lot of mowing to maintain.

Zoysia

Zoysia is great for Australian conditions. Picture: Bunnings

Zoysia is not a new grass but only recently has been added to list of best grasses for Australian conditions. Better suited to warmer environments. Requires minimal mowing and fertilising, salt tolerant, drought tolerant and not very invasive. It is an ideal grass for coastal locations.

Selling Houses Australia’s outdoor living expert Dennis Scott has joined the At Home team as a regular columnist. Dennis will share his expertise on landscaping, gardening and outdoor living with all our readers.

Originally published as How to grow the perfect Australian lawn, top tips, steps and grasses