Australian winters can be tough on our gardens. While more gentle climates mean extra rain in the cooler months, our winters are often dry and unforgiving. Your lawn is often first to suffer as the weather begins to cool down. Dry, dead grass is a depressing site, but there are some steps you can take to keep your lawn healthy all year round.

Prepare Your Garden Before Winter Starts

As the weather cools down, it’s important that you begin taking steps to prepare your lawn. During winter, most types of grass will grow extremely slowly. To help you grass cope with wear throughout winter, consider leaving a few extra centimetres of height when you mow. In addition to dry conditions, the onset of winter also means less light for your grass. To ensure your turf receives as much sun as possible, you can prune overhanging trees to let the light through.

Keep an Eye Out for Winter Weeds

While your lawn might not grow much during the cold weather, weeds are always ready to spring up. Broadleaf weeds like dandelion, cats ear and clover are typical during winter. Winter grass is one of the most common turf weeds and loves take advantage of your lawn during winter. Both unsightly and stubborn, Winter grass can pop up amongst most grass types, including buffalo turf. Thankfully, Winter grass is easily treated with some diluted weed killer. By remaining vigilant in the weeks leading up to winter, you can prevent weeds from taking over your entire lawn.

Best Turf Types for Cold Weather

Some grasses are more suited to the Australian winter than others. If you’re fed up with brown grass during the cold weather, there are a great range of turf types available that will stay green all year round. Kings Pride Buffalo [sd3] is a great choice for the cool weather winter, with strong colour and natural weed resistance. Another great cold guard turf is Palmetto buffalo grass. Palmetto can handle the coldest and driest conditions and is drought and frost tolerant.

Fertilise Frequently

To help your grass bounce back when springtime rolls around, winter is a great time to apply fertiliser. Your turf can struggle in the dark and dry conditions of the cooler months, so fertilising regularly can help keep your grass green and thriving. Don’t forget to aerate your soil to help your fertiliser get to the roots. If you have a very large lawn, use fertiliser spreader to ensure complete coverage. Your local turf contractors can recommend the best fertiliser to use and are always happy to offer up some tips to keep your lawn green and thriving.

Durable and Long-Lasting Turf

If you’re interested in grass that stays bright green all year round, Hi Quality Turf is your first call. We offer a huge range of turf types and turf supplies. Contact our lawn experts today and call 1800887258 to get started.