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Autumn/Winter Lawn Care tips

A lawn will only look as good as it is managed. Autumn is a critical

time of year to get your northern Victorian lawn into shape to enable

it to cope with the onslaught of cooler Winter weather. You should

aim to have your lawn in peak condition by Easter, so it will generally

perform better in Winter. Fertilising and watering are the keys here.

If you have not watered your lawn enough through the harsh hot

summer we have just had, chances are it’s not as healthy as it could

be. It is critical that it has an application of fertiliser in the first week

of April, and a follow up feed again in the first week of May.

A healthy lawn coming into Winter will also assist with minimising

the degree of discoloration during dormancy. Regular applications

of Seasol during June, July and August can also assist with this

process. Remember not to get confused between a quality balanced

NPK fertiliser and Seasol – which is simply a plant conditioner. They

are geared to do very different jobs.

Early Autumn rains may also have leeched the nutrients from the soil

where your lawn needs them most – at the root base. These nutrients

need to be replaced prior to winter.

Easter is the perfect time to boost your lawn’s nutrient levels to keep

it green and healthy over the winter period. The weather is beginning

to cool off and you need to get your lawn ready to deal with the

colder months ahead. Applying fertiliser in the autumn is one of the

most important feeds your lawn will get all year. Lawns going into

winter in a hungry state don’t generally wear well and will lose colour

rapidly. A hungry lawn also tends to be an easier target for invading

weeds and grasses.

Fertilising your lawn in autumn is best done using a high-quality,

granular, slow-release lawn food such as Sir Walter Lawn Fertiliser. It

is a perfect fertiliser for all lawn types. Fertilising at full label rates is

recommended at this time of year. A 10kg bucket of Sir Walter Lawn

food is enough to cover 400/500 m2, so ample fertiliser to treat an

average sized lawn two or three times.

If daytime temperatures consistently remain above 13c for four to six

weeks after your initial autumn application you would be advised to

apply a second application at half the label rates.

Remember always water the fertiliser well into the root base!

Winter dormancy is a normal characteristic of C4 warm season

varieties. The degree of colour loss however could vary from

year-to-year pending seasonal conditions and location of turf. The

appearance of any turf located in an east facing or exposed position

will suffer more than turf in an area protected by shade or near a

fence or building.

Please be advised that while turf is dormant, winter weeds may

penetrate through to the top of the surface. Winter weeds will

disappear from your turf once warmer weather helps your lawn

become active again so do not FRET! This is a naturally occurring

part of your lawns life cycle!!

We recommend hand weeding where possible, or phone the

Coolabah office to find out more about suitable herbicides available

for sale.

Remember that all Coolabah lawns need heat to thrive – they do not

enjoy cold temperatures!

The upshot is – during this period of dormancy – your lawn will

need NO maintenance. So put your feet up and enjoy the footy – no

mowing, no watering, and no fertilising again until the Spring.

Talk to the Coolabah Crew to learn more about how to reduce

discolouration during winter with better management practices.