Fertilising Lawn
You have to nourish to flourish!
A guide on when and how to fertilise your lawn
Fertilising your lawn regularly will ensure that it has all the nutrients it needs to be healthy and beautiful.
The question is, how often should you fertilise and with what? Follow this guide year round to keep your lawn full, green and luscious.
Quick tips
- Fertilise four times a year
- Prepare your lawn for winter with potassium – more Autumn lawn care info
- Bounce your lawn out of winter with nitrogen – more Spring lawn care info
- Always water your fertiliser in
Establishing a new lawn
Fertilise before laying turf
A starter fertiliser like Sir Launcher is recommended to be applied before your turf is installed. It contains water crystals and essential nutrients that help to keep moisture in the root band during establishment.
After laying turf
After your lawn has been down for around 6-8 weeks, you can give it its first fertilise. Remember to always follow the recommended rate on the label as some of our varieties require a smaller rate.
Once established, a regular program of fertilising seasonally, or four times a year will ensure that your lawn looks great all year round!
Seasonal fertilising
Spring
Winter has been tough on your lawn, so to bounce it back, in September apply a complete fertiliser high in nitrogen to get your lawn out of hibernation.
Summer
After vigorous growth during spring your lawn needs another application of complete fertiliser. Regular mowing and watering will ensure your lawn looks its best.
Autumn
Prepare your lawn for the colder months ahead with a couple of applications of fertiliser in Autumn. You can fertilise once in March and then again in April/May.
Winter
If you remembered your autumn fertilise, your lawn will be prepared to manage the colder months of winter. Fertilise again in spring once the weather warms up.
Is your grass going to seed?
Commonly mistaken for weeds, seed heads can show up in your lawn a couple of times a year, usually in Spring and Summer. They look quite different depending on the lawn variety that you have and are your lawns natural ‘flower’, growing from the leaves themselves. They can often give your lawn a purple or white colour which can ruin the aesthetics of your lovely green lawn. It’s also good to know that most lawn seed heads in newly developed lawns such as soft leaf buffalo, kikuyu and couch are sterile, meaning that they will not spread into other areas and grow from these seeds.
Your lawn going to seed isn’t necessarily a bad thing however they don’t look or feel great underfoot. Most of the time, your lawn will stop going to seed on its own within 2-3 weeks and simply mowing them off will keep your lawn looking great.
If there has been a sudden change in the weather recently, the seeding will stop once the plant has adjusted. Although they are normal through some months of the year, if they are persistent and don’t go away, they could be a sign that your lawn is under stress from something, usually a lack of water or nutrient. If you haven’t recently, fertilise your lawn with a good quality slow release granular fertiliser. Double check that your sprinkler system is working effectively and give your lawn a good soak if needed.
