Kikuyu has been a favourite front and back yard lawn for decades.
When you go to lay your next lawn and ask around for advice, Uncle Bob will swear that Kikuyu is the only lawn you’ll ever want.
But why is Kikuyu so popular?
30-40 years ago, the average backyard was 200m²+ with lots of open space to kick a footy and run around with the kids.
Dad would be out there every Saturday with the mower making it look like your own MCG. This environment is great for kikuyu!
Kikuyu’s love wide open areas with plenty of room to grow, full sun and regular mowing.
Is Kikuyu good for smaller yards?
Nowadays backyards are continuously on the decline getting down to 50m² or 30m². Once you’ve put trees next to the fence, paved the walkways and bark chipped the garden beds, there isn’t a great deal of space or sun for your lawn to grow. And considering how busy life can get, we can’t all get out and mow every other day! These environments are not great conditions for kikuyu, as it loves space to grow and cannot handle much shade, and soon enough your Kikuyu lawn will be either dead or up to your knees and creeping into your neighbour’s yard.
Because both front and back yards have been getting smaller over recent years, the turf industry has researched and introduced new better performing varieties that are more suited to smaller yards.
And considering how busy life can get, we can’t all get out and mow every other day! These environments are not great conditions for kikuyu, as it loves space to grow and cannot handle much shade, and soon enough your Kikuyu lawn will be either dead or up to your knees and creeping into your neighbour’s yard.
Because both front and back yards have been getting smaller over recent years, the turf industry has researched and introduced new better performing varieties that are more suited to smaller yards.
If you think Kikuyu lawn suits your needs, then click here for more info on Kikuyu Lawn.
Lawn varieties that suit smaller yards
Varieties like DNA Certified Sir Walter Buffalo have been a favourite as it won’t grow and spread as vigorously as Kikuyu, can handle up to 70% shade as well as being low maintenance!
RTF Tall Fescue is a lush boutique lawn that is shade tolerant and green all year round.
Two new exciting varieties of lawn entered the turf industry in 2018
- TifTuf
- Sir Grange
These varieties both boast the same resilience as DNA Certified Sir Walter but with a finer leaf blade.
These varieties will perform exceptionally well in any application, and go above and beyond where a Kikuyu would have long since died.
So, the next time Uncle Bob tells you to get Kikuyu, look at your area and consider if another, more suited lawn variety would make your front or backyard into the slice of paradise that you’re after.
