How do you choose between South Australia’s two most popular instant lawn varieties? Do you go with Sir Walter DNA Certified or TifTuf Bermuda?
These two varieties are quite different, so we’re confident you will find a reason to choose one over the other. Here we explain the main differences between Sir Walter and TifTuf to help you choose between them – Skip to quick comparison here.
Shade Tolerance
Our lawns are tiny little living plants grown together in one big patch. Just like other plants, they need sunlight in order to photosynthesise and grow, however they aren’t all created equal. Some varieties are more shade tolerant than others, so it’s important to understand how much shade your area gets and choose a variety that will thrive in that level of sunlight.
When comparing, remember both Sir Walter and TifTuf are happy in full sun and then:
Sir Walter DNA Certified is 70% shade tolerant – it only needs around 3 hours of direct sunlight to thrive.
TifTuf Bermuda is 50% shade tolerant – it only needs around 5 hours of direct sunlight to thrive.
Wear Tolerance
A big consideration for your lawn is what you plan to use it for. If you have kids and/or pets that will be actively using the area, you will want a lawn that can handle wear and tear and one that repairs quickly if damaged.
All warm season lawns have runners that can repair, but they do grow at different rates.
Sir Walter DNA Certified can handle traffic but isn’t as well suited to areas of heavy traffic or very active homes. It can repair but only by runners on top of the ground which are slower growing than that of TifTuf Bermuda.
TifTuf Bermuda has great wear tolerance. It grows quickly from runners above and below the ground so is a rapid repairer. TifTuf Bermuda is popular for areas of high traffic like football fields and tennis courts. If you need a lawn that won’t be damaged from frequent use, TifTuf is the number one choice.
Mowing
Every lawn grows at a different speed, and if you follow a good lawn care regime, you’re not supposed to mow more than one third of the leaf off at one time. This means, some faster growing varieties will require you out with the mower multiple times a week, whereas slower varieties can push this to every couple of weeks.
It’s important to note both Sir Walter and TifTuf are warm season lawns so they will go dormant through the cooler months and won’t need mowing much, if at all.
Sir Walter DNA Certified is a slower grower. In peak season, with lots of sunshine it can require mowing weekly, but every 10 days will generally keep it happy. It is one of our slowest growing varieties. You can also keep the Sir Walter leaf a bit longer, as long as you aren’t mowing more than one third off each mow.
TifTuf Bermuda grows very quickly. In peak season you can expect to mow every 3-5 days to keep it looking its best. TifTuf is a finer leaf variety and therefore likes to be mown low. It can also scalp easily (where brown patches form after mowing) if not maintained – BUT it will repair quickly. If you have a cylinder mower and love to ‘manicure’ your lawn, TifTuf is a great choice.
Fertilising
Fertilising is an essential component in lawn care and is another thing to add to your list of things to do when you get a new lawn. When comparing Sir Walter and TifTuf, it’s interesting to know that one requires less fertiliser than the other.
For all of our varieties we recommend the Lawn Solutions Australia Premium Lawn Food. It is a slow-release granular fertiliser so will give a slow boost of nutrients throughout the season. It lists our premium varieties like Sir Walter DNA Certified and TifTif Bermuda on the label too.
It is recommended to fertilise your Sir Walter DNA Certified 4 times a year. We recommend to do this at the beginning of every season – March for Autumn, June for Winter, September for Spring and December for Summer.
TifTuf Bermuda only needs fertilising 2-3 times a year. As TifTuf is already a fast growing variety and has an increased gibberellic acid production (a growth hormone), it doesn’t like or need a huge amount of Nitrogen. Fertilising in Spring and Autumn should keep your TifTuf happy.
Aesthetics
Arguably, the main reason we install lawn is to make an area look nice. We know you likely have a preference between a broader leaf lawn and a finer leaf lawn, so if none of the above convinced you one way or the other – this is the final choice between the two.
Sir Walter DNA Certified is a broad leaf lawn with a bluey/green colour.
TifTuf Bermuda is a fine leaf lawn with a deep green colour.
Sir Walter DNA Certified in a real home.
TifTuf Bermuda in a real home.
Hopefully this has given you some insights into the differences between Sir Walter DNA Certified and TifTuf Bermuda so you can make an informed decision between South Australia’s two most popular instant lawn varieties.
For a quick summary, take a look at the comparison chart below.
Quick comparison - Sir Walter or TifTuf Bermuda
Shade Tolerance
Wear Tolerance
Drought Resistance
Mowing
Fertilising
Leaf Blade
Cost
Up to 70% (3 hours sun)
High
High
Every 10-14 days
4 times per year
Broad Leaf
$15-$17 per m2
Up to 50% (5 hours sun)
Very High
Very High
Every 4-7 days
2-3 times per year
Fine Leaf
$17-$19 per m2
If you want to chat about your area and get the opinion of a professional, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our lawn consultants.
