Meet Mike!
He’s our turf production leader here at The Turf Farm – the one who ensures your lawn is top notch!
Mike has been with the business since his school days and has come a long way since then. He’s in control of everything turf related, ensuring its grown to the highest standards and that no pallet leaves the farm unchecked!
Hey Mike!
How long does it take to get the morning harvest done in spring?
This depends on the volume of turf we are cutting, it changes every day! On average, it takes about 3-4 hours to get all of the orders for the day harvested and loaded onto the truck.
How quickly can the production team cut 50 rolls (one pallet)?
If all is going well the team can cut a full pallet of turf in under 3 minutes!
Do you have a favourite lawn variety to cut? Why?
All varieties are a pleasure to cut as I get to look at beautiful lawns every day in my office chair (tractor seat). But my particular favourite to harvest is RTF Tall Fescue. It has a much finer root system which means the pallets always look neat and tidy.
What are your key recommendations to create a beautiful spring lawn? We want the best lawn in the street!
To get a beautiful lawn that is the envy of your street, firstly you need to choose the right variety for your area.
Ask yourself a few key questions:
Is the lawn going to be in shade, if so, how much?
Are there going to be any active kids or pets running around on the lawn?
How often will you, realistically, want to be out mowing?
Once you have the variety suited to your area, seasonal fertilising and consistent mowing will ensure that your lawn stays looking its best. When spring starts, give your lawn a fertilise and dust off your mower. Mowing promotes lateral growth and keeps your lawn strong and healthy.
As I spend most of my time looking after the lawn at the farm, my own lawn at home gets a bit neglected! I have a secret weapon, my Husqvarna auto-mower mows my lawn for me, and keeps it looking great!
What lawn variety grows back the quickest after being harvested?
TifTuf Bermuda and Eureka Kikuyu are the quickest varieties to grow back on the farm. They average around 9 months for full re-growth if the conditions are right
Which lawn variety takes the longest to grow back after being harvested?
Sir Grange Zoysia is definitely our slowest grower. It can take anywhere from 18 to 24 months for full re-growth! We have been conducting extensive trials on the farm to reduce this timeframe.
What conditions are required for warm climate grasses to come out of winter dormancy?
Warm-season grasses (Sir Walter, Tiftuf, Sir Grange, Nullarbor Couch or Eureka Kikuyu) will come out of dormancy once the soil temperature is consistently above 14°C. As soil takes a long time to warm up or cool down, we need consistent warm days to increase the soil temperature and get the grass growing again.
