Why Choosing the Right Turf is Important

If you are on the hunt for the perfect turf for your home, then you’ve either just built your brand new dream home, or you’re replacing your tired old lawn. Whatever the reason, choosing the right turf is important. Different grass varieties flourish in different conditions. When choosing the right turf, you need to find a turf variety that will thrive in your location and suit the activities that will be carried out on it.

If you choose the wrong turf for your property and intended use, it is likely that you’ll have to replace it in the future. Important factors to consider when choosing the right turf, include shade tolerance, soil quality, drought tolerance & watering requirements, maintenance requirements and intended use. All of these factors must be considered, to ensure that your lawn will thrive for many years to come.

Shade Tolerance

When choosing the right turf, it is particularly important to assess how much direct sunlight your lawn will receive as opposed to shade. All grass varieties require sunlight to grow and flourish, with some requiring more than others. When determining how much shade tolerance will be required from your new turf, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your lawn receive full sun or is it shaded by houses, fences, buildings, pergolas, sheds, trees, plants, etc?
• Will plants and trees grow over time and shade the grass?
• Are you planning to build any structures in the future, such as a shed, pergola, or house extension, that could impact or further shade your lawn?
• Are there any vacant blocks surrounding your property that may be built upon in the coming years?

When answering the above questions, take into consideration that your lawn will receive different amounts of sunlight in summer and winter months. Sapphire Buffalo and Shade master Buffalo have a high tolerance to shade and are great choices if your lawn will be shaded for much of the day. However, if you were to lay grass varieties such as Couch or Kikuyu Turf which have very low shade tolerances, it is likely that your lawn would eventually die off and need replacement. Therefore, choosing the right turf for your environment is very important.

Soil Quality

Before choosing a turf variety, it is important to check your soil quality and ensure that it will be able to support the growth of your new lawn. After all, if your soil type is not suitable for your chosen turf species, choosing the right turf won’t matter as it won’t have access to the nutrients it needs to thrive. First test soil pH levels and add lime to increase pH levels if they are below the recommended 6-7.5. If the soil is too compact or has a clay base, adding gypsum will help to break up the clay. Also, adding a top layer of organic matter will improve the soil’s structure, particularly for sand based soils, and improve growing conditions.

Drought Tolerance & Watering Requirements

Australia has a very dry climate and is prone to drought. Therefore it is important to consider that water restrictions may come into effect in the future, which means that your lawn may need to survive with minimal watering. All grass varieties require water to flourish, however there are some grass varieties such as Couch and Kikuyu turf, that require less water to survive.

Maintenance Requirements

If you desire a showpiece lawn that you and your neighbours will stop and admire, then you must be prepared to contribute a high level of maintenance. Maintenance includes mowing, fertilising, irrigation and more. However, if you are time poor and would much rather spend your precious spare time doing the things that you enjoy, there are grass varieties available, such as Palmetto Buffalo Grass, that require very minimal maintenance. In order to choose the right turf, consider how much maintenance you are willing to do. Also consider the growth rate of the grass, which will help you to figure out how much mowing will be required.