WA Lawns & Gardens Archives - Silverstone Gardening https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/category/wa-lawns-gardens/ Fri, 20 Sep 2024 04:23:39 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-silverstone-gardening-bookmark-32x32.png WA Lawns & Gardens Archives - Silverstone Gardening https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/category/wa-lawns-gardens/ 32 32 Which fertilisers are best for WA lawns? https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/which-fertilisers-are-best-for-wa-lawns/ Thu, 23 Jun 2022 01:47:51 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=4037 The post Which fertilisers are best for WA lawns? appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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What’s the best lawn fertiliser for my lawn? A full guide.

For new gardeners and lawn lovers picking the right fertiliser can be daunting and confusing. It’s hard to know if you are buying a quality product or buying some fancy marketing.

Here is a quick, easy to use guide to match the right fertiliser to your specific lawn goals. All products here can be sourced from Ralphy’s Lawn and Garden Supplies, a great WA business. All the fertilisers in this article are produced by WA companies and can be purchased online and delivered to your door by Ralphy’s.

Click on the link to find up to date pricing and to make an order. Conversely, if you would prefer that a professional looks after your lawns and gardens for your then contact Silverstone Gardening for a quote today.

Should I Use Liquid or Granule Fertiliser?

Both are great, but they have different purposes. So one type may be better suited for your goals.

Put simply, liquid fertilisers are fast acting, but short lived. You will likely see improvement 4-24 hours after application, but the benefits will only last 2-4 weeks. They give a beautiful even colour if applied correctly and are great for colder weather.

Granule fertilisers are usually slow or controlled release. They last a lot longer, most average around 6-8 weeks, some 10-12 weeks and a rare few will even last 6 months. In Perth conditions it granule fertilisers can loose effectiveness when the cold winter weather hits.

If you are looking for long lasting results use granule fertiliser, if you want a quick colour boost or a good option for winter use liquid fertiliser?

How much fertiliser should I use in WA conditions?

It is very common for WA lawn lovers to over fertilise and to over water (click here to find how to correctly water).

The simple advice is to follow what the manufacturers label says. If you are using a new product for the first time and the label says “30-50g per m2” I would apply 40g per m2 as my first application and adjust for future applications based on how my first application went.

When is the best time to fertilise a lawn in WA?

Here is a basic sample calendar to help you understand what a yearly program might look like. You can follow this as general timing guide, if you follow this you will have huge improvements to a tired, patchy lawn. However, to get the best results use the fertiliser guides at the bottom of the article to find the exact fertiliser that best suits your goals and starting condition.

I WA it is best to fertilise year round. Our sandy soils are so lacking in nutrients that they need to be regularly supplemented to have a thick, lush, healthy lawn.

Yearly Fertiliser Plan For WA Lawns

Here is a basic sample calendar to help you understand what a yearly program might look like. You can follow this as general timing guide. If you follow this you will have huge improvements for a tired, patchy lawn that gets inconstant to no fertilising.

MonthFertiliser
JanuaryBaileys 311: 40 grams per m2
FebruaryNone
MarchBaileys 311: 40 grams per m2
Aprilnone
MayBaileys Turfect Green Plus: 4ml per m2
JuneBaileys Turfect Green Plus: 4ml per m2
July Baileys Turfect Green Plus: 4ml per m2
AugustBaileys Turfect Green Plus: 4ml per m2
SeptemberBaileys 311: 40 grams per m2
OctoberNone
NovemberBaileys 311: 40 grams per m2
DecemberNone
Baileys Fertiliser Yearly Lawn Plan

Our 8 best lawn fertilisers for WA lawns

All of these fertilisers are made by WA companies and suit WA conditions. If you are in Perth, Albany, Geraldton, Bunbury or Broome these products will be great for your lawns.

6 Great Granule Lawn Fertilisers For WA Lawns

I want to help my patchy, struggling lawn

Eco- Prime Red

Eco-Prime Red Lawn Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Eco-Prime Red is a great fertiliser to help root and stolon growth. This is a unique mineral fertiliser which combines a complex blend of nutrients like Potassium Sulphate and granulated Soft Rock Phosphate with premium biology, including Mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus solubilisers (including Bacillus megaterium).

My lawn is okay, but I want a boost in colour and health.

Eco Prime Emerald

Eco-Prime Emerald Lawn Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Eco-Prime Emerald gives lawns a fantastic colour and a great growth boost. It is not just a complete rock mineral NPK fertiliser, but is also made with with beneficial microbes. Eco-Prime Emerald was made to enhance your lawn by providing balanced nutrition and strong root growth.

Baileys 311

Baileys 311 Lawn Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Baileys 3.1.1. Granulated is a Western Australian designed and manufactured product tailored to our soil profile and conditions. It is a “homogenous compound fertiliser” which simply means that you will get very even nutrient distribution. A great product for WA lawns

I want to help may lawn recover from a vertimow/lawn renovation

SG Renovate (Also known as Spraing and Autumn)

Baileys Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

This range of fertilisers are actually commercial grade fertilisers made available to the public (which is why there isn’t fancy branding on the packaging) . SG renovate is a fantastic fertiliser for after completing a lawn renovation. High trace elements give a beautiful colour and a balanced of NPK helps recovery and healthy growth.

I want a deep green colour

SG Maintain (Also known as Gold)

Baileys Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

This gives some of the best colour response that we have seen (this is the fertiliser used in the video earlier in this article). Extremely high Iron and high Nitrogen cause amazing colour. This is from the same range as the fertiliser above which is why the packaging is the same.

I want a starter fertiliser for new lawns

Eco Prime Purple

Eco-Prime Purple Granule Lawn Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Eco Prime Purple has a sophisticated blend of nutrients. Everything from high Potassium through to a granulated silicate mineral complex, which is enhanced with Mycorrhizal fungi and Nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It is a great fertiliser to apply when laying new turf

2 Great Liquid Lawn Fertilisers For Perth Lawns

I want a colour boost and an increase in growth.

Turfect Green Plus

Baileys Turfect Green Plus Liquid Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Green Plus is a professional grade, liquid fertiliser, formulated to produce deep green colour and vigorous turf growth quickly.

As a foliar applied product, it can be applied throughout the year, particularly in cooler months to maintain colour and health. It provides a readily available source of essential turf nutrients, nitrogen, iron, magnesium and manganese to rapidly address deficiency.  

I want a deep green colour without an increase in growth.

Turfect Rapid Green

Baileys Turfect Rapid Green Liquid Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Rapid Green is a professional grade, liquid fertiliser, formulated to produce extended deep green colour on turf, without growth.

It does this by providing a readily available source of iron and manganese to rapidly address deficiency and induce chlorophyll production. The results are quickly seen. A great product for any lawn lover.

If you have other questions about lawn fertiliser, how to apply it or anything else, check out our Complete Lawn Fertiliser Guide at this link.

However, if when reading this article, everything seemed too complicated and you just want a professional to look after your lawns and gardens, then contact us today. Silverstone Gardening hire experienced and qualified gardeners who can solve issues and make huge improvements with WA lawns and garden. Get in touch for a quote today.

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The Complete Lawn Fertiliser Guide https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/the-complete-lawn-fertiliser-guide/ Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:44:04 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=3911 The post The Complete Lawn Fertiliser Guide appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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The most common questions we get asked about lawn fertiliser

If you are a lawn lover, learning about lawn fertiliser can be confusing and technical. In this article, we break down the most common questions we get and use our experience – having helped thousands of clients with their lawns – to help you get the results you are after.

Feel free to read the whole article or skip the questions that are most important to you right now; whatever is of most help to you.

What is lawn fertiliser?

Firstly, fertilisers are natural, chemical, or mineral compounds that supplement lawns and plants, giving them essential nutrients they are not getting from the soil. Secondly, fertilisers help plants and lawns grow deeper roots, healthy green leaves, and become more tolerant of stress. They also help plants grow more flowers and more fruit.

Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) (collectively, NPK) are known as macronutrients and are the main nutrients that lawns and plants need to survive and thrive.

There are many different micronutrients, often called trace elements, that also have huge benefits to lawns and plants. However, they are just needed in smaller quantities compared to NPK. Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Molybdenum (Mo), and Magnesium (Mg) are all examples of micronutrients/trace elements.

When you read your fertiliser packaging, there will always be numbers on it that look just like this.

lawn fertiliser nutrient analysis (Silverstone Gardening)

This shows exactly how much macro and micronutrients are in your fertiliser. This essentially is the same as the nutritional analysis on the packaging of food but instead of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, the fertiliser analysis includes Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

If you are trying to achieve a specific goal with your fertiliser program, you can find out the macro or micro nutrients you need and then look for a suitable brand or make of fertiliser that meets your lawn or garden’s nutritional requirements.

What do Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium do in lawns?

Here is a very simple breakdown of what Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium do for your lawn.

  • Nitrogen: Increases your lawn’s leaf colour and growth.
  • Phosphorus: Increases the development and growth of your lawn roots.
  • Potassium: Improves overall lawn health

Why are there both granule and liquid lawn fertilisers?

Lawn fertilisers come in two forms: granule and liquid. They have their own unique benefits so are often used to compliment each other.

What’s the difference between granule and liquid fertilisers?

Granule lawn fertilisers:

Granule fertilisers are absorbed through the roots, are often slower acting, and longer lasting. Most brands last 6-12 weeks but some can last up to six months.

granule lawn fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Liquid lawn fertilisers:

Liquid lawn fertilisers can be absorbed through the leaf or the roots. Being absorbed through the leaf makes them much faster-acting; sometimes you can see visible results in under 4 hours. However, they are also much more short-lived, usually only lasting between 2 and 4 weeks.

liquid lawn fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

How do I apply fertiliser to my lawn?

Fertilisers need to be applied evenly over lawns. If the application is uneven or patchy, the results will be uneven or patchy.

For home lawns, granule fertilisers can be applied by hand, using a hand-held spreader or a walk-behind spreader. Liquid fertilisers can be applied by a watering can, a hose-on bottle, a pressure sprayer, or through a reticulation system.

What is the best way to apply lawn fertiliser?

The best results from any fertilisation will come from the most even applicators. If the fertiliser is applied unevenly over the surface the results will be patchy uneven colour. Here are the best ways to apply granule and liquid fertilisers

Granule lawn fertiliser:

For granule fertilisers apply with a handheld spreader or walk-behind broadcast spreader. These spreaders will evenly throw the fertiliser as you walk across your lawn, giving the best results.

Handheld spreaders are great for small lawns and are much cheaper than walk-behind options. Walk-behind broadcasters throw much further and as a result, are much quicker for large areas.

Throwing the fertiliser by hand is likely to create patchy results so we would not recommend this as an option.

granule lawn fertiliser application methods (Silverstone Gardening)

Liquid lawn fertilisers:

For liquid fertilisers, apply with a pressure sprayer (as pictured below) and use a fan nozzle (most high-quality sprayers will come with a fan nozzle, along with other nozzle options). This will deliver a fine, even mist as you walk across your lawn. For more information on applying liquid fertilisers through a pressure sprayer, click here (this link will take you to a video; watch from 2:40 onwards).

Whilst you can apply with a watering can or hose-on applicators, it is very difficult to give the whole lawn the exact same amount of product. However, the biggest issue is that these applicators will usually apply fertiliser with too much water. This excess water washes the fertiliser off the leaf which, for most liquid fertilisers, will reduce the product’s effectiveness.

Although they are uncommon, there are some liquid fertilisers that should be watered in. If this is the case, then a hose-on applicator could be considered if a pressure sprayer was not an option.

liquid lawn fertiliser application methods (Silverstone Gardening)

How long does it take lawn fertiliser to work?

If applying a liquid fertiliser, you should expect to see results in 4-48 hours depending on the product, time of year, and starting state of the lawn.

If applying a granule product, it can take 2-7 days before you start seeing results but the improvements often continue for weeks.

Check out these amazing results we had at one of our client’s lawns in Canning Vale, Perth WA.

When is the best time to fertilise my lawn?

Spring is generally considered the best time to fertilise, however, fertilising should not be a once-off event. Remember, if you are using a liquid fertiliser, the benefits may only last 2-4 weeks; granule fertilisers will generally last 6-8 weeks.

In many areas, you can and should fertilise year-round.

Can I water my lawn after fertilising?

If you are using a granule fertiliser, then yes, you should definitely water the lawn after applying the fertiliser. This will help get the fertiliser off the lawn leaf and down into the soil where it is needed. If you do not water it in, you risk burning the lawn and causing more damage than good.

If you are using a liquid fertiliser, then the answer is generally no, you should not water the fertiliser in. This is because most liquid fertilisers work best when absorbed by the leaf. Watering the fertiliser off the leaf will often reduce its affect.

However, there are some exceptions to these rules. To be sure that you are applying your fertiliser correctly, always read the label.

How long should I water my lawn for after fertilising?

For granule fertilisers, you should run a full reticulation cycle with 10mm of watering. If you don’t know how to set your sprinklers to give 10mm of water, read our how-to article here.

For liquid fertilisers, you should not water your lawn after application (there are some very rare exceptions so read the label to check before applying).

Is it okay to put lawn fertiliser on wet lawn?

For liquid fertilisers:

No. This will dilute the spray and may cause the fertiliser to run off the leaf. Both dilution and run-off will reduce the effectiveness of the fertiliser.

For granule fertilisers:

Yes. But only if the product is going to be watered in immediately after application. However, if a granule lawn fertiliser is applied to a damp leaf and then not watered in immediately, you may run the risk of staining or burning the lawn as shown in the photo below.

Some lawns are so big that it is not advisable to apply granule lawn fertiliser to a wet law. By the time you have finished applying, there is a chance that the product may have already started burning or staining the lawn.

lawn burnt from lawn fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

Should I fertilise my lawn before or after rain?

For liquid fertilisers you should avoid applying on rainy days.

After rain, damp leaves will dilute the spray and may cause the fertiliser to run off the leaf. As mentioned above, both dilution and run-off will reduce the effectiveness of the fertiliser.

For granule fertilisers the answer is a bit more complicated.

It depends on how much rain is going to come and how likely the rain is to come.

Lawn fertilising before rain

When you SHOULD NOT fertilise before rain:

  1. When the rain is going to be a heavy, long-lasting downpour: Too much rain can cause the fertiliser to break down too quickly and leach too far into the soil. Once the fertiliser has leached away, it is of no use to your lawn anymore.
    Too much rain can also wash newly applied fertiliser off the lawn. Both events are bad for your lawns (and also the environment).
  2. When the rain is inconsistent or too light: 1-2mm of rain in the hour after fertilisation can cause the fertiliser to sit on damp leaves. If this is the case for too long – as mentioned above, – you may run the risk of staining or burning the lawn as shown in the photo above.

When you SHOULD fertilise before rain:

  1. When you are certain that your lawn will receive 10-15mm of water within 1-2 hours.

Lawn fertilising after rain

When you SHOULD NOT fertilise after rain:

  1. When the lawn is damp and too wet to successfully water in.
  2. When water is pooled on the lawn.

When you SHOULD fertilise after rain:

  1. When the lawn leaf has dried and the soil is not pooling or waterlogged.

Can I over-fertilise my lawn?

Yes, you can over-fertilise a lawn. There are some bad consequences that come with over-fertilising and, unfortunately, this is actually quite a common occurrence for WA homeowners.

Two ways you can tell if you have over-fertilised your lawn:

  1. The lawn has become burnt and crispy after applying lawn fertiliser: This may happen in patches or over the whole lawn. This is caused when too much fertiliser is applied per square meter in one application. For example, instead of applying 30g per m2, we apply 90g per m2 hoping that we may triple the benefits. Unfortunately, instead of more benefits, there are only negatives.
  2. The lawn has become thatchy/spongy, is hard to mow, and is easy to scalp: Three factors can cause this:
    1. The lawn is fertilised with too much nitrogen, too often. This is especially common when using high-nitrogen fertilisers like Urea (read here for more info)
    2. When the lawn is over-watered.
    3. When the lawn isn’t cut very frequently.
why thatch is bad for lawns graphic (Silverstone Gardening)

If your lawn is spongy and thatchy, often the only solution is to vertimow the lawn. This can be very expensive, so avoiding over-fertilisation will save your bank account a bit of pain.

Should I mow my lawn after fertilising?

No, you should not mow your lawn after fertilising. If you mow after applying liquid fertiliser, you will cut off the fertilised leaf before it has had a chance to be fully absorbed into the plant. If you mow after applying granule fertiliser, you will most likely suck up a large percentage of the fertiliser you have just applied.

Even if you are mulch mowing (a type of mowing that recycles clippings and doesn’t use a catcher), you will chop up the small fertiliser granules, which will make your fertiliser break down quicker. This means that the fertiliser will not benefit the lawn for as long as advertised and will require reapplication much more frequently.

For most situations, it is best to wait at least 2 days before mowing

What should you do next?

I hope you have found this article very helpful. If you are now looking for a great fertiliser for your lawn and you live in Western Australia, click this link. We give a list of the best fertilisers for WA conditions.

However, if when reading this article, everything seemed too complicated and you just want a professional to look after your lawns and gardens, then contact us today. Silverstone Gardening hires experienced and qualified gardeners who can solve issues and make huge improvements with WA lawns and gardens. Get in touch for a quote today.

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The most common reason Perth Citrus leaves go yellow https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/why-perth-citrus-leaves-go-yellow/ Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:31:44 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=3591 The post The most common reason Perth Citrus leaves go yellow appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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Yellow citrus leaves are a common problem in WA. There are a few reasons why citrus leaves will turn yellow. Cold temperatures, over-watering and under-watering are all causes of yellow leaves. However, in Perth conditions we rarely get cold enough weather to cause yellowing and watering is seldom the issue.

After 10 years of gardening throughout Perth, I have found that the most common reason for yellowing leaves in citrus trees is a lack of nutrients. Happily, the good news is that it is also one of the easiest problems to fix.

The quick fix

The quick and easy fix will be to simply apply a fertiliser that contains the nutrient that your citrus tree is lacking. For most people, this will be as easy as going down to the local Bunnings or nursery and buying a citrus specific fertiliser and applying as directed.

Our recommendations

Richgro Black Marvel Premium & Citrus Fruit

Why Perth citrus leaves go yellow - Black Marvel fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

This is a great option to quickly fix citrus nutrient deficiency. This citrus fertiliser is fast acting and lasts about 8 weeks. If applied correctly, most gardeners will see their yellow citrus leaves green and healthy again in a few weeks.

Follow the recommended application rates. Water in thoroughly. To prevent nutrient deficiency from recurring, reapply the fertiliser every 8 weeks.

Scotts Osmocote Citrus & Fruit Fertiliser

Why Perth citrus leaves go yellow - Osmocote Citrus & Fruit Fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

For most people, reapplying a citrus fertiliser ever 8 weeks is something they are likely to forget. For others, it may just seem like too much work. This Scotts citrus fertiliser has a special coating that causes the fertiliser to slowly release it nutrients over a 6 month period.

These coated fertilisers can be much more expensive per kg but are actually very good value for money when considering the results they produce.

Because of the slow-release nature of this fertiliser, it is not as good an option if a quick remedy is needed. However, these fertilisers do a great job of preventing the issue from coming back.

Troforte M Fruit and Citrus

Why Perth citrus leaves go yellow - Troforte M Fruit and Citrus fertiliser (Silverstone Gardening)

This product is another slow-release fertiliser lasting 6 months per application. However, in addition to having the nutrients your citrus tree needs, this Troforte fertiliser contains 24 species of beneficial microbes, bacteria and fungi. These beneficial microbes bacteria and fungi are specifically chosen to enhance fruit taste and produce better yields.

This product is available at most garden nurseries and is a great option for the serious gardener.

Which nutrient is my citrus tree lacking?

This photo below from ipipotash.org is really helpful in seeing the different nutrients that could be lacking in your citrus tree. One omission is that of nitrogen. If your citrus leaf is evenly pale and yellow all over, then it is likely lacking in nitrogen.

Which nutrient is my tree lacking? Why Perth citrus leaves go yellow (Silverstone Gardening)
Source:

If you would like a professional gardener to look after your lawns and gardens, contact us today for a quote. We hire qualified and experienced gardeners who can identify and solve your lawn and garden problems for you.

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Why Urea is bad for WA home lawns (+ 4 great alternatives!) https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/why-urea-is-bad-fertiliser-wa-home-lawns-4-great-alternatives/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 15:15:43 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=3302 The post Why Urea is bad for WA home lawns (+ 4 great alternatives!) appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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Don’t get me wrong, urea has a place in lawn and garden care, but if you are looking for a lush, green, stress-tolerant home lawn, steer clear of urea. I have four alternatives that will make a huge difference for your Western Australian lawn.

What’s the problem with using Urea?

When you fertilise your lawn or garden, there are different macro and micro nutrients that your lawns and plants need to thrive. The three main nutrients your lawns and plants need (macro nutrients) are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). In addition, there are lots of micro nutrients like Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Sulfur (S) and many more that are useful.

Nitrogen helps leaf growth and colour. Phosphorus helps roots, fruits and flowers. Potassium helps the plant’s general health.

Urea’s nutritional break down is simply this: Lots of nitrogen, nothing else.

Because nitrogen helps your lawn grow lots of dark green leaves, on the surface it looks like some really good things are happening, but these are literally just surface level improvements.

You see, the problem with urea is not that it has no benefits; it is that it doesn’t have enough benefits and in the medium and long term, this is going to have negative consequences for your lawn.

3 common issues with urea-fertilised lawns

  1. Too much growth which leads to a thatchy/spongy lawn.
    This thatch ultimately limits the lawn’s water and nutrient uptake which reduces colour and vibrancy in the hotter months. The only remedy for thatch is an expensive and laborious vertimowing service.
  2. No root growth promoted.
    This results in a lawns that struggle in the hotter months. It is not uncommon for these lawns to look green and beautiful until the very first heat wave comes.
  3. Little disease resistance.
    Because the lawn is lacking in key nutrients, it becomes weak and susceptible to some fungal diseases.

4 great alternatives that will give you a beautiful lawn

The following options are complete fertilisers from WA companies made for WA conditions. At Silverstone Gardening, we have used all of these products and have had great success. So, in no particular order:

Baileys Sure Green Gold/Maintain - Why Urea is bad for WA lawns

Bailey’s Sure Green Gold/Maintain

This fertiliser has 50% of it’s nitrogen readily available and 50% slow release. This means that your lawn will get an instant hit AND will also not need to be fed again for 10-12 weeks post-application. A high iron content means a deep, rich colour and moderate amounts of phosphorus and potassium make this a great fertiliser for the growing season.

Click here for more information on Sure Green Gold/Maintain

Baileys 4.1.1. - Why Urea is bad for WA lawns

Baileys 411

This product is a great winter fertiliser. It has a lot of phosphorus and a wide range of micro nutrients which is great for lawn health. It also has a form of nitrogen that is more readily available in the winter months.

Click here for more information on 411

Eco-Prime Emerald - Why Urea is bad for WA lawns

Eco-Prime Emerald

Emerald is a complete rock mineral NPK fertiliser impregnated with beneficial microbes. It’s a very good growing season fertiliser that gives a great colour and promotes root growth.

Click here for more information on Emerald

Eco-Prime Red - Why Urea is bad for WA lawns

Eco-Prime Red

Red has high potassium and very high phosphorus content which makes it great for promoting root growth and plant health. Great to use on new lawn and also on patchy lawn.

Click here for more information on Red

If choosing the right fertiliser is too complicated for you, contact us today. We can organise for an experienced gardener to diagnose exactly what you lawn need and apply the correct fertilisers to suit.

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Brilliant lawn without wasting water: a monthly watering guide for serious WA lawn lovers https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/brilliant-lawn-without-wasting-water-a-monthly-watering-guide-for-serious-wa-lawn-lovers/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:05:48 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=3264 The post Brilliant lawn without wasting water: a monthly watering guide for serious WA lawn lovers appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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A year long calendar guide to help you with you watering.

The photos above are of my lawn. It’s a mix of common Kikuyu and Village Green Kikuyu with a basic reticulation setup. You can see how the lawn started and progressed in the pictures below.

monthly watering guide for serious WA lawn lovers

Most people in Western Australia assume that to get these results, one needs to completely ignore the Water Corporation‘s sprinkler guidelines. Over-watering is wrongly assumed to be a necessary evil to get a beautiful lawn.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Believe it or not, these results came from using LESS water than allowed by the Water Corporation. Read on to discover the schedule I used.

Before we talk about the way I water for WA conditions, you will need to set your sprinklers up to get 10mm of water per station, per watering day. If you don’t know how to do this, this article I wrote will be of help. You will also need to understand how to make the most of your watering; more water does not always mean a better lawn (click here to learn more about that).

Once you have that understood, we can get to a month by month break down.

My Watering Calendar

  • January: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent if needed.
  • February: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent if one was not applied in January.
  • March: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm for the first 2 weeks. Once a week for the rest of the month if needed.
  • April: Sprinklers off. On occasion, one full watering day may be needed if there hasn’t been enough rain but this is unlikely.
  • May: Sprinklers off.
  • June: Sprinklers off.
  • July: Sprinklers off.
  • August: Sprinklers off.
  • September: Sprinklers off.
  • October: Watering a full 10mm but 1 day per week is typically enough. Up to 2 days may be required if temperatures are regularly over 30 degrees or if you see any wilting. Apply a high quality wetting agent and core aerate your lawn at the start of the month.
  • November: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm.
  • December: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent at the start of the month.

Other things to consider

Please note that this is to be used as a guide only. Some months may be hotter and drier than expected, so use common sense if you see any signs or heat stress like wilting or discolouration. In addition, this schedule will not work if you have broken sprinklers or clogged reticulation. Regular driving on the lawn, infrequent mowing or bad fertiliser practices all may have additional negative impacts on the health of your lawn.

If all of this seems like too much work for you, we are here to help. Contact Silverstone Gardening to organise a quote from one of our experienced and qualified gardeners

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The data-driven reasons why the WA ‘bore ban’ will not hurt smart lawn lovers https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/bore-ban-will-not-hurt-smart-lawn-lovers/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:35:11 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=3174 The post The data-driven reasons why the WA ‘bore ban’ will not hurt smart lawn lovers appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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On the 1st of September 2022, WA bore users will have their watering days reduced from three days per week to two days per week. Is a 33% drop in water usage a huge mathematical reduction? Yes. However, will that drop in water use negatively affect the health and quality of your lawn? Not if you are smart about it.
Here are 4 reasons why the WA ‘bore ban’ will not hurt smart lawn lovers and 5 examples to give you hope for the coming summer.

1. Wetting agents make a bigger difference than most people think (up to 20%)

In 2016, trials in WA conditions showed that using wetting agents can significantly improve soil moisture by 19.9% five weeks after application. Wetting agent producer SACOA (the makers of BioWett, Ralphy’s Refresh and more) released these figures on their website.

Wetting agents - the WA bore ban will not hurt smart lawn lovers

The reality is that it doesn’t matter how much water you put on your lawn. What truly matters is how much of that water actually makes it down to the root zone where it is needed.

There are many WA homeowners who will be shocked to find out just how much of the water they put on their lawn is being lost to evaporation and run-off. In most cases, the regular use of a quality wetting agent alone could make such a positive difference that a third watering day would not be missed.

2. Regular aeration makes your roots go deeper

Aeration reduces soil compaction. This, in return, increases water and nutrient uptake into the soil (10-30%). In addition, a huge benefit to reducing soil compaction is an increased root system.

In 2013, researchers showed that the harder a soil is to penetrate (caused by soil compaction), the less roots there will be.

Penetration to roots - the WA bore ban will not hurt smart lawn lovers

Deeper roots means there is more water and nutrient uptake. I believe that many lawn lovers in WA will get a more beautiful lawn from two days watering with aeration and wetting agents than three days of bore watering only.

3. Quality fertilisers increase root growth

Urea and other nitrogen-only fertilisers are overused in lawn care. Whilst they cause beautiful green colour and increase leaf growth, they have no benefit at all for the roots or the stress-tolerance of your lawn.

Complete, high quality fertilisers (like WA-produced Baileys and Eco Growth) have a balanced blend of macro and micro nutrients that will help your lawn grow healthier, not just greener. The results of regularly using these high quality products will be a more drought and stress-tolerant lawn, even with reduced watering days.

4. Less frequent, more effective watering produces healthier roots and a more drought-tolerant lawn

The more frequently a lawn is watered, the less need there is for the lawn to send down roots deeper into the soil. This results in a shallow root system.

The more shallow the roots, the more susceptible the lawn is to heat and drought stress. This is because soil on or close to the surface is more likely to experience evaporation, temperature change and drying out.

Consequently, the roots in these surface areas are more likely to become stressed and damaged. If too many roots are in these areas, the result will be a stressed or even dying lawn.

Deeper roots are shielded from these problems; this results in healthier, happier lawns during hot spells.

5 examples of great lawns on two watering days a week

I wanted to finish by giving some hope to WA residents. Whilst we could write about lawn care for days and explain the pros and cons of each service, I thought it would be simpler to just show the results.

Here are five lawns. Kikuyu, Couch and Buffalo lawns to show that success isn’t grass specific. All these lawns are on two days a week watering, these photos have been taking between October and May not during the winter months. All of these lawns are maintained by Silverstone Gardening and have received all the services mentioned above. The results speak for themselves.

There will be some WA gardeners who will be hurt by this decision but it won’t be the smart and proactive lawn lovers.



If reading this article seemed like too much effort, too complicated or you just want some help, contact us today.

Click here to find out what our clients have to say about Silverstone Gardening!

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3 Tips For Higher Quality Lawn Mowing https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/3-easy-tips-for-quality-lawn-mowing/ Sun, 13 Dec 2020 07:21:51 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=2129 The post 3 Tips For Higher Quality Lawn Mowing appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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I have spent over 10 years maintaining high quality lawns. In this blog I want to give you 3 tips from my experience to help you understand 3 simple changes to your mowing practices that can make a big difference to your lawn.

Mowing damages the lawn

A lot of people don’t think of mowing as “damaging” to a lawn. But, the reality is that mowing can be extremely damaging to a lawn. Especially if you are haphazard and careless about your lawn mower, mowing frequency and height of cut.

Let me show you three principles that will help give you a more beautiful and healthy lawn.

The one third rule

People have been maintaining turf and studying the effects of low and high quality mowing for a very long time. There is one timeless bit of advice that has been handed down through the generations of turf specialist. If possible, never cut more than one third off the leaf in a single cut.

Its simple but very effective. The more of the leaf that is removed when mowing the more stress the lawn is put under. This is especially important in hot weather. Obviously, this rule is not possible to follow if a lawn has been neglected for a long time and is overgrown. But for regular mowing one third should be the most that you want to remove from your lawn with each mow.

In my experience most people mow their lawn either when it a) looks to messy for them or b) simply cut it on a recurring schedule like fortnightly or monthly.

The problem with these frequencies is that in the growing season the lawn has often well exceeded the one third rule by the time it is cut. This causes more damage to the lawn and as a result the lawn can struggle for health and colour.

In WA, a weekly mow is much more likely to promote a beautiful, healthy lawn. If you find this surprising, remember that golf course putting greens are cut daily. It is true that it takes work to have a beautiful lawn. Frequency of cut is one of the first things you need to get right.

For the highest quality cut cylinder mowers are best

Don’t get me wrong Rotary mowers are great and have many benefits. But when it comes to the quality of cut cylinder mowers are in a league of their own. This is because cylinder mowers cut like scissors. You can see how it works on the freshly sharpened machine (engine has been removed for maintenance if you are wondering why it looks different).

Rotary mowers, on the other hand, cut with fast moving blades that slice through the lawn at high speed. These high speed blades don’t leave as clean a cut with the lawn blades having a frayed finish.

Swardman have this great image to demonstrate the different cuts

The end result is that the cylinder mower puts the lawn under less stress. If you are serious about your lawns health a cylinder mower is the way to go.

The Correct Height of Cut (HOC)

To have a great lawn you need to understand what height of cut you are going to have the most success with.

Every lawn variety has a different height that it prefers to be cut at. These are not hard and fast rules but guidelines. Typically cutting the lawn under its recommended height of cut will require more mowing, more additional services and it will be less tolerant of damage or stress. Cutting a lawn above the recommended height can cause the lawn to look untidy and can cause thatch problems.

Different situations like limited light or traffic may mean that cutting higher is better. If you want to go lower and are not worry about the extra work then as low as 3mm can be achieved with golf course machinery.

Here are our recommended guideline for the most common varieties of lawn. These are for lawn that do not suffer from thatch build up, being cut by a cylinder mower. Each is linked to an example of a lawn we have maintained in that height range.

Kikuyu: 15-40mm
Photo at 18mm

Kikuyu Gold Package Results

Buffalo: 20-45mm
Photo at 22 mm

Buffalo Gold Package Results

Couch: 10-30mm
Photo at 15mm

Couch Lawn Maintenance
Couch Gold Package Results

Conclusion

If all this talk about mowing is too much for you, but you are looking for high quality professional cut at your property, why not request a quote. Simply fill out the quote form at the bottom of this page and one of our friendly staff will be able to help you achieve your goals for your lawn. We service lawns from Mandurah, Rockingham, Baldivis, Canning Vale and surrounding suburbs.

One final note is that mowing is not enough to have a great lawn. To fin out more info on how to have a beautiful lawn click here

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Why Aeration is Crucial for Lawn Health https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/why-aeration-is-crucial-for-lawn-health/ Sun, 13 Dec 2020 05:09:30 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=2123 The post Why Aeration is Crucial for Lawn Health appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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A picture is worth 1000 words. This lawn in Canning Vale was struggling for health only 9 weeks later it is thriving. The difference has a lot to do with aeration. In this article I am going to share with you the basics of why aeration is import and how you can get these results in your lawns,

Aeration and Fertilisation in Canning Vale

Aeration Improvements Canning Vale

It’s all about access.

Here is the simple truth about lawn care. I doesn’t matter how much water or fertiliser is put on to your lawn. What matters is how much of that water and fertiliser actually makes it down to the root layer where it is needed.

Here is a common story happening all over Perth. People are putting fertiliser and water (literally tones of it) on their lawns every year, only to have vast amounts of it never get to the root zone where it is needed.

Compaction is the problem

Over time the soil underneath your lawn will become more and more compacted. This is especially true of heavily used lawns, like school ovals or front lawns that cars park on. As the soil becomes more and more compacted it becomes more difficult for water and nutrients to penetrate the soil and get down to the root system where it is needed.

A significant amount of water and fertiliser can end up washing away or evaporating before it has ever had any positive effect on your lawn.

Aeration relieves compaction in the lawn allowing water, air and nutrients to get down to the root layer.

Aeration is not the star of the show

If the only improvement service you give your lawn this year is a quality core aeration service you will see benefits. This will mainly come from the additional water getting down to the root zone.

However, if you combine this with regular fertilisation and wetting agents the results you will see will be exponentially better.

Aeration and Fertilisation in Baldivis

Aeration Improments Baldivis

This lawn in Baldivis was doing okay, but it wasn’t thriving. Coming out of winter it had lost some colour and needed some TLC. We gave this lawn a core aeration service with an application of complete lawn fertiliser and high quality granule wetting agent.

In conclusion

If you would like aeration at your house the best way to go about it is to get a cam driven corer. These machines give deep, clean holes. You can do it yourself, you will need to hire a machine to get the best results.

All of our aeration jobs are completed with the highest quality machine available. In addition you may find that for smaller lawn getting us in may even be cheaper than hiring a machine.

Fill out a quote form to get a no obligation quote.

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Don’t underestimate the power of fertiliser for WA lawns and gardens https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/why-fertiliser-is-so-important/ Sun, 13 Dec 2020 03:43:37 +0000 https://www.silverstonegardening.com.au/?p=2121 The post Don’t underestimate the power of fertiliser for WA lawns and gardens appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

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After more than 10 years of gardening, helping thousands of clients across Perth’s suburbs there have been several common mistakes that home owners and hobby gardeners make. Too many people under appreciate is the importance of fertiliser.

I am here to try and start a conversation about fertiliser and I hope that this simple blog will help you take your lawns and gardens to the next level. I don’t want this to be too complicated, we will keep things fairly basic. May this be the start of your lawn and garden improvement journey.

The basics

I believe that lawns and plants need 4 things to thrive,

  1. Water
  2. Light
  3. Nutrients and
  4. Protection from damage (bugs, disease, weeds, traffic etc.)

I think of these four points like four legs of a table. You can’t cut a leg off a table without it becoming shaky, unstable or even outright falling over. Likewise, you need all four of the above points for your plants and lawns to be beautiful and healthy, only having 3 is not enough.

So, to put it practically a lawn that receives plenty of water, enough light and is not being damaged by pests or diseases will still struggle if it is planted in poor quality soil lacking in nutrients.

The truth: Most WA soils have little to no nutrients.

It’s true. This is because Western Australian soil is, for the most part, sand. There are some areas, rare spots indeed, where this is not the case. But these spots are few and far between. The sandy soils in WA are very hydrophobic and are almost completely lacking in any of the core nutrients needed for most plants and almost all lawn varieties to survive without some supplementation.

The reason why fertilising is crucial is because fertilisers contain the nutrients that our lawns and plants need to thrive. This means that for most plants and lawns that we place in our gardens if we do not replace the soil they are in or supplement with fertiliser they will be completely missing one off the four legs they need to stand on.

More water is not the answer

An honest but common mistake that I see with those new to gardening is that when a plant starts to go yellow, they add more water. It is a very deceptive problem and maybe you have done this too.

It is deceptive because it is sometimes the case that a yellow leaf will indicate insufficient water (usually though this will be accompanied by wilting or drooping leaves). However, it is far more common that a yellow leaf (Chlorosis is the technical term) is actually being caused by a lack of nutrients. Minerals like Nitrogen, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese and others are essential for plants. Without them the plant cannot photosynthesize. When the plant starts to yellow it may be crying out for a good feed not a good drink and in some cases adding more water will actually do more harm than good.

If you need help with how to set your reticulation click here.

Take Action: Which fertiliser is best?

So now we know that fertilisers are needed, they give the nutrients our plants and lawns are lacking . The obvious question remains. Which fertiliser should you use?

Whilst there is a lot to learn about fertilisers here are 3 fool proof tips that will help even a complete novice to get great results.

3 Basic tips for picking fertiliser.

  1. Don’t get so caught up in brand names or prices that you never take action. A general, cheap NPK fertiliser applied as recommended on the packet will do a great amount of good for most plants struggling for nutrients. Whilst there are differences in brands and some fertilisers are better than others, a good or even average fertiliser applied today is better than a perfect fertiliser that is never applied.

    However, if you are looking for some recommendations for great WA lawn fertilisers read our article here.
  2. Follow the label. Many brands have specific fertiliser mixes for specific types of plants and they advertise these on their packaging. There are fertiliser mixes for lawns, citrus, roses, vegies, fruit and more. These are not gimmicks, the fertiliser have been mixed with these plants in mind. Some will be better than others, but a cheap citrus blend applied as recommended to a citrus tree will do a great job.
  3. Don’t go crazy. Maybe your lawn is yellow and you are now super excited, having discovered the power of fertiliser, to make it green again. I have been there before. The temptation in this situation is to over apply, double the recommended dosage hoping that your lawn improvements will be twice as good in half the time. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. Too much fertiliser can burn the lawns or plants you are caring for or even cause other issues. In addition if you over apply you may simply find that most of it just gets washed away.

    Remember that the fertiliser manufacturer wants you to succeed when you use their fertiliser. This way you will buy more of their fertiliser in the future. Trust their recommendations, they have done the tests for you and know the best ratios to apply for each circumstance to get great results.

Conclusion

Now you know the basics. Go and make your lawns and gardens thrive!! Also take some before any after pictures, it can be really rewarding.

If all this seems a bit to complicated or to time consuming for your busy schedule fill out a quote request and one of our gardeners will be able to come and help you achieve your goals for your lawns and gardens.

Have a great week.

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