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drought tolerant grass variety

How do you know if your Sir Walter Turf is Certified?

Aug 23, 2019

The turf certification system ensures genetic purity, and assures that the production and delivery process is to the highest industry standards.

You’ve heard the term Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo turf. But, how do you know that your Sir Walter turf is certified, and what does certification of turf really mean?

Firstly, let’s look at why turf certification is important…

Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo grass has been around for more than 20 years.

Over 75million m2 of Sir Walter DNA Certified turf is being laid in Australia, and it’s still regarded as the number one lawn in the country.

But most importantly, when doing your turf research – you may have chosen Sir Walter for its hardy properties in self-repair, withstanding various climate conditions, and being extremely low maintenance.

After all, a turf variety with these characteristics seems like an investment. Right?

Correct! As long as it’s the real deal, AKA Certified.

So, what does it mean for turf to be Certified?

AusGAP is the Australian Turf Accreditation Program which was established for the country’s leading turf producers, to provide consumers with assurance that their turf adheres to a stringent set of quality standards.

The AusGap turf certification system not only ensures the genetic purity of a grass variety, but provides assurance that the entire production and delivery process is undertaken to the highest industry standards, while meeting environmental and safety standards.

AusGAP stipulates that to achieve Certification, a turf variety must:

  • Be true-to-type (with genetic purity)
  • Pass a pre-harvest test to be visually free of disease, weeds and/or pest damage
  • Be free of any other foreign varieties at the time of harvest

So, how do you know that you are getting Certified turf?

There is a long process in the development of a new turf species and many factors are documented in great depth in their application to complete its registration, such as breeding history, leaf colour, leaf shape, length of internodes – all the characteristics that determine a variety.  

Claims regarding specific characteristics such as shade tolerance, or drought resistance must also be substantiated.

Once a variety has been certified, it can be licensed to turf growers who must plant it on sterilised land, free of weeds, pests and foreign turf varieties. 

As the turf grows, it is then subjected to a minimum of four inspections by the grower and two inspections by an AusGAP representative.

This means in Australia that only AusGAP Accredited turf farms will be provided with a license to grow these particular certified turf varieties.

SirWalter-DNA_OB_Landscape


Why you can trust
Cobbitty Lawn Turf

Cobbitty Lawn Turf is an AusGAP Accredited, family business that has been producing premium turf for over 35 years. 

This means that if you purchase your turf from a Lawn Solutions Australia turf grower like Cobbitty Lawn Turf, you can be assured that the turf variety you are purchasing is exactly what you are paying for. 

This is particularly important if you have an area that requires a particular level of shade tolerance, wear resistance, drought tolerance or required growth rate.

Here at Cobbitty Lawn Turf, our team work together daily to achieve all requirements needed to be an AusGAP Certified Grower. 

In short, this means that we have met all environmental and safety requirements while producing your turf to the highest of quality standards.

Cobbitty Lawn Turf Delivery Truck

Your Product Warranty Certificate

In late 2015, Lawn Solutions Australia conducted an extensive DNA testing process with all their members, to further ensure that all Sir Walter that is produced and sold by their members is the genuine, high quality turf product that Australians know and trust.

As proud members of Lawn Solutions Australia, with every Sir Walter purchase, that is made through Cobbitty Lawn Turf – you will be issued with  a Lawn Solutions Australia Certificate of Warranty.

This certificate is a 10-Year Product Warranty Certificate, and your guarantee that you are receiving genuine Sir Walter DNA Certified Turf.

SirWalter-DNA_Warranty-Certificate

So to be safe when purchasing your turf, always be sure that you are purchasing from a Lawn Solutions Australia member such as Cobbitty Lawn Turf, and look for the Sir Walter DNA Certified logo!

To talk to us about ordering your genuine Sir Walter DNA Certified grass, please don’t hesitate to give us a call here at Cobbitty Lawn Turf on (02) 4651 0000.