Repairing Damage To Your Buffalo Lawn
There are so many reasons why Australia’s number one buffalo grass is Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo.
Standing the test of time, this premium buffalo lawn variety has proven time and time again that it can grow anywhere, in any conditions, with little maintenance required.
Bred to be soft yet tough, buffalo turf holds superior qualities which make is extremely versatile and hardy.
However, we know that even that toughest of buffalo lawns can sometimes cop one of many causes of damage that require repair.
Never fear, we’ve taken a look at some of the most common buffalo grass defeats, and what you need to do to bring your beautiful lawn back to it’s best!
Let’s look at some of the most common causes of damage to buffalo lawn Australia-wide, and how to repair each case!
Family & General Traffic Damage
Over time, games of backyard footy and your family’s most frequent backyard foot traffic paths, such as from the house to the clotheslines, pool and garden shed can leave these sections of your beautiful buffalo turf worn down and in some cases going bare.
What happens over time, is that this repeated foot traffic and general wear causes hard compacted soil.
The Fix!
Aerating your soil regularly will allow oxygen, nutrients and water to penetrate to the roots of your buffalo turf.
After aerating, level any lower (compacted) ground with good quality soil and/or a small amount of sandy topdressing, so that it is level with your healthy buffalo turf.
This will provide a nice soft base for the turf to produce a runner and repair itself.
Next, treat the damaged parts of buffalo lawn to a good feed and water!
Get into a regular program of fertilising and watering whilst your buffalo turf is repairing itself.
Fertilise every 8 – 9 weeks and water a couple of times a week (you can get away with just watering the bare areas)
TIP: Whilst your buffalo grass is repairing itself, it is important to help it along by minimising traffic as much as possible.
Depending on the time of the year and the size of the worn down patches, the repair process will generally take a couple of months to fully repair.
Pet Damage
If you have a mischievous pet or two, then you’ve taken the right first step by choosing Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo turf for them to roam around on!
If anything can stand up to the daily tendencies of our beloved furry friends, it’s buffalo grass!
Dogs and other pets can cause a range of different (and sometimes surprising) damages to our beautiful buffalo lawns!
The Fix!
For compaction due to continuous use of certain tracks, like suggested above – start with aeration, then fertilising, and so on.
TIP: To keep your furry friend off their usual path whilst it repairs itself, try leaving alternate ‘trails’ of small treats or toys around your yard.
Another important note about compaction is that moist and heavily shaded areas will suffer the most, so some extra drainage and attention will be required of these areas.
For digging, divert, divert, divert! Often digging is a sign of boredom, so stop this problem in its tracks by leaving a few toys or treats to divert their attention from your beloved buffalo lawn, and help keep them amused!
For urine burns, make sure your pets are drinking plenty of fresh water, but also try dog rocks.
Putting Dog Rocks® into your dog’s water bowl may be the answer for preventing any more urine stains from affecting your buffalo lawn.
They will stop any new yellow spots from appearing, and are perfectly pet friendly. The burns already existing will come good on their own within about five weeks. Pick up Dog Rocks® from Bunnings or Petbarn!
Please practice safe buffalo lawn care around pets!
When fertilising or using pesticides, keep your pets inside and off the lawn for a while until the danger has passed. Also, check the product safety recommendations to ensure that no tragic accidents occur.
Once fertilisers have been spread, make sure to water them in really well, so that it disappears into the lawn profile.
For herbicide use, wait until it has dried and absorbed before letting your pets back out onto the lawn. If your pet is likely to eat fertiliser granules, make sure you always use an organic or liquid fertiliser instead.
Australian Weather Damage
We know all too well that Australian weather can range from one extreme to the other, sometimes all in the space of a day!
By choosing a Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo grass, you’ve already given yourself the very best chance of your lawn surviving the elements. But, what to when the conditions become just too much for your beloved buffalo turf to handle?
The Fixes!
During periods of extended heat and sun, water your buffalo turf once a week for around an hour. This will water it deeply, encouraging deeper root growth which helps to make it more drought tolerant.
TIP: Water between 4am and 10am so the water has time to penetrate before the heat of the sun simply evaporates it.
Also, treat your lawn to regular mowing during extended dry periods. Make sure not to mow too low as this will cause stress to the grass roots. But also, don’t mow too high. We recommend sticking to the length your lawn is accustomed to.
For more on helping your buffalo lawn survive the Summer heat, click here.
For too much cold, shade and moisture, the first thing to do is ensure that your buffalo grass has a means of drainage. Other actions you can take are aeration and reducing shade where possible.
Too much moisture and not enough sun can quickly start causing problems such as moss growth.
To remove moss, either physically remove with a spade or rake (ensuring to get the roots too), spray with a mixture of water and dishwashing liquid, or apply a moss killer.
For more tips on caring for your buffalo grass during Winter, click here.
Grub Damage
The good news is, buffalo lawn species including Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo are more tolerant to infestation and will spring back from any damage far better than other grass varieties.
But, even the most premium of turf varieties can come under grub attack, particularly during the warmer months! The first signs of grub attacks are brown patches in your buffalo grass, and increased bird activity in your yard.
The Grub Check
Method 1: Splash soapy water around the edges of the affected areas. If you have grubs, they will start to surface after around 10 minutes.
Method 2: Lay a wet towel, hessian bag or piece of carpet over the affected area. If grubs are present, they should surface by morning.
The Fix!
Lawn Solutions Australia Grub Guard is a fast acting and highly effective treatment for lawn grubs.
Because surface dwelling lawn grubs emerge from the soil to feed at night, the most effective time to apply the treatment is in the early evening.
TIP: Fertilising your lawn after the insecticide treatment is a great way to fast track the recovery time.
If you have a Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo turf, your lawn is sure to self repair and bounce back quickly after treatment!
For more information on protecting your buffalo lawn against grubs, click here.
Weed Infiltration Damage
Unfortunately for us lawn lovers, there are a nasty range of weed types – some typically rearing their ugly heads in Summer, and others in Winter.
The good news is, one of the superior qualities of Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo turf is its tight growth habit, which supports its ability to hold out most weeds.
But, if weeds to slowly creep their way in amongst your beautiful buffalo grass…
The Fix!
The trick is to identify and remove weeds early – dig them out by hand when they are young, small and easy to remove.
Once they get larger it becomes harder to control them, and if they set seed they can quickly spread all over your lawn and garden!
Additionally, check your soil, aerate and top dress if necessary.
Mow regularly and fertilise to keep your lawn healthy and if weeds are still an issue either hand-weed or look at a selective herbicide such as Lawn Solutions OxaFert, that’s safe for your lawn.
Lawn Solutions OxaFert Herbicide & Fertiliser is a pre-emergent herbicide for control of many annual grasses and broad-leaf weeds in warm season turf.
You can buy OxFert on our website, click here.
Is Your Buffalo Grass Certified?
If you’ve not yet purchased your new buffalo turf, a crucial first step towards ensuring its protection against damage is to beware of imitator varieties!
Make sure your buffalo grass is DNA Certified!
Genuine Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo grass is only available from accredited Lawn Solutions Australia Members and Resellers. Only Lawn Solutions Australia turf producers like Cobbitty Lawn Turf grow ‘Breeder Guaranteed’ Sir Walter DNA Certified.
TIP: Be sure to check you have received a copy of Lawn Solutions Australia’s 10-Year Product Warranty Certificate of Authenticity with your buffalo turf order.
For more expert advice on preventing and repairing damage of your beloved buffalo lawn, please call our friendly team on (02) 4651 0000.
