Expert Lawn Care Tips for Perth Gardens

Jan 11, 2023 | Lawn care

If you’re a homeowner in Perth, you know that maintaining a healthy and well-manicured lawn can be a daunting task. With our hot and dry climate, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the best practices for lawn care in order to keep your grass looking green and lush. In this blog, we’ll be sharing expert lawn care tips and tricks for keeping your Perth garden looking its best, including information on watering, fertilising and mowing.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie to lawn care, we’ve got you covered with practical advice and helpful insights. So let’s get started on achieving the lawn of your dreams!

Why Taking Care of Your Lawn is Important 

A well-maintained lawn can add value and beauty to any home. It provides a safe and attractive outdoor space for children to play and serves as a natural backdrop for outdoor gatherings and activities. A healthy lawn also has environmental benefits, as it helps to filter pollutants, reduce erosion, and cool the surrounding air.

However, maintaining a healthy lawn requires time, effort, and a good understanding of the specific needs of your grass and soil. This is especially important in Perth, where the hot and dry climate can pose challenges for lawn care. By following some expert lawn care tips, you can keep your lawn looking its best and enjoy all the benefits it has to offer.

Our Expert Lawn Tips for Perth

Along with some of our tips on choosing the right lawn and helping it establish, we have also compiled our top expert lawn tips for taking care of your lawn to keep it healthy, vibrant and green! 

Let’s start at the beginning… 

Choose the Right Lawn

The first step in maintaining a healthy lawn is choosing the right grass for your climate and soil. In Perth, the most common types of grass are buffalo, couch, and kikuyu.

Buffalo grass is a low-maintenance option that is well-suited to the dry and hot climate of Perth. It is drought-tolerant and can withstand heavy traffic, making it a good choice for areas with children or pets. However, it is not as resilient as some other grass types and may require more frequent watering and fertilising to keep it looking its best.

Couch grass is another popular choice for Perth lawns. It is a hardy grass that can tolerate drought and heat, and is resistant to pests and diseases. However, it can be more difficult to maintain than some other grass types, as it requires regular mowing and may require additional watering in summer.

Kikuyu grass is a fast-growing grass that is popular in Perth due to its ability to tolerate drought and heat. It is also resistant to pests and diseases, and can withstand heavy traffic. However, it can be more difficult to control than other grass types and may require regular mowing and maintenance to keep it looking its best.

When choosing a grass type for your lawn, consider your climate, soil type, and the amount of maintenance you are willing to commit to. It is also a good idea to consult with a local lawn care expert or the staff at a garden centre for advice on the best grass for your specific needs. 

Should you choose to seed your new lawn or use roll out turf?

When choosing between seeding or turfing a new lawn in Perth, there are a few factors to consider. Seeding is typically more affordable and can be done at any time of year, but it does require much more maintenance and can take longer to establish. Turf, on the other hand, is more expensive but is quicker to install and requires less maintenance while it is established. It is also available year-round and can be used immediately after installation.

Establish Your New Lawn

If you are starting a new lawn from scratch, there are several steps you can take to ensure its success.

1. Prepare the Soil

Before planting your grass, it is important to prepare the soil by removing any weeds or debris and adding compost or other organic matter to improve the soil structure. You should also test the pH of the soil to ensure it is within the optimal range for grass growth (between 6.5 and 7.0) and level the ground. 

2. Plant the Seed/ Lay the Turf

If you are seeding your lawn, once the soil is prepared, you can plant your grass seed. Rake the soil to create a smooth, even surface, and scatter the seed evenly over the area. Gently water the seed and keep it moist until it germinates. 

If you are laying turf, apply a layer of compost or other organic matter to help improve the soil structure and add nutrients and water the soil well to ensure it is evenly moist. Once all the turf is in place, water it thoroughly to help it settle into the soil and promote root growth.

3. Watering

You’ll need to apply for a watering exemption from the Water Corporation to allow you to water your lawn or garden outside the watering roster while it is established. Only apply for a water exemption on the day your lawn or garden is installed so you get the maximum amount of extra watering days. If you don’t have an exemption, you can receive a fine – so don’t risk your lawn or your wallet! 

4. Fertilise

After your grass has germinated, it is important to fertilise and water regularly to ensure it grows strong and healthy. Follow the instructions on the fertiliser package for the best results, and water your grass deeply and evenly to avoid drought stress.

Tips on taking care of your new lawn

Maintaining a lawn in Perth, Australia can be a challenging task due to the hot, dry climate and the high potential for weeds and pests. However, with proper care and attention, it is possible to keep your lawn looking healthy and beautiful. Here are some tips on how to maintain your new lawn in Perth:

Fertilise Your Lawn

Fertilising your lawn can help to promote healthy growth and keep it looking green and lush. There are several types of fertilisers available for use on lawns, including slow-release fertilisers and liquid fertilisers. Choose a fertiliser that is specifically formulated for use on lawns, and follow the instructions on the package carefully.

Water Your Lawn

One of the most important aspects of lawn care in Perth is proper watering. The key is to water your lawn deeply and less frequently, rather than shallowly and frequently. This helps to encourage deep root growth, which makes your lawn more drought-resistant. In general, your lawn should be watered once or twice a week, depending on the weather and the type of grass you have. It is important to avoid over-watering, as this can lead to fungal diseases and other problems.

Mow Your Lawn 

Mowing your lawn regularly is an important part of maintaining its health and appearance. The key is to mow often enough to remove the top one-third of the grass blades, but not so frequently that you remove more than this. Mowing your lawn too short can weaken the grass and make it more susceptible to pests, weed growth and diseases. It is also a good idea to change the direction of your mowing pattern each time you mow, as this helps to prevent the grass from becoming compacted and encourages healthy growth. Our top tip for weed control; if weeds have already gone to seed  use a ‘catcher’ so the seeds aren’t spread throughout the lawn again and can be disposed of correctly. There are many ways that lawn mowing keeps your lawn healthy and green so it’s important to do it correctly! 

Control Weeds

 Weeds can be a major problem for lawns in Perth, especially during the hot summer months. To keep your lawn weed-free, it is important to regularly inspect your lawn for weeds and remove them as soon as you see them. There are several types of weed control products available for use on lawns, including herbicides and weed-and-feed products. It is important to choose a product that is safe for use on lawns and follow the instructions carefully.

Protect your lawn from pests

Pests, such as grubs and chinch bugs, can be a major problem for lawns in Perth. To prevent pest problems, it is important to regularly inspect your lawn for signs of pests and take steps to control them if necessary. This may include using pest control products, such as insecticides or nematodes, or practising good cultural practices, such as maintaining proper soil moisture and mowing your lawn at the recommended height.

Repair damaged areas

If you have areas of your lawn that are damaged or patchy, it is important to take steps to repair them. This may include reseeding the area, adding new sod, or applying a lawn repair product. Follow the instructions on the product carefully, and be sure to water and fertilise the area as needed to encourage healthy growth.

Will you use our lawn care tips? 

By following these expert lawn care tips, you can install and maintain your lawn to help keep it looking healthy and beautiful. Remember to be consistent with your lawn care routine, as this is the key to maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn.

If you know you need to use these lawn care tips but don’t have time – you can hand over the lawn care to us! Just call us on (08) 6263 4645 or contact us at Perth Gardening Experts to come and help you with your lawn and entire garden as part of one of our garden maintenance packages.

Best Methods for Weeding Lawns

Jan 10, 2023 | Lawn care

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and weeds are rearing their ugly heads! While Perth’s warmer weather during early spring and summer helps your lawns and plants thrive – these same conditions also boost weed growth. 

There’s nothing more frustrating than pesky weeds invading your perfect lawn. But rest easy, we’re here to help by sharing the best methods for weeding lawns.

Read on for our top ways to achieve a weed-free lawn.

Why Removing Lawn Weeds is Important

Removing lawn weeds is important because not only does a weed-free lawn looks attractive, but even small weeds can damage your lawn by:

• draining vital nutrients/hydration
• blocking sunlight 
• crowding grass leaving bare/brown patches.

The best way to keep your lawn weed-free is to remove weeds before they seed and germinate.

Types of Common Perth Lawn Weeds

Weeds are managed differently, depending on whether their growth cycle is annual, biennial or perennial.

Annual, Biennial or Perennial?

Annual weeds like Wintergrass and Bindii live for one growing season and regerminate from seed. Watch for them in new turf/soil and recently cultivated beds. 

Tackle them annually before they seed — otherwise they’ll plague you for years. Many have shallow roots and can be hand-pulled, but herbicides may be needed.

Perennial weeds like dandelion and clover go dormant but return yearly. They’re challenging to manage, regrowing from underground bulbs, rhizomes, taproots or from seed. 

Remove roots fully and without delay — to reduce regrowth, try a pre-emergent herbicide.

Biennial weeds like thistles and ragwort produce vegetation in year one but no flowers/seeds until year two. They aren’t common in lawns, but are best dealt with in year one. 

If they’ve already taken hold, remove central taproots to prevent regrowth. Spot herbicides can also help. 

Broadleaf and Grassy Weeds

Broadleaf and Grassy weeds are the main weed types. Sedge is another type, more common in cool climates. How you treat weeds is influenced by growth cycles, and which of these categories they fall into.

Visit our blog for more info on common Perth weeds like clover, nettle, soursob and bindii.

Best Methods to Remove Weeds From Lawns

Now you know the basics, here are our top weed-busting tips!

Hand Weeding Tips

Hand weeding is ideal for managing weeds in young turf, and useful for ongoing maintenance. 

Tackle weeds young — remove the whole weed (including roots) so it won’t regrow. Pull gently in one direction to stop roots breaking. 

Don’t forget about garden beds — otherwise weeds will spread to your lawn!

Take extra care with weeds that have bulbs, rhizomes, or extensive root systems like onion weed, soursob and nutgrass. Consider using a spade, tiller or weed puller to fully remove roots, as roots left behind will regrow. 

Pros and Cons of weeding lawns by hand:

Hand weeding is environmentally friendly, and works well for young weeds, and doesn’t damage lawns. 

It may be too time-consuming for large areas with many weeds. Consider what’s best for you —  our friendly team at Perth Gardening Experts can advise you.

Mowing Tips

Mowing lawns is part of routine garden maintenance, but can also be important in managing weeds.

As well as maintaining appearances, regular mowing improves lawn health, discouraging weed growth, particularly for weeds that spread via seeds. 

When mowing established weeds, use a grass-catcher so cuttings containing seeds aren’t spread over the lawn. 

Mow to the recommended height and frequency for the grass type— for more information, see our comprehensive guide to mowing.  

Pros and Cons of removing lawn weeds by mowing:

Mowing can help promote healthy grass growth, and discourage some weeds. 

Not all weed types will respond. 

If you’re not sure what mowing approach is right for your grass or weeds infesting it, ask the experienced team at Perth Gardening Experts.

Natural & Non-Toxic Weed Killer Tips

Many gardeners worry about using herbicides. Perth Gardening Experts encourage use of natural/non-toxic weed killers where practicable. 

These can be cheap and simple, but like any weed killer, can harm your lawn if not applied with caution. 

Vinegar is a traditional favourite. A spray bottle with an accurate stream is needed, to ensure the vinegar goes directly on weeds, avoiding beloved plants! Salt can be added for potency, and liquid dish soap for ‘sticking power’. 

Baking soda draws water from weeds. Again, avoid contact with grass or other plants. 

Boiling water is another option. Take care to avoid splashes or burns, and don’t scald your lawn either! 

Steam is another non-toxic weedkiller. Purpose-built steam weed killing devices are available.

Mulch lawns with grass clippings. This blocks the sunlight weeds need to grow and also fertilises your lawn!

Pros and Cons of removing lawn weeds with natural weed killer:

Natural/non-toxic weed-killing options are more eco-friendly and safer than herbicides.

However, they can harm your lawn, and aren’t practical for large areas or very established weeds.

Herbicide (Chemical Weedkiller) Tips

Herbicides use chemical compounds to poison weeds. 

Active ingredients can include glyphosate, atrazine, dicamba, paraquat, triazine, diquat, glufosinate, metolachlor, urea derivatives, trifluralin, and surfactants. 

Herbicides can be pre-emergent (applied in winter to prevent seeds from germinating) or post-emergent (applied to established weeds, attacking existing roots/foliage).

Choose the right product for your weed varieties and grass type. For instance, there are selective herbicides specially formulated to kill Bindii weed,  without damaging Buffalo grass. 

If you’re unsure about what weed varieties or grass type you have, speak with a professional. Perth Gardening Experts can help you navigate the tangle of weeds, herbicides and grass types! 

When applying herbicides, SAFETY IS KEY. 

Many contain strong chemicals, so wear proper protective gear — a respirator mask, face shield, chemical resistant gloves/clothing, and boots. 

Keep animals and people away from areas being sprayed – check product safety instructions, and keep children and pets off lawns for however long instructions recommend (this could be hours or days).  

If the health risks of herbicides concern you, talk to the experts at Perth Gardening Experts about non-toxic, pet-safe options. 

Further safety information is available from the Department of Primary Industries website.

Weeding Lawns made easy with Perth Gardening Experts

Let’s face it: managing weeds is hard work, time-consuming, and can be frustrating if they keep returning. 

Our best advice is to keep on top of weeds. Hand-weed and mow regularly — and if that’s not cutting it, let us help!  At PGE, this is our area of expertise! . You can also find more expert lawn care tips here.

So if your lawn is full of weeds or you’re struggling to keep on top of mowing, why not spoil yourself and get some help? 

Call our friendly team on (08) 62634645, or contact us online today. We’ll transform your lawn and give you back your weekend!

20 Lawn Mowing Tips for a Healthy Lawn

Dec 8, 2021 | Lawn care

Whether you’re working out how to manage a lawn for the first time, trying to repair a neglected yard, or preparing to compete in Australia’s Best Lawn, we can help with the transformation!

In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of lawn mowing, then give some ‘garden geek’ lawn mowing tips to take your home turf to the next level!

Our Top Tips for How To Mow a Lawn

Many people mow their lawns on a standard setting and hope for the best, but if you’d like to keep your lawn looking great and staying healthy, we have some perfect tips for mowing the lawn. 

Keeping on top of your lawn care means no more wild, overgrown grass that chokes your garden, no more scalping or dead grass — you can feel good about your yard and know you’ve done everything possible to keep it healthy. 

Here are our top 20 lawn mowing tips to help your lawn stay picture-perfect.

1. Plant wisely

Choose the right grass type for your garden’s aspect and soil type (turf farms provide great advice on this). 

Once lawns are established, avoid cross-contamination. For example, if your footpath is Kikuyu but your back lawn is Couch, clean your mower between mowing each area, as some grasses are easily transported and can take over.

2. Water with care

This is crucial: water well so your lawn can thrive. 

Choose the right time! Watering during the heat of the afternoon risks burnt grass. Watering at night can cause disease. Morning watering between 6am-9am in moderate temperatures gives the best results!

New lawns require frequent watering. 

Most lawns can be watered 2-3 times a week in warm weather, once established. Drought-tolerant grasses need less water.

3. Take Your Time 

Our first lawn mowing tip is simple: take your time! 

Rushing mowing can lead to missed patches or over-mowing. Keep your mower at a medium setting. For tricky spots like corners or borders, go slow and steady. 

This keeps your lawn looking well cared for, and reduces strain on your lawn mower.

4. Maintain Your Lawn Mower  

This simple step is often neglected. Service your lawn mower regularly (or have someone service it!) This reduces the chance of it breaking down unexpectedly.

A mowing schedule is important to keep your lawn looking its best. You can’t stick to a schedule if your mower is out of action! 

To service your mower:

• clean the body (brush and soapy water) and small engine components (degreaser)
• clean air filters to remove dirt/buildup / replace when necessary
• check/replace oil in four-stroke lawn mowers — (check oil, refill if needed, replace annually)
• top-up fuel — check there’s enough for a full mow
• drain and replace fuel monthly 
• check pull-cords, replacing frayed or stretched cords
• keep lawn-mower blades sharp.

Dull blades tear grass instead of cutting cleanly — ends can then become brown and unsightly. Blunt blades can also rip holes in the lawn!

So how do you know whether to sharpen blades or replace them? First, check for damage. Replace bent blades and any with nicks, or cracks – where blades are just dull, sharpen them. 

5. Avoid Mowing a Wet Lawn!

If you’ve watered recently or it has rained, let the grass dry before you mow — mowing a wet lawn can damage the lawn and your mower! 

Clumps of wet grass can clog mower blades, the grass can tear and go brown, and lawns can be exposed to disease.

6. Trim Your Edges 

Trimming edges can give your lawn a polished, well-cared-for aesthetic. 

First, create a straight line to guide you — use a plank, or twine and pegs. 

Where edges are overgrown, use a half-moon edger to cut dense growth. Grass shears are perfect to reach tricky spots, then whipper-snip edges to create a precise border. 

NOTE: always wear safety glasses, ear protection, long trousers and enclosed shoes when using a whipper-snipper. 

Check which way the wind is blowing, and cut in the opposite direction to avoid blowback.

7. Adjust the Cutting Height on Your Mower

Always adjust the cutting height to suit your grass type and weather before you mow. 

If you need to change this, turn off the mower by unplugging (electric mowers) or turning off the engine (petrol mowers).

Before adjusting height, allow the mower to cool down. 

On many electric mowers, blade height is adjusted via a single lever. Petrol models often have a lever between each tire and the deck. For specific suggestions, check your instruction manual. 

8. Consider Your Grass Type

Many people just cut their grass on the default setting whenever they have time and hope for the best!

To take your lawn care up a notch, work out the optimal timing and blade height, based on grass type and season. 

There are four main lawn types in Western Australia — Buffalo, Zoysia, Kikuyu and Couch. The first three are the most popular. Each is cared for slightly differently — we offer our ideas on this, but recommended methods vary.

Buffalo grass: cut to 20-50mm in sun, 50-70mm in heavy shade. Mow weekly in warm weather, every 3 to 6 weeks in winter.

Zoysia: cut to 20-50mm in sun, 50-70mm in shade. Mow fortnightly in warm weather, every 3-8 weeks in winter.

Kikuyu: cut to 25-50 mm. Mow weekly in warm weather, every 3 to 6 weeks in winter.

Couch grass: cut to 10-25mm in sun, 15-35mm in shade. Mow twice a month in summer, monthly in winter.

9. Don’t Cut Lawns Too Short

Too-short grass goes brown and patchy. For a lush green lawn, don’t cut more than two-thirds of grass length at a time.

Cutting grass extra-short to save mowing so often may seem efficient, but the grass will become stressed, wilt, and be vulnerable to pests and weeds. Then it’s more work to repair the damage! 

So how short is too short? In WA, don’t cut your lawn shorter than 20mm because of the heat and sandy soil. 

10. Double Cut an Overgrown Lawn

Grass left too long without mowing grows inconsistently, with some areas taller than others. 

Tall lawns can go to seed, leaving them looking more like an overgrown garden of weeds! 

Here, double-cutting is the answer — mow your lawn in two separate sessions to reduce length. This gives your lawn a chance to recover. Remember, never reduce grass height by more than one-third in one session. 

11. Stay Safe 

Don’t Mow In Full Sun

Mowing in the heat of the day is bad for you and the lawn! Mow at cool times of day to avoid your lawn becoming heat-stressed. 

Take Care On Slopes 

If your lawn slopes, be extremely careful. 

Mowing upwards on a hill with a self-propelled mower can be dangerous. The mower blades are facing you – if you slip or fall the results could be disastrous. 

Mow downhill, go slowly and don’t stop on the slope if you can avoid it. 

Steep hills are tricky on a ride-on mower, particularly if mowing parallel to the hill. Mow perpendicular to the hill, moving downhill slowly. 

NOTE: Never take risks on steep slopes. Check the angle of your hill using an inclinometer (available from gardening shops or as a phone app.) Any angle greater than 15° is too risky.

12. Don’t use chemicals right before mowing

Insecticides and chemicals can damage your lawn mower, your grass and the environment if used carelessly, or right before mowing.

13. Don’t Cut Newly Sown Lawn

When you plant a new lawn, it is tempting to mow it as soon as it grows. Don’t! Your lawn needs time to grow strong roots and blades — this takes about 3-4 weeks. 

Let your lawn grow a little higher than usual at first (usually 40-60mm). Mowing too soon causes ‘scalping’, leaving wheel tracks and torn patches.

Read our blog here for more information on how to take care of your new lawn and more top lawn care tips here.

14. Lawns for All Seasons

Just as we live differently from season to season, our lawns change too!

Summer Lawns

Warm-season grasses common in WA like Buffalo, Zoysia, Kikuyu and Couch like to be cut a little shorter in summer. However, to avoid scalping/patchiness, don’t remove more than one-third of the length. 

Heat stresses grass, so give your lawn more TLC in summer. Fertilise and water well early. 

Autumn Lawns

During autumn, reduce mowing frequency. Let lawn length increase slightly for more surface area to soak up sunlight. This strengthens grass in preparation for winter. 

Fertilise around Easter — there’s still enough sun for fertiliser to give your lawn a boost, and sustain it during winter. 

Winter Lawns

In winter, aerate your lawn so oxygen and water can reach the roots.  Do this yourself with aeration boots or buy/hire an aeration machine. 

For smaller lawns, aerate by digging a garden fork into the lawn every few centimetres and tilting it.  

Spring Lawns

All grass types need fertiliser in spring to recover from Winter and prepare for Summer. The best fertilisers also suppress weeds.

We also recommend pesticides to tackle insects, and dethatching to remove excess dead grass-runners. 

Note: This information focuses on warm-season grasses grown in Perth and most of WA. Cool-season grasses, usually only used in southernmost WA, are managed differently. Information on these is readily available online. 

15. Get Creative with Cut-In Patterns

We all love a natural-looking lawn, but ‘lawn stripes’, diamonds, zigzags and other decorative patterns really make a lawn stand out!

Patterns are created by cutting and rolling lawns geometrically. Bends in the grass then reflect light at different angles. 

Here are our lawn mowing tips to help you to create fantastic patterns. 

1. Grow your lawn taller.

• Use a guide like your driveway to cut in straight lines.

1. Buy a striping kit to roll grass. 
2. Fertilise/re-seed for an even more striking effect

16. Grass Clippings as Mulch or Compost

Don’t throw grass clippings away! Clippings make great mulch or compost. 

Lay clippings around 6mm deep as mulch, or combine with brown material for a fast, high-nitrogen compost.

When the lawn needs only a light trim, leave dry clippings on the lawn as a natural fertiliser.

17. Lawn Edging

Lawn edging gives a finished look, stops grass from invading gardens, and can make your lawn the envy of neighbours… 

Bricks are a popular edging. Other options include prefabricated concrete, plastic, metal or timber, or spade-cut edges. 

Whatever your choice, edging will look tidier and separate lawns from garden beds.

18. Eco-Friendly Lawn Mowing 

If eco-friendly gardening is important to you, a manual, battery-powered, solar or electric lawn mower can eliminate fumes. This healthy choice helps reduce pollution. 

19. Help Damaged Grass Recover

Be generous with water,  and try mowing in different directions each time you mow, to avoid wheel ruts.
Raise the mower-blade height a little to help the lawn recover from drought, disease or insect damage. 

Topdressing is a great way to help patchy or uneven lawns recover, read here for more tips on topdressing your lawn.

20. Make Life Easier 

If you don’t love pushing a lawn mower, there are other options. 

Automatic self-propelled mowers are easy to use. Ride-on mowers allow you to sit while you mow.

Robot lawn mowers mow your lawn automatically (like a Roomba)! They handle slopes, are smartphone compatible, and mow when it suits you.