Plant Warm Season Grasses in Summer!
Australians love a lush, green lawn in summer and now is the time to plant WARM season grasses. Plenty of lawns go in at this time of year and they’ll thrive if you choose the right seed and follow some simple steps to get it to germinate and survive in the early weeks of establishment.
What type of lawn should I sow in summer?
New lawns being sown in Mainland Australia in summer should be sown using Warm Season Grasses.
WARM SEASON GRASSES include Couchgrass, Kikuyu, and Zoysia. They grow best in temperatures between 28 and 32 degrees celsius. They have better heat and drought tolerance than cool season grasses and are suited to warmer regions e.g. New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
If you need instructions to follow as you prepare your ground, fertilise and sow your seed you can download our Step by Step Guide to growing a lawn from seed.
Protect the lawn from invasions of kids, animals and bird until germination.
Watering your Lawn
Following the sowing of your warm season lawn seed you’ll need to water gently with a fine spray hose. It’s important not to blast the seeds and treat them gently so they stay put! Throughout the days and weeks you’ll need to keep the soil moist.
If you happen to get a period of hot or windy weather then keeping the soil moist throughout will ensure germination and stop the seed from being burned by the sun.
Caring for your lawn after germination
Further details can be found on our Step by Step Guide page but it’s important to note the following:
- The first mow is an important one! Make sure the lawn is around 4-5cm tall and trim lightly.
- Fertilise once the lawn has begun to grow and then complete some regular feeds to ensure it thrives. We recommend Landscape Range KickStart Fertiliser applied at a rate of 3kg of fertiliser per 100m2.
- Using Earthway fertiliser spreaders like this one can make the job even easier.
It’s important to note that Warm season lawns always look their best in summer. They will change and go into a dormant phase during the winter when they’ll look less green than in summer. Warm season grasses bounce back quickly once the warmth comes back into the soil in spring and the new growth begins.
Following winter we also recommend a fertilise and overseed (if necessary) to bring back the greener colour and growth.
Browse our range of Warm Season Grasses:
Landscape Range All Season Kikuyu Blend
Landscape Range All Season Couch Blend