Today we turn our focus to our warm season grasses. The varieties that love a bit of heat if you have done everything correctly coming out of winter.  Most of your lawns should be well on the way to being fully recovered, if not be patient. This is the time of year that we should be able to see the colour starting to come back through and growth really starting to take off. 

 

Fertiliser.
A controlled release fertiliser with the appropriate nutritional balance this time of year is what we we should be reaching for now. This is your “maintenance fertiliser”.
If you are still looking for a bit more recovery, I would consider another dose of an upfront granular fertiliser such as, 2spec Accelerate (22% CRN), 2spec MSR,  Brandt Noculate XN (5% slowly available) or Andersons 17-0-14 (50% MU).  If you're looking for a liquid alternative Fertech Stimulus, Fertech Complete or Fertech Fusion (at the general rate) would be the way to go to give the grass a kick up the proverbial to get it moving

 

Set Mowing Height.
With your grass recovered enough you should be at the stage where you're your final height adjustments are made. Anywhere from 10-20mm is usually about right for couch and kikuyu 35-50mm for Buffalo, however if you're doing a golf green this can be as low as 3-5mm.

 

Prevention.
Probably your last chance for “optimal” timing on a pre-emergent herbicide, as any later than this and we are running into Paspalum, Crowsfoot and summer grass season. If you haven’t already applied a systemic insecticide such as Acelepryn, now would be great.

Don’t forget your soil.
Soil maintenance is just as important as grass maintenance. Keeping up with your amendments, especially wetting agent and kelp at a minimum. This would ensure your lawn has a great environment to grow in. If you wanted it to be better then there are always other products you can add into the mix, UMX for one.  This is a personal favourite of mine.

 

PGR, Plant Growth Regulators. 
These are an invaluable tool in helping to keep our lawns looking great. Again, some caution needs to be exercised when utilising these.  Our lawns must be in full health with no need for repair or recovery from damage.  It will help our grass not get “leggy” and have strands, which can cause other issues.  Early season applications of PGR can sometimes cause discoloration in your lawn, this is normal. The grass needs an adjustment period to the PGR. The first application can be at half the label rate to minimised this, essentially climatises your grass onto the PGR. This discolouration can be offset by applying an Iron product (such as Special Fex or Super Iron) to offset the colour loss. Something we recommend in our free lawn care plans. 

For the Addicts keeping up with our Warm Season free lawn plans we’re at that time again where we are doing our monthly soil amendments. So, the Hydrolink, Kelpro, and for those who use them, UMX, Fertech bio, Auxinone and Hicure

 

For the Addicts keeping up with our Cool Season free lawn plans. The basis of all our plans. Granular, Hydrolink, Kelpro, and for those who use them, UMX, Fertech bio, Auxinone and Hicure.