Before we get to the meat of todays edition. We have two important announcements! 

 

If you saw our social media post earlier this week, you would have noticed an unfamiliar face in the line-up. We have been lucky enough to welcome aboard Jack Plunkett, a Green Keeper who has come across to us from 13th Beach Golf Club. Jack is a very welcome addition to the team, with his bright personality and positive attitude. 
Please join us in welcoming Jack to the Lawn Addicts Team.

 

The second announcement

 

 

Water is the essential ingredient for a lush, green lawn. However, the delicate balance between too much and too little water can significantly impact its health and vitality.

By understanding and implementing proper watering techniques, we can optimise water usage and ensure our lawns thrive. Deep, infrequent watering encourages deep root development, making the lawn more drought-tolerant. Additionally, watering during the early morning or late evening hours minimises evaporation, ensuring that the water reaches the root zone effectively.

While some facilities may have abundant water resources, others must carefully manage their water usage. By learning from experienced turf managers and adopting water-wise practices, we can strike the right balance. Programs like those in Victoria and Western Australia offer valuable insights into efficient water management strategies.

The duration of sprinkler run times can vary significantly based on factors such as pressure, flow rate, and nozzle type. It's important to calibrate and maintain sprinklers to ensure even water distribution and avoid overwatering or under-watering specific areas. By carefully monitoring and adjusting sprinkler settings, we can maximise water efficiency and minimise waste.

 

See the below picture for a guide. 

 

Another important thing we need to be aware of is our soil type. As the soils have differing water absorption (infiltration) rates, we need to be wary of not over watering certain soil types, mainly clay, as we can waste water by irrigating to the point of run off, wasting water and money.

 

Another key to water management is adjusting water requirements seasonally. Usually (apart from 2024) we say to stop watering during the winter months, as mother nature usually takes care of that for us, this year she seemed to take a holiday. Usually we work backwards starting with the highest water requirements in the warmest months and adjust it down from there leading to little or no irrigation during July and august... A lot of electronic timers have a “seasonal adjust” function to them.

Or if you do it manually the below guide is a good place to start. 

 

 

For the Addicts keeping up with our warm season free lawn plans, were approaching Special Fex applications, and for those who use it, Primo Maxx (if required) . Be sure to check the GDD calculator to ensure you are applying Primo Maxx at an appropriate time.

 

For the Addicts keeping up with our Cool season free lawn plans, were approaching Special Fex and Phosfighter applications.