How to prepare Sir Walter for its peak growing season
Sir Walter turf is famed for being able to grow pretty much anywhere on our island continent. Despite the range of Australian climates and the intensity of our weather extremes, Sir Walter has proven itself to be able to not just survive, but thrive in the most challenging of circumstances.
But while it has the ability to grow almost anywhere, there are places and times when Sir Walter will grow even better than normal. This period is what is referred to as ‘peak growing season’, and for Sir Walter – and indeed nearly all warm season grasses – this season is during autumn.
Autumn provides the perfect conditions for grass growth. In most of Australia this time of year is marked by warm – but not intensely hot – temperatures, gradually elevating rainfall and plentiful sun. It’s this combination of conditions that Sir Walter so enjoys.
So how do you prepare Sir Walter for this ideal time of year? Let’s take a look.
Slow release fertiliser
The first thing to do is to ensure that your Sir Walter has enough nutrients to sustain the strong growth that it’s capable of during autumn. Applying a slow release fertiliser is the perfect way to do so. Choose something with a high concentration of nitrogen (the ‘N’ in ‘NPK’) for best results.
Wetting the whistle
Just as your Sir Walter will need enough food to properly capitalise on peak growing season, so too will it need enough to drink. If autumn turns out to be rather dry, you’ll need to give your lawn a deep water (30 minutes or so) 2-3 times a week, provided that this doesn’t violate any water restrictions that your area has in place. Water in the early morning for the best effect.
A regular mow
It’s critical that you mow your lawn regularly both in the lead-up to peak growing season, and during the season itself. Mowing every weekend will promote dense, thick growth, and will ensure that even when growth is at its fastest, you still stick to the ‘one-third’ rule, where you never cut more than a third of the blade off at a time.
Autumn is not only Sir Walter’s favourite season, it also represents the perfect opportunity to strengthen your grass before what could be a challenging winter. It’s up to you to capitalise on this brilliant time of year.
For more information about Sir Walter, call your local Buffalo Turf experts on 1800 668 786.
