summer lawn careโ
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Summer Lawn Care Australia: Complete Heat-Season Playbook
Summer is when Aussie lawns either thrive or struggle. Use this playbook to nail watering (depth and timing), mowing (height and cadence), and feeding (hose-on intervals) while avoiding heat-stress, hydrophobic soil, and surge growth. Works for buffalo, kikuyu, couch/bermuda, and zoysia.1) Summer Fundamentals
A. Watering that builds roots (not thatch)
- Depth & total: Target ~25โ38 mm/week in hot weather (rain + irrigation). Use catch cups to measure your system; adjust minutes until you hit the total.
- Timing: Water in the morning only. Night watering keeps leaves wet โ disease; afternoon watering evaporates.
- Cycle/soak on sands & slopes: Split into short on/off bursts so water infiltrates rather than runs off.
- Hydrophobic soil: If water beads and runs, apply a wetting agent, then repeat cycle/soak to push moisture deeper.
- Uniformity check: Pale stripes often mean clogged or misaligned heads. Balance the system before you chase fertiliser fixes.
B. Mowing for colour and recovery
- Height (home lawns): Buffalo 30โ40 mm; Kikuyu 25โ35 mm; Couch/Bermuda 20โ30 mm; Zoysia 25โ35 mm.
- Cadence: Little-and-often. Never remove more than one-third of the leaf in one cut; raise 2โ4 mm during heat spikes.
- Sharp blades: Dull blades bronze/yellow tips, especially after feeding. Sharpen before summer starts.
- Levelling: Light topdress in active growth to smooth humps that cause scalping.
C. Feeding: hose-on intervals (fixed rate)
- Rule: With a fixed-rate hose-on you donโt change dose; you change frequency.
- Summer cadence: Every 2โ3 weeks for fast colour and steady density; if mowing races, use the 3-week end.
- Application: Divide the lawn into zones that match the bottle coverage; outline edges first, then cross-hatch the interior; mow before feeding and avoid mowing 24โ48 hrs after.
D. Sun, shade & traffic
- Sunlight: Warm-season lawns want 6โ8+ hrs direct sun; in part-shade, keep a slightly higher cut and use the longer feeding interval.
- Edges & hardscape heat: Kerbs/paths heat up and dry out firstโhand-water after hot days; lift the mower one notch on perimeter passes.
- Traffic lanes: Rotate play routes; use stepping stones to protect crowns.
Recommended hose-on for quick, even summer colour: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow โ Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser.
2) Weekly Schedule & Heatwave Protocol
A. Your repeatable summer week
- Mon/Tue (Irrigation A): Morning deep session to contribute ~12โ20 mm. Use cycle/soak on sands.
- Wed (Mow): Set height per grass type; sharpened blades; collect clippings only if thatch is building.
- Thu (Feed when due): Every 2โ3 weeks with hose-on. Mow before feeding; donโt mow for 24โ48 hrs after.
- Fri/Sat (Irrigation B): Second deep session to bring the week to ~25โ38 mm total (rain + irrigation).
- Sun (Spot-care): Hand-water edges/hot strips; quick visual check for armyworm/grubs and dry patches.
B. Heatwave protocol (โฅ35 ยฐC or hot winds)
- 48โ24 hrs before: Do a full deep watering so the root zone starts wet; raise mowing height 2โ4 mm.
- On the day: No mid-day watering (evaporates). A brief late-afternoon syringe (3โ5 min) can cool crowns in extreme heat, but resume deep sessions next morning.
- Feeding: Avoid feeding immediately before or during the peak heat day; apply on the next calm, mild morning.
- After: Resume normal cadence; hand-water edges and high-heat strips.
C. Early / Mid / Late Summer keys
Early Summer
- Confirm irrigation output (cups test); fix coverage now.
- Begin hose-on cadence every 3 weeks (shift to 2โ3 as temps climb).
- Light topdress to smooth scalping areas; set mowing heights.
Mid Summer
- Cadence every 2โ3 weeks; use 3-week end if mowing races.
- Cycle/soak watering; wetting agent if water wonโt penetrate.
- Edges: hand-water after hot, windy days; lift perimeter mow 1 notch.
Late Summer
- Keep interval steady; donโt โover-correctโ with extra feeds.
- Plan spring renovation: note compaction/thatch zones for aeration.
- Start easing toward autumn cadence as nights cool.
Product fit for this schedule: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow โ Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser (apply by interval, not dose).
3) Troubleshooting & FAQ
A. Quick diagnosis โ fix
- Yellow tips after mowing: Dull blades or too low โ sharpen; raise 2โ4 mm; mow more often.
- Stripey/pale bands: Uneven watering or feed pattern โ cups test; cross-hatch hose-on; split into coverage zones.
- Brown patches in heat: Dry profile or hydrophobic soil โ wetting agent + cycle/soak; resume normal cadence.
- Spongy feel / mower sinks: Thatch/compaction โ increase mowing frequency, avoid surge feeding, plan core aeration in active growth.
- Edges always pale: Perimeter heat & scalping โ hand-water edges after hot days; lift perimeter mowing height; outline edges first when feeding.
- Sudden chew/rapid thinning: Check for armyworm at night or grubs (turf lifts easily). Treat per label; then return to normal schedule.
B. FAQ
How often should I fertilise in summer?
With a fixed-rate hose-on, apply every 2โ3 weeks. If growth gets too fast, push to the 3-week end.
Should I water in after a hose-on?
Only if the label says so. Otherwise, let it sit; do your next deep watering the following morning or day after if hot/dry.
Best mowing height in hot spells?
Raise your normal summer height by 2โ4 mm to protect crowns and reduce scalping.
Can I โboostโ colour before a party?
Yesโapply your hose-on on a calm, cool morning 2โ3 days prior; donโt mow for 24โ48 hrs after; hand-water edges on the day.
Do I change the dilution on very large lawns?
Noโkeep the bottleโs coverage per zone. Scale by adding zones, not by changing dilution or trying to stretch one bottle.
Recommended summer fertiliser: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow โ Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser. Use exactly as bottled, adjust only the interval.
Recommended Products
Lawn Grow โ Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser (2L) โ Greener, Thicker Lawn Fast
Original price was: $41.00.$34.80Current price is: $34.80.
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