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Santa Ana Couch Care & Maintenance: The Complete Home Lawn Guide

Santa Ana Couch (fine-leaf couch/Bermuda) rewards consistent, simple habits: the right mowing height, deep-but-infrequent watering, and small regular feeds with a fixed-rate hose-on. Use this guide for an easy, repeatable routine that delivers tight density, deep colour, and fast recovery in Australian conditions.

Mowing for density and colour

Height: 20–30 mm for most home lawns. On bumpy ground or in heat, stay closer to 30 mm to avoid scalping.
Frequency: Little-and-often. Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single cut.
Blades: Keep them sharp—dull blades cause yellow tips and “bronzing,” especially right after feeding.
Levelling: Light topdressing in active growth smooths highs/lows so you can mow lower without shaving the crowns.
Traffic: Rotate play paths and move furniture weekly; a slightly higher cut on wear lanes keeps leaf on the plant for faster repair.

Watering that builds roots (not thatch)

Pattern: Deep and infrequent—target ~25–38 mm total/week in warm months (rain + irrigation).
Timing: Morning only. Night watering keeps leaves wet and invites disease.
Uniformity: Check sprinkler output with cups; fix clogged heads and low-pressure corners.
Hydrophobic sand: Use a wetting agent and apply water in short on/off cycles to push moisture deeper.

Feeding made easy (fixed-rate hose-on): apply by interval, not dose. Use the bottle exactly over its stated area, and adjust only how often you apply.
Recommended: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow – Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser (iron + micros for fast colour without surge growth).

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Simple seasonal schedule (national timing that works)

Because hose-ons run at a fixed rate, don’t change dilution or coverage—change the interval.

Spring (as growth restarts): Fertilise every 3–4 weeks. Resume deep, morning irrigation and set mowing at 20–30 mm.
Summer (peak heat / high wear): Fertilise every 2–3 weeks. If mowing speeds up too much, move to the longer end of the window.
Autumn (cooling down): Fertilise every 4 weeks for 1–2 more passes, then stop when growth slows. Keep mowing height steady and reduce irrigation as days shorten.
Winter (dormant/slowed): Pause fertilising. Water only to prevent dry-out in windy spells. Avoid heavy traffic on frosty or waterlogged turf.

Regional tweaks

Warm coastal QLD/NT/WA: You can often keep a gentle 4-week interval later into autumn.
Cooler VIC/ACT/TAS & inland NSW: Stop earlier in autumn once growth stalls; resume in spring.

Perfect hose-on application (coverage, pattern, timing)

Divide the lawn into zones that match the bottle’s coverage (e.g., 100 m²). One bottle = one zone.
Apply in a calm, cool morning. Outline edges first, then fill the interior with a light overlap. Cross-hatch (north–south, then east–west) for even colour.
Mow before feeding (same day or day prior). Avoid mowing for 24–48 hours after application.
Only water-in if the label says so. Otherwise, let foliar/soil contact do the work; do your normal deep watering a day or two later if hot/dry.

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Winter care & quick troubleshooting (Santa Ana specifics)

Winter care checklist

Expect tan colour: Dormancy is normal in cool regions—don’t over-water or feed to “force” green.
Keep leaf on the plant: Maintain a slightly higher cut; avoid shaving crowns in cold snaps.
Traffic control: Use paths/stepping stones; avoid heavy use on frosty mornings.
Irrigation: Only to prevent desiccation. Morning cycles only; no nightly leaf wetness.
Prep for spring: Service mower (sharp blades), check sprinklers, stock your hose-on ready for the first warm spell.

Fast fixes for common issues

Yellow after mowing: Dull blades or too low. Sharpen, raise deck 2–4 mm, stick to the one-third rule.
Patchy colour/stripes: Coverage wasn’t even. Next time, split into equal zones, outline borders first, then cross-hatch.
Brown in heat: Improve watering depth/uniformity; use a wetting agent and cycle/soak. Keep the normal fertiliser interval—colour returns once moisture is right.
Spongy thatch: You’re growing too much between cuts. Stretch the interval (e.g., 2→3 weeks), mow more frequently, verticut lightly in active growth.
Edges always pale: They dry and heat first. Hand-water edges after hot days and raise the mower for perimeter passes.

Recommended routine booster: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow – Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser. Apply by interval only (spring 3–4 weeks, summer 2–3, autumn 4, winter pause) for reliable colour and tight density.