Love Your Lawn

Spring is an ideal time to start a fresh new lawn - lawn seed is an economical way to do it, helping to create a lush green space that'll deliver years of enjoyment. Here’s how to start a new lawn from seed, with some extra tips to keep your lawn looking great.

To get the best possible results from sowing your new lawn, there are a few important steps to follow:

• Weed control – weeds will compete with the new lawn so should be controlled 2 weeks before sowing lawn seed (this allows the weeds to die completely). Yates Zero Super Concentrate Weedkiller can be used a general spray over the area to kill any weeds and existing grasses.

• Soil preparation – lawn seed should be sown into well drained, firm but not compacted soil that is rich in organic matter. Rake in some Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food 4-5 days before sowing to help improve the soil.

• Measure – measure the area and calculate the correct amount of lawn seed.

• Sow – broadcast the seed evenly over the area. It helps to halve the seed and sow half in an east west direction and the other half in a north south direction. After sowing, lightly cross rake the area to mix the seed into the topsoil.

• Water – water the area regularly with a fine mist spray until the seed has germinated and continue to keep the soil moist while the new lawn establishes.

• Mowing – start mowing when the grass is 5-8 cm high. Trim lightly, gradually lowering the mower blades to an ideal cutting height of 2.5 cm.

Choosing the right lawn seed

There are so many kinds of front and back lawns all around New Zealand, including lawns in sun or shade and areas that are a playground for pets and kids. People also have their own preferences for the type of lawn they want, from soft, fine grasses to tough and mat-forming varieties.

• Yates Sow Anytime Lawn Seed - Using the latest stadium grade ryegrass and red fescue, Yates Anytime Lawn Seed has the unique ability to grow all year round, and will germinate at temperatures as low as 3°C - meaning it can be used throughout the seasons, to produce a deep green, lush lawn.

• Yates Seed'n'Feed is an easy to use lawn repair product containing all the ingredients needed to fix bare patches and thicken an existing lawn. Dual action formula includes fast-germinating grass seed and fertiliser, to feed new and existing grass for up to 12 weeks. You can repair and renovate your lawn all year round, as Yates Seed'n'Feed contains the same seed varietals as Yates Sow Anytime Lawn Seed, so it will also germinate at temperatures as low as 3°C.

• Yates Tall Fescue Lawn Seed is a rich, dark green cool season turf grass. It contains a blend of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue, to produce grass with a medium-soft blade. It's tolerant to drought and heavy rainfall and highly resistant to wear and tear. It's very easy to maintain and suitable for a wide range of climates.

Controlling grass grubs

Grass grubs are the larvae of shiny bronze-coloured native beetles, that lay their eggs in the soil during spring and summer. The grubs are creamy-white, with a brown head and a darker bottom. When disturbed they curl into a distinctive C-shape. Grass grubs seriously damage lawn grass by eating the roots, just below the soil surface.

Symptoms of grass grub damage are bare and yellowing patches in the lawn, with whole sections of grass becoming possible to lift up, almost like a rug. If you've had grass grubs chewing your lawn over winter, they'll be approaching full size (and appetite) now, so the damage they've done will be starting to become very obvious. 

Right now is a great opportunity to head off grass grubs (and porina), because the adults will start to fly and lay eggs at the end the month. 

You'll have to give the lawn some TLC to fix last season's destruction, but you can certainly prevent it happening next year. An application of Yates Lawn Grub & Porina Kill + Protect now will kill grass grubs and deliver continued protection for up to 6 months. If you act now, you can prevent next year's grubs from getting started!

Pro tip: Keeping your lawn strong and healthy really helps it to resist pest pressure.

Controlling broadleaf weeds

Weeds like clover, dandelions, chickweed, Onehunga weed, capeweed and thistles are opportunistic and will invade even the smallest bare spots in the lawn. If weeds are allowed to flower and set seed, they've created future generations of weeds. Tackling weeds early keeps the lawn looking tidy and reduces your weeding workload for the next couple of years.

A quick hose-on application of Yates Weed n Feed Double Action Hose On will control common broadleaf weeds like clover and onehunga. Yates Weed n Feed is now also available as a Yates Weed n Feed Double Action Concentrate, which treats 65 m2 of lawn.

Pro tip: the healthier and thicker the lawn, the less likely that weeds will be able to establish. Feeding your lawn with an organic lawn fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter Lawn Food will help grow a thick, deep green lawn and nurture the soil at the same time.