New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

Hello all,

We have recently bought a house that needs new lawn- we basically have bare
clay with some patches of kikuyu at the front. My questions a

1) What is the best way to kill off the kikuyu? Should I use Roundup or
similar?

After I've gotten rid of that I want to rotary hoe some mulch and gypsum in,
maybe add some topsoil and lay some turf on top (in March/April?), so;

2) What would be the best type of turf to use to suit my requirements which
a low maintenance, preferably self repairing, low water requirement,
stays green in winter, can handle hot sun as well as shade and is reasonably
drought tolerant.

From my research so far I am leaning towards either Sir Walter Buffalo or
Plateau Couch. Has anyone got any experience with these and if so what is
your opinion? I haven't found too much info on the plateau couch around.

Regards,
Jeremy

New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

Jeremy Cullinan wrote:

2) What would be the best type of turf to use to suit my requirements which
a low maintenance, preferably self repairing, low water requirement,
stays green in winter, can handle hot sun as well as shade and is reasonably
drought tolerant.

Kikuyu {:-).


From my research so far I am leaning towards either Sir Walter Buffalo or
Plateau Couch.

Umm, give up on these high maintenance grasses, plant kikuyu and get a
hobby.

--
Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: terryc at woa.com.au www:
http://www.woa.com.au
Wombat Outdoor Adventures Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
Publishing

"People without trees are like fish without clean water"

New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

"Jeremy Cullinan" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

We have recently bought a house that needs new lawn- we basically have
bare
clay with some patches of kikuyu at the front. My questions a

1) What is the best way to kill off the kikuyu? Should I use Roundup or
similar?

Roundup (glyphosate sp?) would be the best way.
Mow the area, then spray a week later. Wait about 4 weeks to see the full
results, then this time, wait about 2 weeks, and spray any new "green stuff"
that may pop up. Unfotunately kyke can grown throw freshly laid turf.
Oh, and a few days after you have sprayed, give the area a water. Sounds
funny, but after it has been sprayed, treat the area as if you wanted it to
grow. The more active the growing, the better the kill.

After I've gotten rid of that I want to rotary hoe some mulch and gypsum
in,
maybe add some topsoil and lay some turf on top (in March/April?), so;

Add gypsum if you have quite clay soil. If you do choose to rotary hoe the
area make sure you don't have it going too fast. This will break up the soil
too much, and ruin the structure.
Topsoil would be a good idea. Even just garden sand, with a touch of chook
poo mixed in would be good. Say about, umm, no stronger than 1 part chook
poo, 7parts sand?
I wouldn't leave it too much later than march to lay the new turf unless you
use buffalo. Only cos of the fact that couch doesn't grown much into the
winter, and may not set good roots down. Then again, it may be ok.

2) What would be the best type of turf to use to suit my requirements
which
a low maintenance, preferably self repairing, low water requirement,
stays green in winter, can handle hot sun as well as shade and is
reasonably
drought tolerant.

Couch probably won't stay green during winter, especially if you suffer
frosts.
I guess buffalo would be the go.

From my research so far I am leaning towards either Sir Walter Buffalo or
Plateau Couch. Has anyone got any experience with these and if so what is
your opinion? I haven't found too much info on the plateau couch around.

As above, couch may not stay green in winter with frosts, but will always
come back, also I'm not sure with plateu couch, haven't heard of it.
Buffalo may be the best option.

Good luck


--
Remove "not" from start of email address to reply


Regards,
Jeremy

New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

"Jeremy Cullinan" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

We have recently bought a house that needs new lawn- we basically have
bare
clay with some patches of kikuyu at the front. My questions a

1) What is the best way to kill off the kikuyu? Should I use Roundup or
similar?

Napalm followed by autoclaving the soil? Sorry 'bout the joke, but I hate
kikuyu and nothing works really well on it.


After I've gotten rid of that I want to rotary hoe some mulch and gypsum
in,
maybe add some topsoil and lay some turf on top (in March/April?), so;

2) What would be the best type of turf to use to suit my requirements
which
a low maintenance, preferably self repairing, low water requirement,
stays green in winter, can handle hot sun as well as shade and is
reasonably
drought tolerant.

From my research so far I am leaning towards either Sir Walter Buffalo or
Plateau Couch. Has anyone got any experience with these and if so what is
your opinion? I haven't found too much info on the plateau couch around.

Regards,
Jeremy


If you go with buffalo and decide you hate it, it is easy to eradicate, the
same can not be said for any form of couch. OTOH, if you want a lawn that
will recover from being allowed to almost totally dessicate, then couch is
the best.

I'd use the buffalo and wear the water bills... we bought tall fescue mix
turf and it was a big failure... then I bought a square of buffalo turf and
planted it in the bald bits... it is spreading very nicelly. I now no longer
understand why *anyone* buys fescue... if looked after, buffalo looks GREAT.

Although you can lay turf at any time, I suggest that spring is way better
than Autumn for buffalo, because it will start growing pretty quickly then
and not be in its dormant state (dormancy reduces the resiliency for
recovery from the turfing/laying process)

Buffalo goes a bit less lush in winter, gets a few more brown bits but does
so evenly and still looks mostly green. best hints for a buffalo lawn....
keep the water up to it in summer by watering in the morning.

Shade hint for buffalo... if the spot gets good sun in summer, buffalo will
survive even if it is 100% shade in winter. It will go more daggy than
usual, but keep some green bits and perk up nicelly when you start treating
it good and it gets sun and warmth.

New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

Hi Jeremy,

I have just recently laid turf on an extremely clay soil, once it was all
prepared we laid a turf called Windsor Green. It stays green through Winter
is drought tolerant, doesn't grow too fast and looks great. Only thing is
that it costs a bit more than ol buffalo and the other nastier looking
grasses (just my opinion). Windsor green is a cross between Casablanca and
Santa Anna. The only issue with this turf is that it is probably not as hard
wearing as other types, if you have a few dogs then you may be better off
with something else. If you want to know where it's available from reply off
list to me.

Cheers
Luke

New user question- turf types for Adelaide
 

In article , Terry Collins
wrote:

From my research so far I am leaning towards either Sir Walter Buffalo or
Plateau Couch.

Umm, give up on these high maintenance grasses, plant kikuyu and get a
hobby.

When did buffalo become high-maintenance?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

The most consistent empirical proof from history is the doctrine of human
depravity. -- Chuck Colson