Choosing a new instant lawn doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow our 5 Top Turf Tips and you will be basking in the glory of your very own piece of lawn paradise in no time.
1. Calculate how much shade your lawn will receive during an average day.
This is probably the most important factor to consider when choosing the right lawn for your area. Different grasses have different requirements for direct sunlight. Wintergreen Couch pretty much needs full sun to thrive. Sir Walter Buffalo Grass is one of the most shade tolerant varieties only requiring 2-3 hours direct sunlight per day. A Zoysia lawn is semi-shade tolerant requiring 4-5 hours direct sunlight per day. Before choosing your new lawn calculate the amount of shade your area will receive during different times of the day. This will give you a much better idea of which lawn is going to work best for you.
2. Look and feel
The other consideration is the appearance you are looking for. Wintergreen Couch has a fine leaf measuring 2mm-3mm width, Zoysia has a medium width leaf measuring 4mm-5mm and Sir Walter has a broad leaf measuring 6mm-7mm. Our grass types are very soft to the touch and have a beautiful deep green colour. They all give a beautiful finish when mowed. Our recommended mowing height for Wintergreen Couch and Zoysia is 25mm-40mm. For Sir Walter we recommend 35mm-40mm. For all the varieties, if they get shade we recommend mowing slightly higher by another 10mm or so.
3. Cost and value
For a low-cost option in an area which has full sun then Wintergreen Couch is a great choice. However, if you do have shady areas then you need to consider a shade tolerant lawn like Sir Walter or a semi-shade tolerant lawn like Zoysia. It is much better value to put the correct lawn in an area than to put the wrong lawn. This can save you costs in replacing turf, water, fertiliser, weed control and even mowing time!
4. Wear
Zoysia, Sir Walter Buffalo or Wintergreen Couch lawns all have excellent wear tolerance. However, if you have kids and large pets constantly on it then we would recommend the Sir Walter Buffalo as it’s very hard wearing indeed and because it is a moderate to fast growing lawn it can repair itself quickly.
5. Maintenance requirements
A Sir Walter Buffalo or Wintergreen Couch lawn have a moderate to fast growth rate which means you will be mowing them more than a slow growing Zoysia lawn. Because Zoysia is ‘The Slow Grow Lawn’ it also has less requirements for fertiliser and watering than a Wintergreen lawn. The dense leaf and root structure of a Zoysia or Sir Walter Buffalo Lawn makes it harder for weeds to penetrate and establish whereas Wintergreen’s finer structure is not so weed resistant. Therefore, if you want the lowest maintenance lawn then our Zoysia will surpass your expectations.