How to care for buffalo lawn?

You’ll find there are even varieties specially formulated for soft-leaf buffalo. When needed water slowly and deeply to build better roots systems and tolerance to heat, cold and dry weather.

Buffalo Lawn

Buffalo lawn is a fantastic all-around choice for Australian lawns, as it’s soft and green, tolerates a variety of soils and shade conditions, is low maintenance and is very water efficient. It’s also self-repairing and thanks to thick growth, can often out-compete weeds. However, this doesn’t mean it doesn’t require any maintenance at all! Looking after your buffalo lawn will go a long way in ensuring its longevity and healthiness.

Mow

Ensure that you mow your buffalo lawn regularly to regulate the extent of thatch development. The mowing height depends on your preference. For a spongy lawn, a mowing height of 50mm is ideal. If you prefer a less thatch and tight lawn, a mowing height of 30mm is recommended.

Aerate

If you have any areas of concern in your lawn where the grass isn’t growing, consider using a pitchfork to aerate the soil. Rope off the area of concern to prevent foot traffic, this will give the lawn a chance to fix itself.

Weeding

Identify any weeds that need removing. Either remove by hand using a weeding tool and bucket or alternatively, use a selective herbicide weed killer to kill the weeds. Make sure it is suitable for buffalo grass before using – the last thing you want to do is destroy your beautiful lawn!

Fertilise

While buffalo grass is easy to maintain, a lack of a fertilising will cause your lawn to lose its health and colour. In areas with highly sandy soils, fertilising the lawn every two months will help maintain its lushness. In other places, fertilising it in late autumn will help maintain your lawn’s colour even in the winter. Using a fertiliser with an added wetting agent will enhance the flow of water into the soil. Always water in well after application.

Water

In most parts of Australia, it’s best to water your buffalo lawn once every two weeks during the summer. In hot regions such as WA, water twice a week during the hot summer months. Reduce watering frequency in autumn and spring and never water during the winter. Watering your buffalo lawn early in the morning rather than in the afternoon or evening reduces the chances of fungal disease infections.

De-thatching

De-thatch your lawn by mowing it short once or twice every year, either in late autumn or early spring and raking it with a thatching rake. Be careful not to overdo this as it could kill your lawn – make sure to leave the runners still covering the ground. Fertilising your lawn after de-thatching is optional, but it will make your lawn regrow much faster.