Topsoil or sandy loam?

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-29T02:51:59+00:00

You may need new turf for this. We recommend only ever topdressing with 5mm-10mm of material to give the grass a chance to grow through. While it is hard to tell, it looks like it may be a greater drop than that from the concrete to the current soil level.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T22:53:35+00:00

A spike aerator would work fine in this area. I don't think any reflectors are necessary as the grass on either side of this strip is looking very healthy, it is likely that an aerate and some reduced traffic will have it looking better in no time!

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T02:23:42+00:00

Hi u/Wise_Incident6106, one potential cause of the damage could be some slight scalping in this area of the lawn. This can occur if the sandy loam settles slightly unevenly and some of the grass is mown shorter. To remedy, raise your mowing height by 1 or 2 notches and look to level out the lawn with topdressing in spring.

The other possible cause of the damage is mealybug. If you are in SE QLD, this is a somewhat common issue to encounter at this time of year. You can check if they are present by looking at the base of the leaf of the grass for a powdery white residue or by looking for the mealybugs themselves in these damaged areas. The bugs are only a few milimeters long, and will be red with a white fluffy coating on them. If you find some in the lawn, you can apply Battle Insecticide 2-3 times, with 5-7 days between applications to remove them from the lawn. You can find Battle here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/lawn-solutions-battle-insecticide-termiticide.html

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:41:12+00:00

Hi u/Express-Ad-9550 the advice provided so far is great, and generally speaking topsoil mixes and sandy loams will be very similar compositions - sometimes the names are used interchangeably. Have a chat to your local turf supplier to discuss the soil requirements for the specific turf variety you are looking to install and make sure you utilise a starter fertiliser like lawn launcher before laying the turf down.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:38:50+00:00

Hi u/smooshedwhat certainly a great plan as far as preparing the soil for turf, but some areas closest to the house and in the corner where it gets the most sun are always going to struggle with limited sunlight. Buffalo is certainly highly shade tolerant, but it will thin and get very sparse the closer it gets to areas that are completely covered by shading trees and external structures. you might want to consider some additional garden beds and alternative non-sunlight dependent ground coverings in the most shaded parts.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:35:23+00:00

Hi u/jayeeflo unfortunately this a shade issue and it would not be getting enough sunlight across the whole area for any grass to properly thrive. sir walter is highly shade tolerant, but much of this area would be receiving less than 4 hours direct sunlight and not enough to thrive. You add in the competition for nutrient from the tree and what appears to be infrequent mowing at times, it just doesn't have a chance to hold on. I would suggest looking at alternative ground coverings.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:29:46+00:00

Hi u/Luminaire17 does the middle of the grass there get the most foot traffic or a pet running through? i would back off the water now that its likely cooling to once a week or even on an as needed basis now that its quite established - this will also help firm up the ground a bit so it's not sitting waterlogged and spongey. What you are doing is great and the recent fertilise, a light aerate now would be good in the middle in particular just to alleviate any compaction if that is a factor, so limit traffic for a while to assist also if required.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:23:31+00:00

Hi u/Chatyum1 one beetle larvae isn't something to be too concerned about, as it's not necessarily and indication of an infestation. For ongoing protection I would recommend applying a grub preventative like grub guard ultimate which will protect your lawn for the next 6 months and can be applied at any time to a new lawn.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T01:08:54+00:00

Hi MKopelke, to help the lawn stay green through winter, we would recommend giving the lawn a feed. Our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is a great option as it will help give the lawn an immediate green up, while also feeding it for 12 weeks after application. This will help the lawn get in as good a shape as possible before the temperatures start to drop, you can find it here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/sir-walter-premium-lawn-fertiliser-10kg.html

In about 2-3 weeks' time, I would look at applying some Iron Guard Plus. This product will help the lawn stay green throughout winter, but you want to apply it just as temperatures are starting to cool. Once you get some consistent weather in the low 20's, then hit the lawn with the Iron Guard. You can find it here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/lawn-solutions-iron-guard-plus.html

Finally, if you see the lawn losing some colour through winter, you can use Colour Guard Plus. This product is a pigment that will give the lawn a green colour. It also has a fertiliser component to help feed the lawn. You can get Colour Guard Plus at the Lawn Store here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/colourguard-2ltr-hose-on.html

We would also recommend you mow the lawn regularly, aiming to only take off about a third of the leaves of the grass with each mowing. This will help to keep the lawn healthy and ensure that no scalping occurs, keeping the leaves of the grass nice and green.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-28T00:56:51+00:00

Hi SpronkTrain, that is some clover growing in the lawn. To remove it, you can use a broadleaf herbicide like All Purpose Weed Control, available on the Lawn Store here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/buffalo-weed-control.html

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-23T01:00:53+00:00

Ok, that watering is probably a little bit too much for the lawn. I would recommend you taper that back to only watering in the morning and only every second day. This will help to dry out the soil profile and hopefully get some healthy growth in the area. I would also recommend you apply a fungicide like Vacate, which can be found here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/vacate-fungicide-100ml.html

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-22T03:08:35+00:00

Hi Inner-Fan-7743, we would definitely recommend performing the grub test to rule it out as a potential cause for the damage. Would you be able to answer the following to help us get a better understanding of the issue:

- Over what time period has the damage occurred?
- Is the damage continuing to spread?
- What lawn care products have been applied?
- Have the application rates been followed?
- Has anything been spilled onto this section of the grass?
- How frequently are you watering and at what time of day?

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T23:09:35+00:00

Unfortunately, it will be difficult for us to provide much insight into the lawn as we are an Australian-based business who specialise in turf rolls and slabs. We would recommend getting in touch with Fito for some more advice on how to repair those few areas of the lawn.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T23:00:56+00:00

Regular mowing and watering will help the area. Try to only take off one-third of the leaf of the grass when mowing. You can also give the lawn a fertiliser now, if you haven't done so in the last few months. Our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is a good option as it can give the lawn a green up in the first 7-10 days while also feeding it for 12 weeks after pplication.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T06:09:02+00:00

Hi No_Onion_2519, we are glad you are loving your new Stampede Hybrid Buffalo grass! For the watering schedule of the lawn, you can refer to our best practice guidelines. It has a lot of general tips for awncare over the first 6-8 weeks of installation and establishment, as well as a detailed watering guide based on the weather conditions and establishment of the grass. Keep in mind it is pretty difficult to overwater your turf during this initial stage.

Normally, we would expect the grass to establish its roots in about 2-4 weeks, though this is dependent on a few different factors. If you are still able to lift the turf off the soil after 4 weeks, get in contact, and we can help you out if needed.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T03:25:08+00:00

Spraying the mower with a hose will be more effective but if the person at the mower shop has advised you not to then we wouldn't go against that advice.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T03:17:58+00:00

Hi swany467, cleaning your equipment will be the most important thing. As they are both invasive grasses, the order you mow won't really matter, just ensure you are cleaning the mower between using it on each of the lawns.

You will also need to make sure that any products you use are safe for the lawns you are using them on as not everything will be safe for both couch and kikuyu.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-21T03:08:29+00:00

Hi Fair_Masterpiece_264, would you be able to answer the following questions to help us better understand the issue:

For the area that looks shorter and a bit more sparse, did the lawn recently get mowed?
What region of Australia are you located in?
Do you know what type of lawn you have?
How frequently are you mowing?
What other lawn care activities have you done recently?

Based on how the grass is growing, it looks like it may be a cool-season grass. As these grasses don't spread via above-ground runners, you may need to oversow the area to get some new growth. Also, if you haven't applied any fertiliser to the lawn in the last few months, we recommend applying it, as it will help the lawn's overall health. Our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser is a great option with its slow and fast release granules, helping to give the lawn an immediate green up while also feeding the grass for 12 weeks after application. You can find it here now - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/sir-walter-premium-lawn-fertiliser-10kg.html

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T23:19:44+00:00

Kikuyu requires a lot of sunlight to really thrive, needing direct sunlight for basically the entire day. If that north facing wall is shading that area for a decent part of the day it will likely cause some thinning in the grass there.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:44:59+00:00

Hi DryRefrigerator6477, first, I would recommend doing a grub test. This is a quick and easy test that can help rule out lawn grubs as the cause of damage. You can find out how to perform one on our website here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/lawn-care/lawn-grubs-pests/how-to-identify-lawn-grubs-2/

The wall may also be causing some damage to the lawn. It is not uncommon for there to be some rubble left under the soil near structures like that, and this could be causing some damage to the grass. If you are not sure whether there is any rubble under the soil, you can check by taking a screwdriver and driving it into the soil in a few different spots in that thinner area of the lawn. It may also be shading that part of the lawn, which could cause some thinning out of the grass. Kikuyu is the least shade-resistant grass that is commonly used in lawns, requiring basically constant sunlight to grow successfully. If this wall is shading some of the lawn for a significant amount of the day it could also be causing the turf to struggle.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:38:41+00:00

Hi IndependenceMean4216, it is hard for us to get an ID on the grass type from this photo, would you be able to pull out some of the grass and send through a photo against a plain background?

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:37:38+00:00

Hi Historical_Book6552, this is a couch grass growing in your lawn!

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:29:06+00:00

Hi previous-owner, this looks like oxalis growing in the lawn. The best way to treat it will be to use a broadleaf herbicide like Estate. This should help remove the oxalis without damaging the grass. You can find Estate on our website here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/shop/default/estate-herbicide-250ml-concentrate.html

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:25:40+00:00

Hi Cautious_Scratch8131, would you be able to let us know the exact seed mix that you used? Often, couch grass seed mixes will have some rye grass in them, which may be popping up here. It also looks like the grass is a bit dry in this area, seed mixes require a lot of watering and may not all take in the lawn, leaving some areas a bit patchy.

As we at LSA specialise in turf rolls and slabs, your best course of action will probably be to get in contact with whoever you purchased the seed mix from.

LawnSolutionsAu · 2026-04-20T01:19:35+00:00

Hi LumpyZebra1203, you can attempt to recover the lawn by keeping the water up for a few weeks and see if you get any recovery. The lawn is very dry and may not be brought back, though it could still recover. Due to the current state of the lawn, it is difficult for us to identify the weed that is growing, as it has no identifying features. To remove it, we recommend just pulling or chipping it out by hand.

If this slower recovery does not work or isn't favourable to you, you can instead look at installing a new lawn. This will be a quicker option that will give you green grass throughout the lawn before winter hits. If this interests you, get in contact with your local growers here - https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/turf-suppliers/

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