WHAT GRASS TYPE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME IN TAMWORTH?
There are several different grass types available in Tamworth NSW but there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration before choosing the right grass type for your lawn.
Have a look at the types of grasses on our website or keep reading to find out what grass is best for your lawn in Tamworth and the surrounding Tamworth area. Buffalo, Couch and Kikuyu are the most common choices for grasses in Tamworth NSW, they're sought after for their all-round performance and durability, their low water requirements, drought tolerance, ability to self-repair if damaged and of course their beautiful appearance’s!
These grasses are very different when it comes to mowing heights, leaf thickness, softness, and disease resistance. In this article we will give you a run down on each of these grasses and what they have to offer to help you make the best decision on which grass type suits you and your lifestyle in Tamworth.
BUFFALO GRASSES
Buffalo grass (known as St. Augustine in the US) is a warm season grass native to areas of North and South America, parts of Africa and the Caribbean. In Australia it’s commonly known as soft leaf buffalo.
Buffalo grasses have several key strengths that make them ideal for many Aussie backyards in Tamworth. Buffalo grasses have evolved over the years from scratchy, older purple types of lawns to soft leaf buffalos that are commonly grown and supplied today, like the most popular Australia’s No: #1 Buffalo Grass Sir Walter DNA Certified.
Key Characteristics of Buffalo Grass
Buffalo can grow in a range of soils, from light clays to sandy loams and at a range of pH levels between 5 and 8.5. Buffalo is one of the most shade tolerant grasses, buffalo can survive in areas that receive as little as 40% sunlight or 3-4 hours of direct sunlight a day.
They also have a good tolerance of salinity and make for a great option in Tamworth for around swimming pools and areas watered from underground water.
Buffalo grasses only have above-ground stems known as stolons to establish from. Their stolons are very robust and hardy providing these grasses with a good wear tolerance. They will however be a little bit slower to repair than varieties like kikuyu or couch that also have underground stems called rhizomes to repair from as well as stolons.
COUCH (BERMUDA) GRASSES
Couch grasses also known as (Bermuda Grasses in the US) are a warm season grass that native to most areas of the eastern hemisphere. These grasses are commonly known to be highly drought tolerant and have a high wear tolerant and thrive well in the Tamworth area especially varieties like TifTuf. With improved varieties available there are more couch lawns getting installed in Tamworth. Due to the dry conditions experienced in Tamworth couch grasses survive better in drought conditions compared to Buffalo Grasses and Kikuyu.
A manicured couch lawn in Tamworth can look great in front of your home, however a bit more time and effort is required due its fast growth rate. This lawn can give you the best lawn in the street and almost look like fake grass when maintained by a lawn fanatic!
Key Characteristics
Couch grass thrives in full sun areas and have a very strong horizontal growth. This allows it to tolerate very low mowing heights. These strong growth habits also attribute to its ability to handle high amounts of traffic, whilst enabling it to recover quicker if affected by wear and stress. This makes couch turf suitable for large areas such as sports fields, golf courses, parks or recreational areas and a perfect lawn for a sporty family in Tamworth.
These grasses can grow in a range of soil types, from sandy soils to light clays and prefer a pH between 6 and 7.5.
Couches are not one of the most shade tolerant turf types, needing in most cases a bare minimum of 5-6 hours direct sunlight a day. Newer varieties however, like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda (couch) have shown significantly better shade tolerance than existing couch varieties.
Couch grasses have a great ability to recover from wear, with underground stems called rhizomes to repair from as well as aboveground stems called stolons.
KIKUYU GRASS
Kikuyu grass is native to the highland regions of East Africa. Kikuyu is most well known for being a highly invasive and aggressive grower and it is this trait that makes it suitable in some cases as a home lawn. Kikuyu is a good choice for larger lawn areas in Tamworth and the surrounding Tamworth area if working to a tight budget.
With the ability to perform in most Australian climates, Kikuyu can stand up to a wide range of conditions. Kikuyu can be a good option for both home lawns and larger spaces such as racecourses or parks and is also used as pasture for livestock grazing. It was introduced into Australia for this reason, as a robust pasture grass for cattle.
If you’re looking for a grass that is an economical all-rounder, then Kikuyu could be an option for you.
Key Characteristics
Kikuyu thrives in a sunny aspect and handles full sun. It can establish a strong, deep root base which helps it stand up to the hot summer days and provides acceptable drought tolerance.
Kikuyu spreads through vigorous growth by both stolons and rhizomes, making it a common option for larger areas and for erosion control. Due to its strong vertical and sub-surface growth habits, it can easily invade and spread throughout your garden and becomes very difficult to control.
Kikuyu can grow in a wide range of soil types, but performs at its best in fertile, light to medium textured soil with moderate drainage and salinity levels. The ideal soil pH for Kikuyu is 5.5-7.0, but it can tolerate levels as low as 4.5.
Kikuyu prefers growing temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius but can manage in conditions much hotter. During winter, Kikuyu will go into a certain level of dormancy and will stop growing when exposed to frost. Kikuyu will lose its colour in Tamworth more than newer Couch varieties like TifTuf as it doesn’t contain the same amount of gibberellic acid TifTuf has in the plant.
Kikuyu is not a great performer in low light or shaded areas and will require at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight to thrive.
In Tamworth kikuyu can become affected by a disease called Kikuyu yellows and it’s an incurable disease at this stage so this is one of the downsides to this particular grass in Tamworth.
AFTER A BREIF LOOK AT THE THREE MOST COMMON VARIETIES IN TAMWORTH MAYBE YOU THINK BUFFALO IS YOUR PREFERRED GRASS? MEET THE BEST PERFORMER SIR WALTER DNA CERTIFIED BUFFALO…...
There are lots of reasons that Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo Grass is Tamworth’s best buffalo grass. Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo Grass has stood the test of time in Tamworth, as it’s the most popular buffalo grass in Tamworth proving time and time again that it will go anywhere and grow anywhere:
In full sun
In shade
In extreme heat
In frost
In drought
AUSTRALIAS BEST BUFFALO GRASS
Born right here in Australia, Sir Walter was bred to be tough yet soft, and good looking to boot! Since 1997 there has been over 100 million metres of Sir Walter Buffalo turf sold Australia wide – the equivalent to 750,000 homes.
It is versatile and hardy, many factors which cause most other lawns a problem are not a problem for Sir Walter DNA.
Make sure it’s Genuine Sir Walter DNA Certified
Beware of imitators! Genuine Sir Walter DNA Certified is only available from accredited Lawn Solutions Australia Members and Resellers. Only Lawn Solutions Australia turf producers grow ‘Breeder Guaranteed’ Sir Walter DNA Certified. For more information on what DNA Certified means and why it is so important.
10 YEAR PRODUCT WARRANTY & LIFETIME LAWN CARE SUPPORT
WANT THAT FINE BLADED GRASS IN TAMWORTH THAT LOOKS LIKE A BOWLING GREEN & THE MOST DROUGHT TOLERANT!!!?? TIFTUF HYBRID BERMUDA GRASS IS THE ANSWER….
TifTuf is an outstanding performer in Tamworth. New Lawn Turf have been growing it since 2018 and has proven itself to be the most drought tolerant and greenest lawn in winter compared to other types of Couches/ Bermuda grasses in Tamworth.
Tamworth dry summers and droughts can be brutal on lawns. Due to the high evaporation rates and prolonged dry spells in Tamworth your water use, and the cost of the water can be massive. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Grass is the smart grass developed by the world’s leading turf scientist with these tough challenges in mind.
TifTuf Bermuda grass has been scientifically forged to produce a great looking lawn with superior qualities while requiring minimal input.
Has a dense growth habit
High wear tolerance
Self-repairing
Fantastic winter colour and spring green up qualities
World’s most drought tolerant grass
Low inputs
Most researched grass in the world
TifTuf is Australia’s best couch grass as proven by independent research and extensive Australian research. With over 5 million square metres sold Australia wide its becoming a very popular grass thanks to its impressive performance in Australian and international climates.
10 YEAR PRODUCT WARRANTY & LIFETIME LAWN CARE SUPPORT
MAYBE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ECONOMICAL ALLROUND FOR YOUR LAWN IN TAMWORTH? EUREKA KIKUYU MAY BE YOUR ANSWER…...
In Tamworth due to larger home lawns Eureka Kikuyu is an economical choice for large areas. Eureka Kikuyu spreads through vigorous growth by both stolons and rhizomes, making it a common option for larger areas and for erosion control. Due to its strong vertical and sub-surface growth habits, it can easily invade and spread throughout your garden and becomes very difficult to control.
Has a strong and deep root structure
Poor shade tolerance
Highly invasive
Quick repairer
Average drought tolerance
Eureka Kikuyu is a great variety for home lawns, racecourses, parks, golf tees, fairways, erosion control and waterlogged soils.
The only Kikuyu grass backed by a national warranty.
With every Eureka Kikuyu purchase, no matter how big or small, you will be issued with a Lawn Solutions Australia 10 Year Product Warranty. This certificate is your guarantee that you are receiving genuine Eureka Kikuyu Grass.
For expert advice on the best grass that best fits your lifestyle and location, get in contact with us today and chat to one of our friendly lawn specialists here at NewLawn Turf. With over 30 years of experience, you can be rest assured that you can rely on us so will have the best lawn in Tamworth.
SOME PROJECTS COMPLETED IN TAMWORTH BY NEWLAWN TURF
Tamworth Jokey Club Racetrack
Redbank Estate Park
Windmill Downs Estate
Tamworth Hospital
Tamworth Airport
Peak Estate
And many more just to name a few.
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