Knowing when and how to mow your instant turf will give your new lawn the best chance of thriving all year round.
Think of your lawn as the hair on your head – regular trims will help to maintain it and keep it healthy! Regular mowing can help strengthen your lawns root system and make way for fresh, robust and greener growth.
When it comes to mowing your instant turf, the frequency of which you will need to mow will change depending on the season, your management regime (how much you irrigate and fertilise) and your turf variety.
And…if you want to take our low maintenance lawn promise to a whole new level and reduce or minimise mowing frequency during the growing season, you might want to try an application of a lawn maintenance product called Primo, which is a lawn growth retardant available from our web shop.
Remember, after installing your instant turf you need to give it time to establish its root system before mowing. This will take around 2-3 weeks (although it may take longer during the cooler months). The best way to tell if your new lawn is ready for his virgin mow – is to try and pull up the turf slabs and if you can not pull them up by hand, that will mean that your new lawn’s root system is taking hold in its new environment and you can feel confident to start the mower. Just remember – on your new lawns first mow, pop your mowing height up a bit to make sure you don’t scalp an establishing lawn.
Below is a handy guide to when you should mow your lawn depending on the type and season. If you need further help in determining your lawn type or if you are second guessing yourself and you want to check in with our team contact us!
You may start to mow your new lawn as soon as the turf is firmly rooted down. (Generally about 2 to 3 weeks – root establishment may take longer during cooler months).
When mowing, ensure your blades are always sharp to prevent plant injury. Generally, never remove more than one third of the grass length in a single mowing.
When mowing your Sir Walter DNA Certified lawn, keep your mowing height between 30mm – 50mm in shaded areas.
During the cooler winter months, these warmer season grasses require minimal, if any, mowing at all.
Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo
If you have a Sir Walter DNA Certified Soft Leaf Buffalo type of turf, you can enjoy less frequent mowing. This versatile, super hardy turf variety is one of the most low-maintenance lawns on the market and performs at its peak when kept at a mowing height of between 30mm-50mm.
Mowing in Summer and Spring
- Remove clippings each mow to prevent thatch buildup
- Dethatch by mowing your lawn at its shortest height once in early Spring
- Maintain lawn health by mowing every 7-14 days or as required during the Summer months as this is when Sir Walter grows the quickest
- Do not mow more than ⅓ of the leaf at any time unless dethatching
- Ensure your mower blades are sharp to prevent tearing the leaf
- Sir Walter can be left a little longer to keep it looking lush and velvety. Preference is up to you on how high or short you want to go, it’s such a personal preference, but just keep in mind Sir Walter performs best when maintained between 30mm-50mm
- Cylinder mowers give a nice ‘bowling green’ finish to Buffalo turf types like Sir Walter
- While Sir Walter’s non invasive, lateral growth rate is slower than some other warm season turf varieties, you will still need to whipper snipper around the edges to curb its growth into garden beds
Mowing in Autumn and Winter
- During the cooler months of Autumn and Winter, Sir Walter DNA requires minimal, if any, mowing at all
- When you do mow, take your lawn mower blade up one notch and keep Sir Walter DNA at its highest length to protect its roots over the dormant winter months and to retain its soft leaf texture
- Reduce traffic on lawn during winter, especially in shady areas
Sir Grange
Sir Grange can tolerate a wide range of mowing heights and requires less mowing than many other instant turf varieties. Sir Grange’s slow growth habit is one of the main characteristics that appeals to home owners wanting a low maintenance lawn. In fact Sir Grange will require the least amount of mowing of all our Coolabah varieties – pending of course individual maintenance regimes. But beware – Sir Grange’s lateral growth habit is extremely slow, which means it is not as quick to self repair if or when damaged when compared to most other warm season turf types. For this reason, we do not recommend Sir Grange for pet owners. This also means it will take longer to establish and is only available for sale in Victoria between October – February. Sir Grange has a very short growth window also when compared to other turf types in Victoria. During the season, a Sir Grange lawn which is irrigated regularly, between November and February will still require fortnightly mowing to keep it looking its best.
Mowing in Summer and Spring
- Sir Grange can be maintained between 5mm-40mm, but can be left unmowed to give it a native grass look
- Mow as needed during Spring/Summer (generally every 10-20 days)
- Ensure mower blades are sharp prior to mowing
Mowing in Autumn and Winter
- Dethatch Sir Grange in late Winter (before it comes out of dormancy) for best results
- Sir Grange is best easily maintained with a standard rotary mower or cylinder mower
Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu
Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is a great hard-wearing and low-maintenance turf option. And with its aggressive growth habit, it will benefit from regular mowing. Generally, the warmer months will require more frequent mowing than in the cooler months, where it’s best not to mow Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu too low.
Mowing in Summer and Spring
- Mow Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu regularly during Summer (generally every 1-2 weeks)
- In Spring, drop mowing frequency off to every month or so
- Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu performs best when mowed between 15mm-25mm with a cylinder mower
- Adjust your mower height in shady areas, as Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu grass isn’t a huge fan of it! Keep these areas slightly longer to maintain density and improve its ability to keep pesky winter weeds at bay
- Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is best managed if mown at approximately 25mm
Mowing in Autumn and Winter
- Mow every monthly or as needed in Winter (mostly to pick up loose leaves and tidy up unwanted debris over the area).
- Don’t mow your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu too short during Winter
- Always ensure mower blades are sharp prior to mowing to prevent leaf tear
TifTuf
TifTuf has a very fine leaf blade with dense growth, and although it’s one of the more low-maintenance varieties, it still requires regular upkeep to keep it looking manicured! One of the benefits of Tif Tuf is that when you mow, quite often you are only mowing off seed head or a minimal amount of leaf blade as its general characteristic is that it is a short growing lawn! The benefit of this is you will have minimal material in your green waste bin if you live in the suburban or metropolitan areas and have restricted space in your yard to dispose of clippings. Tif Tuf also has a shorter dormancy period, which means you can enjoy a greener lawn for longer heading into Winter and it will reward you with spring green up sooner than most other couch varieties coming out of Winter.
Mowing in Summer and Spring
- Mowing once a week or every 10 days during the growth season will keep TifTuf in perfect shape
- The best height for mowing TifTuf is between 5mm-30mm
- Can be mown using a standard rotary mower, reel, or automatic mower
- Scalp or dethatch in early Spring to get a stronger and softer lawn
Mowing in Autumn and Winter
- Keep TifTuf blade length longer during the cooler months
- TifTuf stays green well into the winter dormant months. During this time, you will only need to mow it every 14-21 days
- As with most instant turf varieties, never remove more than ⅓ of the grass blade height in a single mowing and always keep your mower blades sharp
Nullarbor Couch
The durable yet soft Nullarbor Couch is an instant turf variety that can be mown very short for a more manicured looking surface and has excellent wear tolerance. Treated with regular mowing, your Nullarbor Couch will maintain a dense surface and vigorous growth year round.
Mowing in Summer and Spring
- In the warmer months, Nullarbor Couch will require weekly to fortnightly mowing
- In Summer, you may have to mow frequently used areas every 5-7 days
- Nullarbor Couch can be mown as low as 10mm, but is best maintained cutting height is 15-30mm
- Mowing with a cylinder mower will give you the best results
- Ensure mower blades are sharp to prevent leaf tear
- Dethatch in Spring to remove any sponginess
Mowing in Autumn and Spring
- Mowing can be decreased in Winter to every two weeks – but you may not even have to mow it at all until Spring
- During the cooler months, raise your mower height and make sure leaves are cleared
New instant turf can take up to 6 weeks to fully establish its root system, depending on the time of year it is installed. Once established you should then start mowing at the highest recommended length according to the lawn type. From there, you can gradually reduce the height over several cuts. Remember, no matter your lawn type, never mow more than ⅓ off the leaf!
Instant turf is one of the quickest ways to achieve a healthy, vibrant, and lush lawn that will even have the neighbours green with envy! Remember – mowing frequency is one of the most important factors in maintaining the best looking lawn in the street. Sticking to a regular mowing schedule throughout the year will give your grass the best possible chance to thrive.
How often you need to mow your lawn will vary from season to season. In general, you will need to mow more frequently in the Summer months. In the cooler seasons of Autumn and Winter, you can reduce to every 2 to 4 weeks but some lawns may require no mowing at all! The easiest way to tell if your lawn needs a trim is by simply giving it the once over. Untidy? Overgrown? Then it’s time to wheel out the lawn mower!
If you need a second opinion or any industry tips or tricks to help you navigate lawn maintenance questions or if you need any other assistance with looking after your instant turf, contact our friendly staff at Coolabah Turf. Happy mowing!
Please check related information about:
ColourGuard lawn paint | Webisodes | Seasonal lawn care | Lawn mowing | Lawn Fertilising | Lawn irrigation | Weed Identification | Lawn without water | Lawn FAQ’s
