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Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I apply an insecticide to my SW lawn?
2. Can I lay turf on sand?
3. Can I purchase Sir Walter in cell trays from large hardware chain stores?
4. Can or should I top-dress my lawn?
5. How and when to water my Lawn?
6. How can I be sure I'm getting Sir Walter?
7. How do I calculate how many m2 I need?
8. How do I control weeds in my Sir Walter lawn?
9. How do I prepare the ground when laying on clay?
10. How long will the grass keep before it needs to be layed?
11. How much soil should I use?
12. What can I put on my lawn to treat Army Worms, Crickets or Black Beetles?
13. What height should I mow my Sir Walter lawn?
14. What is the best grass around a pool?
15. What is the best grass for the shade?
16. What type of fertiliser should I use?
17. What type of soil should I use?
18. When can I mow my newly laid lawn?
19. When should I fertilise my lawn?
20. Where did Sir Walter originate?
21. Will Sir Walter grow in the shade?
22. Can Buffalo be grown from seed?
| Q: | Can I apply an insecticide to my SW lawn? |
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Yes you can. If insect damage occurs, apply Sir Walter Pest Control, available online or from Big W and leading Garden Centres. The pest control is in a granular form which is easily applied using a hand held fertiliser spreader. A common insect that damages lawns is Lawn Army Worm or Sod-web worm. If a large population of white moths are noticed of an evening around your home, be prepared to treat them in the coming weeks |
| Q: | Can I lay turf on sand? |
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Yes but you will need to add Sir Turf Launcher to the ground preparation prior to laying. Sir Turf Launcher reduces the need for sprinkler systems and can cut watering intervals and requirements by up to 50%. It is a starter fertilizer that addresses both nutrient and water storage within the soil base. When used during lawn installation, the water crystals hold water near the roots during establishment. Once established the crystals rehydrate themselves with each watering, lasting several years before biodegrading harmlessly. It helps lawns survive water restrictions receiving less frequent watering during establishment. Available at our online store in 3kg and 10kg buckets |
| Q: | Can I purchase Sir Walter in cell trays from large hardware chain stores? |
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No you can not. Buffalo grasses purchased in this manner have proven to be unsuccessful and tend to work out to be approximately 20 times the price compared with buying solid turf and planting it in a similar manner. |
| Q: | Can or should I top-dress my lawn? |
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Top dressing should only be required to correct any unevenness in ground preparation. However, top dressing at installation or after establishement can be beneficial on some lawns. If top dressing is required, it should only be done in late spring or early summer with a sandy loam and no more than 10mm should be applied per top dressing. The tips of the leaves should still be visible after top dressing. Quite often a low mowing combined with fertilizing and deep watering in spring will achieve the same results easier and cheaper than topdressing. |
| Q: | How and when to water my Lawn? |
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Newly transplanted turf requires extra care (especially water) for the first few weeks. Turf must be kept moist at all times until the roots have taken. We recommend the use of Sir Turf Launcher for establishment period, especially in areas affected by water restrictions. During daylight hours leaf should not be allowed to dry out and edge areas near concrete or brick will suffer the most. A soaker hose is the preferred method of watering as these keep the turf moist with the minimum amount of water and hence the least amount of flooding in the sub-soil area. Test for soil moisture with a 100mm/4" probe. Ground should be moist to this level. If hot and/or windy, up to 10 hours watering per day may be required if restrictions permit. If the turf appears to lose colour during the first month after laying, watering has not been sufficient and should be immediately increased. Once the turf has taken root (7-10 days in summer, 10-14 days in winter), watering can be decreased to a level that will depend on the climatic conditions. As a guide, the lawn should receive 2-3 deep waterings in summer per week, or 1 per week in winter, until full establishment (4 to 12 months depending on climate zone). Once fully established, one deep watering per week is usually sufficient except in extreme conditions. |
| Q: | How can I be sure I'm getting Sir Walter? |
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With a lot of substituting going on in the industry, only deal with a licenced grower or nursery. A licenced supplier will be happy to supply you with an invoice stating that your purchase is Sir Walter and supply an authenticity certificate. Be wary of a supplier who won't supply the correct invoice and certificate.. |
| Q: | How do I calculate how many m2 I need? |
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Times two sides together ie: 18mx7m = 126m2. For irregular sites divide up into smaller squares/or triangles, calculate each individual area then add them together. |
| Q: | How do I control weeds in my Sir Walter lawn? |
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Prevention is always better than cure. If a Sir Walter lawn is kept in a healthy and fertilised state, weed eradication is rarely necessary. If in the rare circumstance weed spray is required, we suggest that you first heavily fertilise when weeds are noticed, followed by at least two mowings in a three-week period. This will usually reduce the problem to a minimum. If spraying is still required, we recommend the Sir Walter Weed Control, available from our online store, Big W or leading Garden Centres. It is effective against clover, bindi & most broadleaf weeds. Avoid using any herbicides containing the ingredients DSMA or MSMA. |
| Q: | How do I prepare the ground when laying on clay? |
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Apply Sir Walter Lime & Gypsum, which is a clay breaker and soil sweetner first followed by Lush Lawn Underlay (or selected soil) on top. Ash, chitter, metal dust, or cane mud can be also used mixed with sand or soil to assist with drainage. |
| Q: | How long will the grass keep before it needs to be layed? |
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In the cooler months the grass will keep for 4-5 days and in the hotter months only 1-2 days. |
| Q: | How much soil should I use? |
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50mm is okay, but 100mm of soil is better. |
| Q: | What can I put on my lawn to treat Army Worms, Crickets or Black Beetles? |
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Sir Walter Pest Control can be used which is available from our online store, Big W or leading Garden Centre. |
| Q: | What height should I mow my Sir Walter lawn? |
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Sir Walter can be mown at various heights ranging from 15mm to 50mm, however correct height can depend on personal preference and climatic conditions. Mow higher in shady areas. It is recommended to raise your mowing height prior to winter, the optimum height being 40 to 55mm during the cooler months. |
| Q: | What is the best grass around a pool? |
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Sir Walter is best around a pool because it is salt tolerant, green in winter and soft to walk on. |
| Q: | What is the best grass for the shade? |
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No grass will grown in complete shade however we have found Sir Walter to perform the best in shaded areas if mown longer than normal prior to winter.
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| Q: | What type of fertiliser should I use? |
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Correct fertiliser recommendations vary depending on climate, region and soil type. Generally a slow released balanced NPK lawn food is best, such as the Sir Walter Fertiliser, which can be ordered from our online store, Big W or leading Garden Centres |
| Q: | What type of soil should I use? |
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We recommend Lush Lawn Underlay but any type of soil from a sandy loam to a Brown Soil can be used provided there is good drainage. Other specialist blends such as Turfgro are also good. |
| Q: | When can I mow my newly laid lawn? |
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The first mowing should not be done until the roots have taken and the turf is not easily lifted. The first mowing should only be a light trim, and never take more than a third of the leaf off in any single mowing. |
| Q: | When should I fertilise my lawn? |
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Two weeks after installing, then every eight weeks for the first twelve months using Sir Walter Fertiliser. Once established, apply fertiliser early spring, early summer and mid autumn. The autumn fertilising is essential for the lawn to go through winter well |
| Q: | Where did Sir Walter originate? |
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Sir Walter was developed in the Hunter Valley in N.S.W. |
| Q: | Will Sir Walter grow in the shade? |
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No grass will grow in complete shade. However, Sir Walter will grow in shady areas better than any other warm season grass that have been trialed |
| Q: | Can Buffalo be grown from seed? |
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Sir Walter is a male sterile plant, therefore does not produce a viable seed, Sir Walter can only be grown from vegetative material, eg turf or stolons. Sir Walter will produce a seed head if under stress, usually from lack of water or fertiliser. |
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