Crown Rust

All lawns require watering particularly during the drier summer months.

It is very important that for the first 4 weeks that the soil, hydroseeding pulp mix and/or newly germinating lawn remains damp at all times. This may mean that during hot weather or prolonged dry periods it will require watering up to 4 times per day for 15 minutes each time.

If a sprinkler system is installed, please make sure that all areas are being covered evenly, as wind can sometimes blow the water off course. Hand watering may be required in some areas that dry off quicker than others, in addition to pre-set timed cycles. Avoid creating pools or rivers.

After 4 weeks the watering can be reduced to allow it to dry out slightly between watering. This helps stimulate root development.

Your new lawn can be mowed as soon as the grass blades are between 60 - 70mm tall and the ground is dry, taking extra care when turning the mower as the wheels can cause damage to the root structure and any new growth.

With a hydroseeded or Tall Fescue roll out lawn, keep the lawn to a minimum of 50mm. Mowing will stimulate more growth, so it is important to mow at the correct height and avoid any "scalping" of the new grass blades. Never remove more than the top 1/3 of the grass blade.

Keep your mower blades sharp and catcher your grass clippings as these can leach nitrogen and burn the new lawn.

Like anything living it's important to feed your new lawn adequately to ensure continued growth and good health. Regular fertilising will ensure the lawn maintains a lush, dense sward which will reduce the likelihood of weeds appearing.

First apply fertiliser 3-6 weeks after the new lawn is installed (before any signs of yellowing occur). Fertilising should then be done every 6-8 weeks to keep it looking great!

The fertiliser needs to be a good quality one with a blend of nitrogen, sulphur and potassium. Please apply this using a lawn fertiliser spreader (spinner), to avoid getting stripes on the lawn. Always remember to water fertiliser in well or apply before rain is forecast, to avoid burning the grass.

Ensure that you remove any fertiliser granules from your driveway, paths or patios using a broom or a blower as it may leave a rust stain on the concrete if left.

We can supply fertiliser to you. The cost is $25 plus GST for 10kg which will cover approx 500m². Please get in touch to order!

Weed and pest control are an ongoing process that can fit in with your fertilising schedule.

Generally weeds will appear once the soil has been aerated. Hand pick out smaller weeds that appear straight away.

At the 8 week mark and preferably not before, a broadleaf weed spray can be applied. We recommend using a product like Yates Turfix according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To reduce weed growth:

• Keep your lawn a little longer. Weeds can't grow if the light can't reach them.
• Thicker lawn means fewer weeds. To encourage lush, thick growth, once your lawn is established continue to fertilise it on a regular basis.
• Weed control should be done 3-4 times per year.

Regularly check for damage caused by lawn pests (i.e. Grass Grub, Black Beetle) and treat accordingly. If left, some pests can significantly damage or destroy a lawn.

Please note that some weed and pest treatment sprays should only be applied by a licensed applicator and at label rates. Please speak with us if you are unsure.

When you get a pup you probably expect there’s going to be some wear and tear to your lawn, especially if you’ve got a hole digger! What you might not realise is that their urine can damage and kill your grass. This problem is something we get asked about a lot and have heard lots of misguided truths, with many people believing you can’t have a lush green lawn and a dog. Thankfully, this isn’t true and you don’t need to choose!

How to Tell if Your Lawn Has Been Damaged By Dog Urine

Dog’s urine can contain high levels of nitrogen, this overload of nitrogen can kill the grass and turn it yellow and brown, however nitrogen in more diluted volumes is actually a beneficial nutrient for the grass.

When it comes to identifying whether or not your lawn is being damaged by dog urine, look for brown and yellow patches on your otherwise healthy lawn. Typically if the brown and yellow patches are surrounded by a dark green ring of grass this indicates that the nitrogen from the dog’s urine has seeped into a wider area in a more diluted form and is actually fertilising the grass.

You can also do the tug test - grass that has been damaged by urine will still have a strong root structure so will resist being pulled out.

Are Brown Patches on Grass Always From Dog Urine?

Not always! Brown and yellow patches indicate that your grass is dying but this doesn’t mean that your four legged friend is necessarily responsible.

If the brown patches aren’t surrounded by dark green rings of grass (indicating nitrogen from the dog urine) and the grass is easy to pull out then your grass could be suffering from fungus or grass grubs, which weaken the grass’ root system.

How Does Dog Urine Damage Your Lawn?

There’s a misconception that it’s due to extreme PH swings or the acid in dog urine is burning your lawn, but this isn’t true! Those pesky patches are actually caused by high levels of nitrogen in dog urine which comes from the protein rich diet our dogs tend to have.

In a small area where there is a high concentration of nitrogen,(like where your dog urinates in the same spot repeatedly) the nitrogen staves the grass of any moisture and the ability to take on any moisture, with no access to moisture, it doesn’t take long for the grass to die off.

Does Having a Female Dog Mean You’re More Likely to Get Urine Spots on Your Grass?

Another false claim is that female dogs’ urine is more likely to burn your lawn. The reality is, it has nothing to do with whether you have a female or male dog but actually how they urinate.

Female dogs, puppies and elderly dogs squat, meaning that their urine tends to end up in a concentrated area whereas male dogs spray their urine covering a wider area.

Does a Dog’s Breed Affect Urine Damage to Your Lawn?

No, not at all. Your dog’s breed will have no impact on whether or not their urine will damage your lawn. If you notice that one of your dogs damages your lawn more than another, this is because of many different variables between each dog, but their breed is not of these factors, so don’t let your lawn determine what breed you choose!

How to Prevent Dog Urine From Killing Grass Naturally

Luckily, there are a number of ways you can protect your lawn from dog urine spots:

1) Train your dog to pee in one area that is protected by mulch, bark, gravel or just in a spot that is easily hidden.

2) Take a look at your dog’s diet. Highly processed dog food like dried food and dog rolls are high in processed proteins. A byproduct of these proteins is urea nitrogen, the harder it is to break down these proteins, the higher the concentration of urea. Fresh meat that is wet is great but can be expensive, so try adding it to plant-based foods that are still high in protein, but easier to break down - and cheaper! Speak to your vet about the best diet for your pup.

3) Dilute the nitrogen by adding more water to your dog’s diet, a couple of good additions are salt free bone broths and hydration rich fruits such as watermelon. Encourage your dog to stay hydrated by keeping their water bowls topped up and have plenty of water stations around your home and garden.

4) Whilst this is a less sustainable fix, you can hose down the area to wash the nitrogens away as soon as possible after your dog urinates. This could result in dark green patches where the nitrogen has been diluted and fertilised the grass.

5) You could try products such as Dog Rocks in your dog’s water bowl which manufacturers claim purifies the water, reducing the nitrogen level. It’s up for debate but we haven’t heard anyone say they actually work.

How to Treat Grass That Has Been Damaged by Dog Urine

It is possible that grass can be saved once it has been damaged but it depends on what stage it is at.

If the grass is still yellow there is a chance that you can save it before it dies by giving it extra water when watering your lawn.

Brown patches mean the grass is dead so will need reseeding. First water the area thoroughly to remove any additional nitrogen and then reseed it.

If you just have the dark green patches, this suggests the rest of your lawn is lacking in nitrogen. In this case a nitrogen rich fertiliser can help keep the rest of your lawn, but be careful not to overuse it to avoid damaging your lawn. To determine if your grass lacks available nutrients due to soil pH or other reasons, take a soil sample and have it tested.

Likewise you will still need to protect your lawn moving forward from being damaged by your dog’s urine.

Can You Get Grass Seed That is Resistant to Damage by Dog Urine?

If you are reseeding your lawn ahead of a new dog joining your family or the damage from urine has already been done and it’s time to start again, you can choose grass seeds that are more resistant than others to dog urine.

Of course it depends on your soil and the climate but seeds to consider include Kikuyu and Couch Grass which can help with resistance. If you are thinking of reseeding then speak with our team who can help recommend a seed suitable for your lawn. It’s important to remember though, whilst these seeds might be more resistant to urine-damage, they are not entirely resistant, you will still need to care for your lawn with the tips above.


What About Artificial Lawn is This Affected by Dog Urine?

Yes and no…let us explain. With artificial lawn, you won’t get the same brown spots that a natural lawn would get (making it an ideal choice if you don’t want to worry about treating dead patches of grass), however a build up of dog urine can still cause an unpleasant smell.

How to Neutralise the Smell of Dog Urine on Artificial Grass

When it comes to preventing the smell of urine on your artificial grass there are a number of ways that you can tackle it:

1) If you don’t already have artificial grass or you’re looking to replace your current lawn make sure you choose a turf that has antibacterial properties and drains well so that urine doesn’t sit on the lawn.

2) Use sprinklers or a hose to regularly wash down your lawn to prevent a build up of urine.

3) If the odour still lingers then you can try different cleaning products designed specifically for artificial grass. If you need a quick fix or prefer a more natural approach, take a look in your pantry. If you’ve got baking soda, sprinkle it on any affected areas, leave it overnight (or at least for a few hours) and then wash or sweep away. The same can be achieved with equal parts of vinegar and water.

For more information about artificial turf, the best grass variety for your property or more tips on keeping your lawn healthy, get in touch with our team.

As we said, we hear of these problems a lot - it’s a big topic for dog owners who want to keep both their dog happy and their lawn healthy, and because lawns are such a big part of what we do we’ve done a lot of research into this to give you the best advice. With these tips hopefully we can clarify concerns and help you achieve the lawn you’re after.

Call us today.

All grasses can be susceptible to diseases, it's just a matter of caring for your lawn correctly to avoid diseases before they begin. Caring for your lawn regularly also helps to keep weed growth at bay.

Also known as leaf rust, crown rust can infect grasses. It's name comes from one of its spore types - a teliospore - which is characterised by prongs that create a crown-like structure. The disease is characterised by small, scattered orange pustules, each containing thousands of spores that spread by wind to infect neighbouring plants and fields.

Crown rust typically affects both Rye grass and Kentucky Bluegrass

It is most common for crown rust to occur from early summer to late autumn but is particularly prominent in mild, humid weather conditions. The affected grass appears rust coloured and is most commonly seen on low fertility soils where there are dry conditions and the absence of rain or irrigation.

Solution:

Fungicides for crown rust are protective in nature and for best results they must be applied before the infection progresses too far - apply a fertiliser that is rich in nitrogen

The old adage "prevention is better than cure" goes for your lawn as well. Keeping on top of your weed and feed schedule and checking for pests regularly will prevent potential headaches and costly repairs or even a lawn replacement down the track! Here we help you identify the common weeds and pests that could attack your lawn.

Paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) is a common North Island lawn weed that appears in summer. It spreads through your lawn with rhizomatous roots. It forms low growing flat tufts of wide bladed grass and has 'sticky' seed heads late in the summer months. As well as being unsightly, it can become a problem by smothering your chosen lawn seed variety.

Solution:

Manual removal is possible if you find it while the weed is small and all the roots and rhizomes can be removed. However, if any are left behind they will sprout again. Remove using a hand tool such as a garden trowel.

Spot treatment with a glyphosate based product such as Roundup by either selective spraying or using a paint-on application method is recommended for most lawn types (except Fine Fescue). Because glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, it will kill any other grass or plants it comes into contact with, so be sure to concentrate on applying to just the paspalum and only spray in still conditions.

For a Fine Fescue lawn a selective herbicide product such as Ignite should be used at the recommended label rate. Apply during the active growth stage and preferably apply using the paint-on application method to avoid further damage to the lawn.

For further control of paspalum:

• Be sure to mow regularly and to the correct height for your lawn type.
• Fertilise regularly to keep your lawn healthy, strong, and less susceptible to weeds.
• Water your lawn deeply and less often to ensure the root system is strong and more resistant to weed invasion.
• Consider aerating your lawn once or twice a year to improve the overall soil health.