So, you’ve sown your Kikuyu seeds, your lawn is beginning to sprout, and you’re ready to make your lawn a serious contender for BLOG (Best Lawn On Ground)? Well, you’ve certainly already made the first right move, because a Kikuyu lawn has the potential to outshine any other lawn on your street, all year round! In fact, one of the best things about our custom bred Paradise Kikuyu grass is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to maintain – regular mowing, water and fertilising a couple of times a year is as easy as can be. But, if you’re keen to take your lawn pride to a whole new level, there are definitely some extra steps you can take to get there. With these tips, you’ll be the envy of the street, with a lush, healthy and green lawn. Let’s go!
Edging
As Kikuyu has runners, it’s important to establish a border between your lawn and your garden beds, driveway and other surroundings. Maintaining the edges on your lawn will stop it from spreading into areas where you don’t want grass. General whipper snipping is an easy way to create an edge, and an even cleaner edge can be achieved with a purpose-built handheld or powered edger.
Installing a physical barrier creates a stronger border that is less likely to be compromised.
Physical barriers can be created using many materials, depending on the aesthetic you’re going for, and your budget. Options range from plastic to metal edging, to natural rocks or tiles. Whatever material you use, make sure it’s pushed deep enough into the soil to prevent grass from snaking around beneath the surface. Edging can be taken care of at the end of your mowing routine, to achieve a neat clean finish on your lawn.
Watering
Kikuyu grass has a high drought tolerance thanks to the way it runs along the ground, as well as its excellent growth rate. These large prostrate runners also allow Kikuyu to actively seek soil moisture. Once established, Paradise Kikuyu can handle tough drought conditions better than most other grasses.
Watering requirements will depend on the climate in your area. As a general guide to maintaining a lush green appearance, use the following:
- Spring & Autumn – once a week for 20 minutes
- Winter – usually watering can be scaled right back in winter. Once per week will be plenty if the lawn hasn’t gone into dormancy.
- Summer/ 30⁰C+ temperatures – 3 times a week for 15 minutes
Mowing
Throughout the year, mowing should be done when the grass is around 25-30mm high. Mowing during the growing season will help promote lawn growth and keep the lawn thick and lush & can also help keep weeds under control. In summer, mowing will be required around every 7-10 days. During winter, the grass will become dormant, meaning mowing can be scaled back to every 2-5 weeks, if necessary at all.
Sharp mower blades are very important! Dull blades can damage the lawn by ripping and fraying at the ends, leading to a stressed & unsightly lawn. For best results, be sure to use a catcher too.
Fertiliser
Maintenance fertiliser should only be required a couple of times per year. We recommend using Paradise Starter Fertiliser when you sow your new Paradise Kikuyu seed. Our Paradise fertilisers are specifically formulated to be the best mix of nutrients for Kikuyu lawns, as they make specific nutrients immediately available to the seedling for increased vigour. They are a granular product for ease of application and are designed to slowly release the nutrients into your lawn. Around the 12-week mark, post sowing is a good time to use our Paradise Booster Fertiliser, to encourage further growth and establishment. Apply the fertiliser as per pack instructions either by hand or by using a custom spreader.
As for ongoing maintenance, fertilizing once at the beginning of spring, then another application in Autumn should suffice. This will help the lawn to retain its beautiful green colour through winter.
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