Spring lawn care begins as soil temperatures rise and warm-season lawns such as buffalo, couch and kikuyu start growing more actively. In warmer regions, these grasses may simply slow down or lose colour over winter, while colder conditions can send them into dormancy.
Once new growth appears, it is time to repair winter damage and prepare your lawn for the warmer months ahead. From careful mowing to feeding and pest checks, these four spring lawn care jobs will help your lawn return to healthy growth.
1. Mow with intent
Mow more frequently as growth speeds up, but avoid cutting the lawn back too heavily in one go. Removing more than one-third of the leaf blade can stress the grass and leave it looking pale or patchy.
If the lawn has grown long over winter, gradually lower the mowing height over several cuts instead of scalping it in a single pass. Keep mower blades sharp to create cleaner cuts and encourage healthier regrowth.
2. Feed as part of your spring lawn care
Wait until the lawn is actively growing before applying fertiliser. Feeding too early, while the grass is still dormant or growing slowly, may provide little benefit.
Rocky Point Lawn Food offers a convenient hose-on option for feeding the lawn as growth resumes. For a granular application, Rocky Point OptiLawn Granular Fertiliser can be spread evenly across established lawns to support healthy growth and colour.
Whichever product you choose, follow the label carefully, including the recommended application rate and watering instructions.
3. Manage thatch and repair bare patches
A lawn that feels unusually spongy underfoot may have an excessive layer of thatch. Scarifying can help remove this build-up, but it should only be done once the lawn is actively growing and able to recover.
After scarifying or aerating, apply a light, even layer of Rocky Point OptiLawn Top Dress without burying the grass. Repair bare areas using turf, runners, plugs or seed suited to the existing lawn variety and local growing conditions.
4. Include pest checks in spring lawn care
Lawn armyworms can become active as conditions warm, feeding on turf foliage at night and sometimes causing rapid damage. Check the lawn regularly through spring and investigate unexplained brown patches, chewed leaves or birds feeding on the grass in the early morning or late afternoon.
These signs do not always confirm a pest problem, so inspect the lawn carefully before choosing a treatment. Turf Queensland provides more information on identifying and managing lawn armyworm. Always use lawn-care products according to their labels.
With the right timing, spring lawn care can help warm-season grass recover from winter and build healthy growth before summer arrives.
