New Lawn Essential Care Tips – Couch, Zoysia & Buffalo

The first 6 weeks after laying your fresh, lush lawn are absolutely crucial. It's the honeymoon phase – how you treat it now will determine whether your lawn becomes the pride of the neighbourhood or just another patch of grass. Whether you're rolling out Couch, Zoysia, or Buffalo, we’ve got you covered.

Day 1: Lay, Roll, Water

Fertilising: Before laying, sprinkle a starter fertiliser high in Phosphorus (for root growth) and low in Nitrogen (so the leaves don’t get too excited). Give us a call to add LawnPride Underturf Starter Fertiliser to your order, and we’ll drop it off with your turf.

Laying the Turf: Time is of the essence! Get that turf down ASAP. Turf sitting on a pallet too long is like toast in the toaster for too long – burnt and useless. Lay it right away to avoid pallet burn and dead patches. If you’ve got a large order across multiple pallets, consider breaking them up as much as possible upon arrival to avoid heat generating from the middle of the stack.

Brick Formation: Lay your turf like a bricklayer – staggered. This neat method prevents erosion and helps your lawn grow evenly. It’s especially important on slopes to stop water flowing through gaps. For more tips, check out our guide, ‘Laying 101: How to Lay Turf Correctly.’

Rolling Out: After laying, give it a good roll to push out air pockets and get the roots snug with the soil. No roller? No worries. You can hire rollers off Facebook Marketplace or your local landscape supply shop pretty cheaply. A shuffle across the lawn with your feet works too.

Watering: Water immediately after laying – make sure the soil underneath is damp and stays that way until your lawn is established. For at least the first week or so, you will need to water multiple times per day to ensure the roots stay damp (not soaked). Once the roots have established - which may take anywhere from 1 to 12 weeks depending on the lawn type and weather - you can start to ease off waterings either in frequency and/or duration. Once your lawn is thriving, maintain a weekly or twice weekly watering schedule.

The First 6 Weeks: TLC for Your Lawn

Watering: Watering during the first 6 weeks is absolutely critical – this is the make-or-break stage for your new lawn.

Your job is to keep the soil damp (not soaked) at all times so those fresh roots can settle in. That usually means watering twice a day – morning and afternoon – or even more often if the weather’s really hot (or if you’ve got the time to water more times for less duration, even better).

How long should you water? That depends. You’re aiming for a deep soak, which could take anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes each time, depending on your soil type, turf variety, and weather. Sandy soil dries quicker, clay holds more water.

Need a quick check? Try the towel test. Wet a towel, pop it next to your lawn (not on your lawn!), and leave it there. When the towel's dry, so is your turf – time to get watering.

Keep an eye out for wilting or curling blades – they’re waving the white flag and begging for a drink.

Once your roots are properly established (around 3–12 weeks depending on conditions and turf type), you can start backing off to a good soak once or twice a week. But take it slow – a well-watered lawn early on means a stronger, drought-tough turf down the track.

Mowing: Don’t even think about mowing until your lawn is established. This could take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the grass type, weather, and season. To check, gently tug at a corner of a slab – if it sticks, it’s ready. When you do mow, start on the highest setting and just trim the top.

Fertilising: After about 8 weeks, your lawn will be hungry for its first feed. We recommend LawnPride Turf Maxx – a balanced fertiliser to keep it growing strong.

Top Soil: Once your lawn is settled, you can fill in any gaps or low spots with a light sprinkle of topsoil. Washed sand or sandy loam are perfect. Spread it with a leveller to even things out.

What NOT to Do Before Your Lawn is Established

No Walking: Stay off the grass, mate! Walking on it too soon will disturb the roots and cause uneven patches.

Don’t Skip Watering: Your new lawn is thirsty. Keep up the watering routine to help it establish.

No Overwatering: While watering is essential, drowning your lawn will lead to root rot and other issues. Keep the soil moist, not soaked.

No Heavy Use: No BBQs, no backyard cricket – not until your lawn is fully established and ready for action.

Don’t Mow Too Soon: Hold off on mowing until the grass is well rooted and grown enough. Mowing too early can set it back.

No Chemicals: Keep the herbicides and pesticides in the shed until your lawn is stronger. The only exception is Acelepryn GR if you’re laying turf in Spring or Summer to prevent pests.

Watch for Weeds: Remove any weeds manually – no chemicals just yet. Weeds compete for water and nutrients, and your lawn needs all the help it can get.

Year-Round Lawn Care

Summer

Watering: 1-2 times a week, depending on the weather.

Fertilising: Use a slow-release fertiliser like LawnPride Turf Maxx at the start and end of summer (for well-established lawns).

Mowing: Keep it neat – 2-5 cm for Couch and Zoysia, 3-7 cm for Buffalo.

Weeds: Hand-pull any existing weeds and apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Barricade or Spartan. Use LawnPride’s weed diagnostic tool for the best chemical solution.

Autumn

Watering: Up to twice a week if needed.

Grubs: If you’ve had grub issues in the past, a dose of Acelepryn GR is a good idea, however not essential for this time of year.

Mowing: Same height as summer – 2-5 cm for Couch and Zoysia, 3-7 cm for Buffalo.

Weeds: Hand-pull any existing weeds and apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Barricade or Spartan. Use LawnPride’s weed diagnostic tool for the best chemical solution.

Winter

Watering: Water as needed – look for signs of curling or browning leaves.

Mowing: Let your lawn grow a bit longer – 5-7 cm for Buffalo, 3-7 cm for Couch and Zoysia.

Spring

Watering: Increase watering as it warms up – aim for once or twice a week.

Mowing: Time for a light ‘scalp’ at the end of September/start of October. If your lawn is new, skip this step or go easy. For well-established lawns, consider a full renovation.

Aerating: Use a fork or aerator to improve air and water flow.

Weeds: Hand-pull any existing weeds and apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Barricade or Spartan. Use LawnPride’s weed diagnostic tool for the best chemical solution.

Grubs: Apply Acelepryn GR to stop pests.

Fertilising: Use a slow-release fertiliser to give your lawn a spring boost.

Top Soil: Even out any low patches with a light sprinkle of sandy loam or washed sand.

Now, go on and show your lawn some love. With the right care, you’ll have the best-looking turf on the block!