Pics of your lawn!

[gcg2503]

Some great lawns here guys

GTFPV and Duaned especially!

House I am currently in I bought whilst I was overseas with the view of it being a long term rental.

My Old Boy renovated it inside and out in my absence

Lets just say he ripped up all the lawn and replaced it with white stones. I shake my head in disbelief every time I pull into the driveway. The joys of being Greek.......

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by duaned

Very nice mate, looks like a very fine grass that can be mowed quite short. In the hotter weather, does this grass really need to drink a lot of water to survive?

OHHHH YES. it is the most temperamental grass on the planet.

if i named it . it waould simply be called , "BARSTARD"

HENCE: a barstard usually looks the best in a room , and cares for no other, must be maintained,at great expense to keep its interest untill it changes its mind, if its needs arent met it simply leaves this world. if you upset it you will pay . this grass must have everything it's own way.
owners of this grass live in constant worry but refuse to p i s s it off and replace it with less worrying easier maintenance grass.

[fordOwner]

OK guys! Ive promised pictures of "my" Lawns. Well the ones I look after where I work. I have captured the mower I use in the pictures to prove it is my work.

This first picture is of the Pioneer Womens Memorial in the Botanical Gardens. All of the lawns we use are Kikuyu and it is mowed twice a week in summer at 9mm. the surrounding areas are cut at 30mm with a ride on rotory mower built by Gianni Ferrari. The mower in the pictures is a Toro ReelMaster 5 gang Cylinder mower.
I have just cut it in a strait ribbon pattern TWICE. This makes the lines really stand out.


Another shot of the lawns before I cross cut it.


And this is the result of cross cutting the lawns in a half moon shape after the initial strait mow - Looks soooo good.


John Forrest Memorial....


We call this pattern "The paddock mow" where we just follow the fence line so to speak. This is a lawn out side the Tea houses and bus stops near the botanical gardens and The War memorial. Freak chance the FG (?) ute was in the back ground.


Western Australian War Memorial (full shot, cant see the lawns really)....


Closer shot of the memorial lawns....


This was taken a little further back from the memorial looking South. You can see how much more the stripes stand out more when the sun is out in full to really give that "Shade & Reflection effect"...


Just to the right of the War memorial is this view (and the lawns) with Canning/Swan river in the back ground....


My office. Perth city views every day....


Jewish War Memorial and surrounds.


The lawns leading to the Boab tree (The one that was transplanted 4,000kms from up North to here at Kings Park) Most of these lawns are cut with the rotory ride on mower at 40mm due to the shade and foot traffic wear it gets. We cut it higher so the grass has more "body" to tollerate wear and the slow growth under the shade. The suction effect of the mower deck also pickes up all the leaves and after its been cut it looks a million dollars....


Further down the grass path to the Boab with the Californian garden bed to the right of the picture....


And this is the 750yr old Boab tree that was transplanted about a year go. You can see the much younger Boabs to the left of the picture - they are only about 80yrs old. The big Boab has just been through its first southern winter. The arbor team tell me its still alive as it has sprouted some new leaves But it will take a few years to see if its established in its new home as its so juicy it can survive off its own juices.
Oh yeh and the lawn is cut at 30mm here....


And Finally I thought id add this in which I saw on the way back to the Depot. It's a VERY nice FG owned by the head sponsor for this years WA All Ford Day coming up on Sunday. I managed to have a chat with him n he seems like a top bloke.


Well I have put probably too many pictures up and crashes every ones computer I have a lot more lawns to show off but I think you get the picture unless you want to see the others. But if not I hope you have enjoyed tour of the lawns I look after in the park and im happy to answer any questions too.

[SB076]

Ok I would love to have great lawn and I have tried, however first time gardener so my lawn isnt anywhere near as good as some of the examples posted. I live in SE Melbourne and have Santa Anna (Winter gem) My biggest problem is that my front lawn has really poor drainage so get destroyed by the postie. My back lawn is better however needs to be top dressed (whats best to use washed sand or top soil - I was thinking sand as it may help improve drainage)

I fertilize in spring and summer using Scotts lawn builder and cut the grass once a week (except in winter when the grass doesnt grow at all) Does anyone know any ways I can improve drainage without digging up my yard and putting down drainage?

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by SB076

Ok I would love to have great lawn and I have tried, however first time gardener so my lawn isnt anywhere near as good as some of the examples posted. I live in SE Melbourne and have Santa Anna (Winter gem) My biggest problem is that my front lawn has really poor drainage so get destroyed by the postie. My back lawn is better however needs to be top dressed (whats best to use washed sand or top soil - I was thinking sand as it may help improve drainage)

I fertilize in spring and summer using Scotts lawn builder and cut the grass once a week (except in winter when the grass doesnt grow at all) Does anyone know any ways I can improve drainage without digging up my yard and putting down drainage?

aerate the ground . basically this means putting little holes everywhere to soak up water .
i used river sand once . and it all ended up in the mower catcher .
i reckon 50% sand soil mix . would be the go .
you can also get proffessionals in with a machine that thins out your lawn . and aerates at the same time . this allows air sunlight and moistuer to get down to the roots .

[fordOwner]

adding layers of sand will not improve drainage.. only make it worse as you are altering the soil profiles creating layers of differant soils.
Hire a Correr (Hollow Tined) and mow over it after you have corred with a rotory mower to pick up the plugs or rake it up followed by a mow. AND APPLY SOIL WETTING AGENTS!

[XR6WGN]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

OK guys! Ive promised pictures of "my" Lawns. Well the ones I look after where I work. I have captured the mower I use in the pictures to prove it is my work.

You can never get enough pictures of that area - I left Perth in 2000 and it's great to see that the parkland is still as well kept as I remember. The photos have brought back some nice memories and the lawns are a credit to you - keep up the great work.

[gtfpv]

fordowner . to see faultless grass on that size scale is simply mind boggling .
well done . YOU WIN . you must put so much proffessional detail into that .

[POELWYK]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

OK guys! Ive promised pictures of "my" Lawns. Well the ones I look after where I work. I have captured the mower I use in the pictures to prove it is my work.

This first picture is of the Pioneer Womens Memorial in the Botanical Gardens. All of the lawns we use are Kikuyu and it is mowed twice a week in summer at 9mm. the surrounding areas are cut at 30mm with a ride on rotory mower built by Gianni Ferrari. The mower in the pictures is a Toro ReelMaster 5 gang Cylinder mower.
I have just cut it in a strait ribbon pattern TWICE. This makes the lines really stand out.


.

looks like the grass i cut here in melb i use Toro Stuff too i work at a 18 hole golf coruse :P so the grass looks like this 2 when we cut it and look after it LOL i think i have a pick


this was taken when we where on the hight of the drout

GREEN


FAIRWAY

[fordOwner]

Thanks XR6WGN & GTFPV!
Why did you leave Perth XR6WGN???!!
I really tried hard in my interview to get this job i tell ya! Ive been in the Turf industry for about 10yrs now, I studied up at tafe for 5 years whilst working as a lawnmower man then got a job at a Edith Cowan Uni as a groundsman and finished my studies and this job came up.. about 4 yrs now.
It really is a team effort here over 300 staff, bushland, botanic gardens, parklands, turf, arbor, Conservation, facilities maintenance and so on. The park is getting better but our budget has been cut yet our visiting numbers are up to 5 million a year. There only 4 of us in the Turf Team and to get the whole Park looking like that all year round can be hard especially with the concerts held at that big park.

And these pics are a fine example of what using good quality tools does. ie the Toro Cylinder mower

POELWYK - how often do you renovate your greens and fairways over there?

(Sorry if im high jackign this thread)

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Yes very nice lawns for sure guys, but ... these aren't 'your' lawns, and 99% of people haven't got 8 hrs a day to do their lawns like you guys do for a living 8 hrs a day etc ,otherwise we'd all have lawns like that.
Again , very nice , but ...I can goto any botanical gardens etc and see lawn like this , I wanna see peoples lawns that they own, your lawn on your property, and I'm sure this is what this thread was intended for. ;). cheers

[XR6WGN]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

Why did you leave Perth XR6WGN???!!

I was based over at HMAS Stirling with the RAN - came over from Canberra in 1993 and moved back to Adelaide in 2000. We absolutely loved the place but my wife's mother and father were getting on in years so after I took my discharge from the Navy, we decided to sell the house (Waikiki) and return home.

[duaned]

Originally Posted by XR6-VCT-2000

I wanna see peoples lawns that they own, your lawn on your property, and I'm sure this is what this thread was intended for. ;). cheers

Hey, your taking over my thread, take a back seat! But yes you are right. This thread is about your own personal lawns, not ones of commercial nature. However many thanks must be given to all those that have posted, ( including commercial) and let us see more pics please!

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by XR6-VCT-2000

Yes very nice lawns for sure guys, but ... these aren't 'your' lawns .......

No they aren't ...... but this is!


Sorry .... just had to! Back to the topic at hand!

Originally Posted by Crazy-AU

Dont tease my sprinkler haha!

Its all I can afford... Still works good enough for me!

No not at all! It was the fact that if you use a sprinkler in Melbourne you get 20 years to life!



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[XR6-VCT-2000]

lol.. Sorry duaned, wasn't intended ! .
As mentioned, very nice lawns you guys who do that for a job , no doubt some of the best lawns about for sure and I enjoyed the pics. On with the home lawn pics , bring them on ..cheers


EDIT ... lmao 'auslandau', thats gold, a nuclear power plant in your backyard huh ! ( or coal chimney ?)

[ieatsports_cars]

i got dead grass, i should take a pic asap for you guys

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by XR6-VCT-2000

EDIT ... lmao 'auslandau', thats gold, a nuclear power plant in your backyard huh ! ( or coal chimney ?)

Just in case your not from Vic ..... thats Yallourn.



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[Geez Louise]

Thats a shocker Dave...I only just got that

Boom Tish!

[GRNKPR]

Originally Posted by rodderz

Nice maintained lawn mate, the key is the prep and ongoing maintenance of them. These days people are shrinking or getting rid of lawn but you can still have a top lawn with the correct prep.

If you deep rip, apply good soil, wetting agent, sub surface drip irrigation it will be good all year round. Too many people just throw on the soil & the seeds/instant turf and leave it.

If the lawn is healthier it will be deep rooted and get its own water deeper in the soil and be more resistant to drought and nasties. With a deep ripped soil and good organic stuff mixed in the roots will grow easier, compacted soil will make it hard.

If you have a water tank and pump hook up some dripline 450-500mm apart over the lawn about 40mm below the topsoil, it will do a better job and you will lose less water to evaporation. Fertilise every few months, plus add the odd application of seasol or a few tablespoons of molasses in water does the same trick.

We have done a few synthetic lawns this year, they come up looking great but not really a huge fan. They still need maintenance, cost a heap to install and they get quite hot during summer. Natural lawn actually decreases the temp of your backyard.

Enough Don Burke info from me anyway....

sounds like you might know your stuff DON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fordOwner]

My word Synthetic grass gets hot! - You thought beach sand gets hot!!
Ive seen a kid trip on a tennis ball on synthetic grass playing with a dog. It was the worst carpet burn I have ever ever seen. The poor kids knee was in so much pain.
They had to dissinfect the area too as recommended by the manufacturer.

[SB076]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

adding layers of sand will not improve drainage.. only make it worse as you are altering the soil profiles creating layers of differant soils.
Hire a Correr (Hollow Tined) and mow over it after you have corred with a rotory mower to pick up the plugs or rake it up followed by a mow. AND APPLY SOIL WETTING AGENTS!

Thanks (and GTFPV) will give coring a go, I have about 50mm of good quality soil (over 100mm in others) sitting on top of clay. Was hoping (by adding the sand) that the levelling out will allow better water run off (rather than it pooling in the low spots)

[fordOwner]

SB076 - Apply some turf sand only after you have corred it to fill in the hollow plugs improving your soil profile. Turf sand would probably be better in your situation due to your clay content in your lower soil profile as Turf Mix will have a higher clay content than sand.

Top dressing should ONLY be applied to lawns to fill in divots, plug holes, un-even lawns, or lawns that are thin from too much wear.
People have the misconseption that putting sand on lawns make it healthy and greener - Its only the nitrogen or other trace elements that is in the top dressing soil that makes it green. So its easier and cheaper to just add fertiliser.
Top dressing allplied to healthy lawns will just add Thatching problems. where too much organic material is built up and decaying between the top layer of the soil and turf plant

[XDOUBLEU]

Some nice lawns there.

Can any of you lawn gurus tell me how to identify different types of lawn. I assumed that my lawn was buffalo, but I really dont know for sure what it is. I reckon i need to know what type I have before I can get it looking its best this summer.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by XDOUBLEU

Some nice lawns there.

Can any of you lawn gurus tell me how to identify different types of lawn. I assumed that my lawn was buffalo, but I really dont know for sure what it is. I reckon i need to know what type I have before I can get it looking its best this summer.

Chuck up a photo. This will make it easier for us to identify.

[XDOUBLEU]

Here is a few pics of it.






Also whats the best stuff to kill black beetles and slaters, coz they love my lawn.

[fordOwner]

That lawn is Kikuyu by the looks of it with winter grass seed heads popping through
I cant remember the exact name of the product but if you go to your local Pets and Gardens store they will direct you to a powder or granuel that kills off the black beetle and simillar pests. 'Bayer' is one group that makes it. BUT MAKE SURE YOU WEAR GLOVES AND BREATHINGING MASK IF POSSIBLE & WASH UP AFTERWARDS The guys at the store wont tell you this - its quite toxic.

OR

squirt some liquid detergent in a watering can with water and pour over the lawn liberally and water in well. the more the better but due to waterign restrictions this may not be possible at all.
Black beetle Larvae and mature beetle hates the soapyness of the detergent making them either die or rise to the surface it will also deter other beetles layign eggs in your soil.
The beetle also hates the soil being flooded and will come to the surface. I have done this once and litterally raked the lawn of black beetles!!
But this is not recommended to do often as the detergent upsets th ePH level in soils quite badly if done regularly. OTHER WISE USE SOIL WETTING AGENTS!!!!

[Falcon Coupe]

My kikuyu lawn is going quite well now in it's third year, what annoys me about it this time of year are the long silver bits that appear within a day or two after mowing, is it like some king of flowering lawn or sprouting rhizome ?

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

OTHER WISE USE SOIL WETTING AGENTS!!!!

Here's one for ya mate...

Is it possible to get a wetting agent that you can throw on like Fertaliser? (I've got a mix of Dynamic Lifter and Brunnings Aussie Green on mine. It got watered on with 120 odd mils of water last night) I'd love to get some in my front lawn, to stop my Gum Tree from sucking the water out of the lawn.

[fordOwner]

yes there is! its called granulated soil wetting agent. comes in a 20ltr bag usually and i think it treats up to 600sq meters. Baily's Growsorb is one brand but im not sure if its available outside of WA tho. Its Phosphate free to protect the froggies too! - Phosphate is acidic to the layer of film on frogs' skin.

FalconCoupe - the silvery strands in Kikuyu are the useless seed pods that it produces. ive been told its like our appendix, we still have it but dont need it.
Unless its a strand of the original original original Kikuyu from the 70's then the seeds are sterile. - and Yes I hear you its SUPER annoying!!

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by fordOwner

yes there is! its called granulated soil wetting agent. comes in a 20ltr bag usually and i think it treats up to 600sq meters. Baily's Growsorb is one brand but im not sure if its available outside of WA tho. if its Phosphate free to protect the froggies too! - Phosphate is acidic to the layer of film on frogs' skin.

I don't have 600 Sq Metres of lawn, so hopefully, I can find something that isn't quite so big. But, you can throw it onto an established lawn like Fertaliser then?

I'll have to pop into Flower Power, as Bunnings has its usual spartan range and have a look. Thanks for the tip.

Just one more question, I promise. Having a look at my back lawn, how high should I be cutting it? I use about level 7 on my Victa, but I feel it could go one shorter without any trouble. Any thoughts?