Lawn care through the year

The main jobs, and when each falls:

How clubs do it

1. Feeding: a complete fertiliser at 3 to 4kg per 100m², in months such as September, December and March when the grass needs it; none in dormancy.
2. Wetting agent: April, at the start of the dry season, then at the interval on the label.
3. Watering: 10 to 15mm every two to three days in dry weather, early in the morning.
4. Mowing: 4 to 6mm for competition, 8 to 10mm for club play, two to three times a week in January and February.
5. Hollow tining: April and May, before dormancy.
6. Scarifying: October and November.

How the year runs

The wet months in South East Queensland run from December to March. In a typical year the rain falls away from April. July to September are the driest months. Rain picks up again from October.

Couch is usually dormant from late June to August. Dormancy is the cool months when couch stops growing.

Feeding

The feed is a complete fertiliser, which carries nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. A golf guide gives 3 to 4kg of complete fertiliser per 100m² for each feed, three or four times a year: Golf Course Care and Maintenance (Queensland and Northern NSW). It was written for golf courses, not croquet courts.

A croquet court is somewhere between the two, so this guide gives no fixed number of feeds a year.

The grass shows when it needs a feed. Growth slows, and the leaves turn from dark green to pale green or yellow. Cold, dry weather, insects or disease can cause the same change, so those are ruled out first.

No fertiliser goes on during dormancy, because the grass cannot take it up. Nitrogen beyond what the grass needs washes through the soil. Too much nitrogen also brings more mowing and more disease, according to Penn State Extension.

Fertiliser is watered in the same day. Granules left on the leaves can dissolve in the overnight dew and burn the grass.

Phosphorus goes on only when a soil test calls for it, as advised by University of Florida IFAS Extension.

What do the N-P-K numbers on a bag mean?

N-P-K stands for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, measured by weight. A bag marked 15-5-10 holds 15% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus and 10% potassium. Some bags show a fourth number, for sulphur.

Liquid iron is an iron spray. It can turn a pale court deep green in 48 to 72 hours, without a burst of growth. It is for colour only and does not help grass through drought. It can stain paths and equipment, and it can burn grass if too much goes on or it is sprayed in the heat.

Soil testing

An established court is tested about every two or three years. A test in July, during dormancy, brings the results back in time to plan the September feed. SESL Australia and Nutrient Advantage both test soil. Couch suits a soil pH of about 6.5.

Wetting agents

A wetting agent helps water soak into soil that has gone water-repellent. Sandy and coastal soils around Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast often go that way after long dry spells. Water then runs off instead of soaking in.

A wetting agent goes on in April, before dry patches appear, then at the interval on its label. Products used on Queensland fine turf include DRENCH, Qualibra, CalWet and H2Pro AquaSmart, sold by turf suppliers.

The DRENCH label says not to get it in the eyes, on skin or on clothing. It says to wear safety glasses, a face shield or goggles when preparing it, and to wash hands after use. The full safety directions are on the DRENCH label.

Watering

Early morning, before 8am, is the usual time. Less water is lost to sun and wind then. Evening watering leaves the leaves wet overnight, which can encourage fungus.

The pump, sprinklers and controller need a check before summer. You can read more in Is your water system ready for summer?.

Mowing

No more than one-third of the grass blade is taken off in one pass. Taking off more weakens the grass, and this is called scalping. Wet grass is not mown. Wet blades fold instead of cutting, and the wheels pack down wet soil.

A grain is the grass leaning one way, which affects the roll of the ball. Changing direction each mow, north to south and then east to west, stops a grain forming. In January and February, mowing two to three times a week is common.

Turf Queensland is a starting point for professional advice and turf suppliers.

Some clubs pay a member to mow, which can have WorkCover and tax and superannuation effects if not careful. You can read more in Paying people at a club.

Hollow tining and scarifying

Hollow tining drives hollow tubes into the court and pulls out small plugs of soil, so air and water get in. It is done in April and May, busiest areas first. Fine sand is then brushed into the holes. A court with hard, packed-down soil may take two or three passes in different directions, over about a week.

Thatch is a spongy mat of dead stems and runners between the grass and the soil. Scarifying removes it. Scarifying is done in October and November. By then the grass has recovered from dormancy, and the wet season's fungus peak has not yet arrived. Scarifying is not done during dormancy or in mid-summer heat stress.

Disease in the wet months

The brown patch weather comes from Penn State Extension. Its page is about other grasses, not couch.

Fungicides used are registered with the APVMA, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. Some must be applied by a licensed user. The label sets out the rules.

Month by month

The rain figures are medians from the Bureau of Meteorology figures for Brisbane Airport, 1994 to 2026. A median means half the years had more rain than this, half had less. It is not a forecast.

Other parts of Queensland

Clubs on mains water only

A club on mains water can still water early, mow at the right height with the one-third rule, and skip feeds the grass does not need. These cost little.

Heat and lifting

Queensland Health says people aged 65 and over may be more at risk in the heat, because the body becomes less able to control its temperature. It says regular breaks, shade and drinking water help. Anyone who feels unwell should move to a cool place and drink water, it says. If symptoms do not improve, 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) gives advice from a registered nurse. In an emergency, the number is Triple Zero (000). Early-morning work suits both the grass and the people.

WorkSafe Queensland says sprains and strains are the most common workplace injury. Most are caused by manual handling, which means lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. On a croquet court, bags of fertiliser and sand are one example.

Your experience

What has worked on your own courts? Share it in the comments below.

Where this comes from

1. Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Brisbane Aero
2. Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, Golf Course Care and Maintenance (Queensland and Northern NSW)
3. Penn State Extension, Turfgrass Fertilization: A Basic Guide for Professional Turfgrass Managers
4. University of Florida IFAS Extension, Recommendations for N, P, K, and Mg for Golf Course and Athletic Field Fertilization
5. Turf Culture, DRENCH label
6. ClubHub, Is your water system ready for summer?
7. Turf Queensland
8. ClubHub: Paying people at a club
9. Penn State Extension, Turfgrass Diseases: Brown Patch
10. Queensland Health, People at risk of heat-related health problems
11. WorkSafe Queensland, Hazardous manual tasks