Seasonal growth curves for warm season and cool season turfgrasses.

The below illustration demonstrates the growth curves for warm season turfgrasses (Kikuyu, Buffalo and Couch) Vs the Cool season turfgrasses (ryegrass, tall and fine fescues).

The grass base of most Bayside lawns are Couch, Kikuyu and more recently soft leaf Buffalo, otherwise known as WARM SEASON turfgrass. These grass types have excellent heat and drought tolerance and reproduce from runners, rather than seed. In full sun, they grow actively in Bayside’s sandbelt from early summer to late autumn, before heading into dormancy for the cooler months. In shade regions, these grasses struggle to grow or may die back. During winter dormancy, they stop growing altogether, suffer severe wear damage and lose color; and inevitably annual winter broadleaf and grass weeds take hold.

Unfortunately, many Bayside Couch, Kikuyu and Buffalo lawns are worn out; open and bare or dominant with annual grassy and broadleaf weeds, particularly through the cooler months (late March to late Nov).

The strategy for the ideal, 4-season lawn in Bayside’s sand belt is to:
a. Promote the summer-autumn growth of the warm season grass base
b. Turf reseed™ with cool season grasses (perennial turf ryegrass)

Turf reseeding™ is the process of drilling seed into existing dormant couch and kikuyu, retaining the grass base for the ideal 4-season lawn that can transition from ‘cool season’ to ‘warm-season’ species.

The main COOL SEASON turfgrass varieties are turf-type perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and  fine fescues. These grasses make a beautifully rich, vibrant colored, fine-leaf lawn with excellent cool season growth, wear and shade tolerance. Without soil moisture, their Achilles heel is tolerance to drought and extended periods of extreme heat.

These perennial turfgrasses will persist 4-seasons with easy common sense care and are established from seed from early autumn to mid-late spring. The best turf perennial ryegrass examples are the MCG, Visy park, Eithad, Aurora and Skilled stadiums, Adelaide Oval, Moonee Valley racecourse, English premier league, EUFA, Brazil’s FIFA World
cup soccer pitches, Lord’s cricket ground and Wimbelton.