Look, I’ve been in the lawn game for longer than I care to admit… and let me tell you, nothing breaks my heart more than seeing someone dump the wrong fertilizer on their grass. It’s like watching someone put diesel in a petrol car. Just painful.
## **Here’s the thing about grass types**
Your lawn isn’t just “grass.” It’s a specific type that needs specific food. And if you’re in Sydney like most of Mr Lawn Man’s customers, you’ve probably got one of a few main types.
### **Buffalo Grass (Sir Walter, Palmetto, Sapphire)**
Buffalo is the tough guy of the grass world. Drought tolerant, shade loving, but here’s the kicker – it can be a bit sensitive to nitrogen. Too much and you’ll burn it faster than a snag on Australia Day.
**Best fertilizer approach:**
– Slow-release granular with lower nitrogen (something like 12-2-8)
– Organic options work brilliantly – buffalo actually responds better to gentle feeding
– Apply every 8-10 weeks during growing season
– Half strength is better than full strength. Trust me on this one
### **Couch Grass (Common Couch, Santa Ana, Wintergreen)**
Couch grass is hungry. Like, teenager-after-school hungry. This stuff loves nitrogen and will take whatever you throw at it.
**What works:**
– High nitrogen fertilizers (20-2-8 or similar)
– Can handle quick-release formulas
– Feed every 6-8 weeks in summer
– Don’t be shy – couch can take it
### **Kikuyu Grass**
Ah kikuyu. The love-hate grass. Grows like crazy, invades everything, but man does it make a tough lawn.
**Fertilizer strategy:**
– Balanced fertilizers work best (16-4-8)
– Needs regular feeding to keep it thick (otherwise it gets stemmy)
– Every 6 weeks in growing season
– Add iron if you want that deep green color
### **Zoysia Grass**
The premium option. Soft, beautiful, but a bit high maintenance when it comes to feeding.
**Best approach:**
– Low to moderate nitrogen (14-2-8)
– Slow-release only – quick release will cause surge growth
– Every 8-10 weeks
– Benefits from potassium for winter hardiness
## **OK but what about those fertilizer numbers?**
You know those three numbers on the bag? Like 16-4-8? That’s N-P-K. Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium.
– **Nitrogen (first number):** Makes it green and grow
– **Phosphorus (middle number):** Root development
– **Potassium (last number):** Overall health and stress tolerance
## **Seasonal considerations (because Sydney has seasons, sort of)**
**Spring:** Time to wake up the lawn. Higher nitrogen to get growth going.
**Summer:** Keep feeding but watch the heat. Slow-release is your friend.
**Autumn:** Switch to higher potassium. Helps with winter prep.
**Winter:** Most grasses are dormant. Maybe one light feed if you have winter-active grass.
## **My personal recommendations**
After years of testing products…
**Organic lovers:** Can’t go wrong with good old composted manure or seaweed solutions. Takes longer but builds better soil.
**Quick results:** Scotts Lawn Builder or similar. Just follow the damn directions. Seriously.
**Budget conscious:** Generic slow-release from Bunnings works fine. It’s not rocket science.
**Problem lawns:** Sometimes you need a soil test. pH might be off. Iron deficiency is common in Sydney soils.
## **Common mistakes I see all the time**
– Fertilizing dry grass (always water first)
– Using winter fertilizer in summer
– Thinking more is better (it’s not)
– Forgetting to water in after application
– Applying before heavy rain (waste of money)
## **Quick tips from the field**
• Early morning is best time to fertilize
• Use a spreader for even coverage (those hand-held ones are fine)
• Keep kids and pets off for 24 hours
• If you see dark green stripes, you overlapped too much
• Yellow grass doesn’t always mean nitrogen deficiency
Look, at the end of the day, feeding your lawn isn’t complicated. Match the fertilizer to your grass type, don’t overdo it, and be consistent. That’s 90% of the battle right there.
And if it all seems too much? Well, that’s why services like Mr Lawn Man exist. Sometimes it’s worth getting someone who knows what they’re doing. Especially if you’ve got that expensive zoysia…
Remember – your lawn is a living thing. Feed it right and it’ll reward you. Feed it wrong and well… let’s just say I’ve seen some disasters.
Stay green,
Bryce