Lawns on the Gold Coast run to a different clock than the ones in the textbooks, which are mostly written for cooler climates. Our warm-season grasses like buffalo, couch, and Sir Walter do almost all their growing through the warm, wet months and slow right down over winter.
Work with that rhythm and you get a thick, green lawn that looks after itself. Fight it, and you waste effort feeding and watering at the wrong times. Here is how the year breaks down.
Spring (September to November)
This is when your lawn wakes up, so it is the most important season to get right. As the soil warms, growth takes off. Start mowing more regularly, drop the catcher back on, and give the lawn its first proper feed of the season to fuel the growth.
Spring is also the best time to deal with compaction. Aerate high-traffic areas so water and nutrients can get down to the roots, and knock over any weeds before they seed and spread through summer.
Summer (December to February)
Peak growth and peak heat. You will be mowing most weeks now, and it pays to raise the cutting height a little. Longer grass shades its own roots, holds moisture, and handles our summer stress far better than a lawn scalped short.
Water deeply but less often to encourage deep roots, ideally in the early morning. A summer feed keeps the colour up, but time it around the rain rather than fertilising just before a downpour.
Autumn (March to May)
Growth starts easing off as the days shorten. Keep mowing but stretch the intervals out as the lawn slows. An autumn feed now helps the lawn build reserves and stay green further into the cooler months.
It is also a good window to sort out any bare or worn patches while there is still enough warmth for the lawn to knit back together before winter.
Winter (June to August)
Warm-season lawns barely grow through a Gold Coast winter, so mowing drops right back, sometimes to once a month or less. Hold off on feeding, as the lawn cannot use it and it mostly feeds the weeds.
Winter lawns often look a little flatter in colour, which is normal. The main job is staying on top of winter weeds so they do not get a head start before spring.
Rather have it handled? See our lawn care service or get a free quote.