Lawn Solutions Australia's video: Couch Grass Turf Variety Series Cynodon Dactylon

Everything you need to know about Couch Grass | Turf Variety Series (Cynodon Dactylon) In our latest video series, we give you a full overview of the main turf varieties commonly found in Australian lawns. So click subscribe to follow along if you haven’t already. In this video we talk about couch grass also known as Bermuda grass. Couch grass is a warm season grass that is native to most areas of the eastern hemisphere. These grasses are commonly known to be highly drought and wear tolerant. A manicured couch lawn can look great in front of your home, however a bit more time and effort is required due its fast growth rate. Key Characteristics of Couch Grass • Couch grass thrives in full sun areas and has very strong horizontal growth. This allows it to tolerate very low mowing heights. • Couch grasses have underground stems called rhizomes to repair from as well as aboveground stems called stolons. These strong growth habits also attribute to its ability to handle high amounts of traffic, while enabling it to recover quicker if affected by wear and stress. This makes couch turf suitable for large areas such as sports fields, golf courses and parks or recreational areas, and for a high traffic home lawn with pets. • Older couches are not one of the most shade tolerant turf types, needing in most cases a bare minimum of 5-6 hours direct sunlight a day. Newer varieties however, like TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda have shown significantly better shade tolerance than existing couch varieties. • Couch grasses can grow in a range of soil types, from sandy soils to light clays and prefer a pH between 6 and 7.5. Couch Grass Maintenance Irrigation Couch grasses naturally have a good drought tolerance. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda in particular is an extremely drought tolerant couch variety, requiring considerably less water to maintain acceptable growth and appearance. If watering is necessary once established, water only when there are signs of the grass drying out, as excess irrigation can hinder the grass by making more susceptible to pests and disease. Mowing Couch turf’s growth habit allows it to be mown at a range of heights. They can be kept as low as 4mm or let to grow out to around 30mm or more depending on the usage requirements, but shorter is generally best for appearance. • If a couch lawn is left for long periods without mowing, caution must be taken not to remove too much of the leaf at once. • If excess scalping occurs, increase mowing height, and allow leaf to regrow to desired level • If needed, dethatch in early spring for best results. Fertilising Couch grasses perform their best when fertilised regularly throughout the year. It is important to consider whole of plant health when applying fertiliser and to avoid the over-stimulation of leaf growth with excessive nitrogen, particularly during the warmer months. • Liquid iron, natural colourants and other micronutrients can improve colour without the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers. • Add nutrients in measured amounts and monitor growth and health of the grass before reapplying. • TifTuf was specifically bred to require less inputs than other warm season grasses. TifTuf requires less than 1/3 the amount of fertiliser to maintain healthy growth and appearance. Weed and pest control The rapid coverage and dense undergrowth of couch turf, along with its low input requirements and winter growth activity mean that couch can compete quite successfully with weeds and other turf grass species that may try to invade your lawn. Couch grass also resists several pests and diseases but may need some assistance from time to time. A couch lawn can be treated with most commonly available chemicals that are suitable for couch grasses. Ensure application directions are followed and if unsure, it is always a good idea to check with your Lawn Solutions Australia supplier for chemical compatibility before use. Lawn Solutions Australia supplies TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda (couch grass) which is the only grass in Australia to be Smart WaterMark Approved for drought tolerance. This makes it the best choice in couch turf for our harsh Australian climate. If you think couch grass is a good option for you, get in touch with your nearest Lawn Solutions Australia grower for more information. https://lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/