Which Is The Best Turf for Perth Homes? A Guide To Choosing The Right Turf For You

When we think of turf for our homes we all dream of a lush, green lawn for our kids and pets to play on and for Summer dinner parties to be hosted. But when it comes to achieving this dream it can quickly become overwhelming trying to choose the right type of turf. Different varieties have different growing requirements and can perform well or poorly depending on a few different factors. 

Here are a few things to consider when selecting the right grass for your area:

Climate: The first and most important factor to consider when choosing grass is your local climate. Consider the average temperature, rainfall, and humidity levels in your area to determine which grass types will thrive.

Sun exposure: Different grass types also have different sun exposure requirements. Some grasses need full sun to grow, while others can tolerate partial shade. Be sure to assess the amount of sun your lawn receives and choose a grass that can handle those conditions.

Soil type: Different grass types also have different soil requirements. Some grasses thrive in clay soil, while others prefer sandy or loamy soil. If you’re worried you can have a soil test done to determine the type of soil in your yard, and choose a grass that is well-suited to those conditions.

Maintenance: Different grass types have different maintenance requirements. Some grasses are more resistant to disease and pests, while others may require more watering, mowing or fertilisation. Consider the amount of time and resources you are willing to dedicate to maintaining your lawn when choosing a grass type.

Based on these factors, here are a few of the most popular grass types and their ideal growing conditions:

Kikuyu: Kikuyu is a great choice for high traffic areas that are subject to lots of wear and tear. This turf grows best in full sun areas making it great for large areas such as big yards, verges and parks and schools. It requires 5 - 6 hours per day of sun.

Sir Walter Soft Leaf Buffalo: Sir Walter is extremely drought tolerant, hard-wearing and durable and is up to 70% shade-tolerant. It’s a creeping, broad, soft-leafed buffalo variety with a lush, deep green colour. It is easily contained as it creeps only across the surface area of your garden and is not sub-surface. Its fast growth enables the lawn to "self-repair", making it the perfect choice for your family lawn. It only requires 2 - 3 hours of sun per day.

Wintergreen Couch: A hybrid couch, Wintergreen is blue-green in colour, with a fine, dense, soft leaf texture with high colour retention under low winter temperatures and partial shade. It has low seed head formation if mown regularly. A deep-rooted, dense network of fine stolons and rhizomes make it a tough turf with a very smooth soft but hard-wearing surface. It requires 4 - 5 hours of sun per day.

Plateau Couch: A new variety of couch developed in Australia; Plateau has a better shade tolerance but has the same hard wearing and good looking characteristics of other couch varieties, yet differs greatly in its growth pattern. Plateau is named for its unique trait of strong lateral growth. This means that instead of the main growth energy tending upwards, it actually prefers to grow sideways and so can spread itself across large areas faster than any other variety. It requires 2 - 4 hours of sun per day.

Santa Ana Lawn: This is a deep blue-green, very fine leafed variety of couch lawn. Properly maintained, its appearance is superior to other couch varieties. It is salt tolerant and retains its colour well compared to others in the couch family in the Winter months. Santa Ana is best maintained with regular mowing by a barrel/cylinder type mower. An excellent choice for the lawn enthusiast! It requires 4 - 6 hours of sun per week.