Green green grass

My lawn is struggling to survive. I water it regularly but it does not seem to make a difference. If I was to rip it all out and replace it, what would some of my options be? I have looked at fake lawn but I’ve heard from friends that it can overheat and sometimes get too hot to stand on. – Larry, Perth.

Escape Garden Designs landscaper Jaim Hunt has answered this week’s question.

Hi Larry, the Perth metropolitan area generally has light and sandy soil, with very low organic matter. Approving the soil by adding an organic fertiliser and a wetting agent will benefit the lawn tremendously.

You could use a product called mature compost. Application is simple: all you have to do is apply/rake the compost into the lawn area, with deep watering (promoting deeper roots). This product will give your lawn a new lease on life.

Alternatively, if you were to pull the lawn out and relay it I would strongly recommend that you excavate the current soil down 60-100mm and replace it with a special lawn mix containing Gingin loam for water retention and chicken fertiliser. This can be bought at any local soil yard and a application of about 60mm-100mm before laying the turf will ensure all the right nutrients are under the grass and that the soil will actually retain the water for strong root growth.

Artificial turf has its place in our lifestyle, and over the past years, the quality and visual impact has improved significantly. As a petrochemical product, they do get hot, but there are different a number of ways to combat this, but it depends on the position/design, and use.

If you are from a different region in Australia and have a question for Jaim let us know, we would love to hear from you.

Where to find out more

For more information from Jaim Hunt or Escape Garden Designs, visit www.escapewa.com.au.