How to revive struggling Sir Walter Buffalo lawn?

sean21212

Hello,

I have sir walter buffalo at the rear and front of my house. During the cooler months it wouldnt stop growing. Now with a bit of heat it seems to be struggling and I'm not sure why. It is mowed fortnightly, fertilised monthly and watered regularly.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @sean21212. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about lawn care.

The patchy dieback you've shown is a bit unusual, especially with that small island of green still thriving while the surrounding grass is struggling. Normally, if a lawn is stressed from general care, it tends to thin or brown evenly. That pattern suggests it could be something else, like pests. One simple test is to mix a litre of water with a couple of squirts of dishwashing detergent, pour it over the border between the healthy and dying grass, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. You may see grubs surface, which would indicate root damage beneath. If you do see pests, a suitable grub killer can be applied to the affected area.

Other factors to check are your watering and fertilising routine. On hot summer days, Sir Walter Buffalo may need watering every day to stay healthy, so “regularly” once every few days might not be enough. For fertiliser, monthly applications can be fine if it’s an organic type, but if it’s a chemical fertiliser, monthly applications could be too frequent and risk burning the lawn. Check the product label to confirm the recommended schedule.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell