Hello @shaker
Your buffalo lawn actually looks very repairable, which is great news. The brown, thin areas in the photo look more like stressed or dormant buffalo rather than completely gone. Since we’re heading into the start of winter, the goal now is to gently help the lawn recover without pushing too much soft new growth.
Start by lightly raking out the dead thatch and loose material from those patchy areas. You don’t need to dig deeply just clear enough so the runner's underneath can breathe and spread again. Buffalo grass repairs itself through runners, so if there’s still some green stolons present, it can bounce back nicely.
After raking, apply a very thin layer of lawn top dress over the bare patches, only around 5–10mm deep. Something like https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotts-lawn-builder-25l-organic-based-lawn-soil-topdress_p1097031 from Bunnings works well because it improves soil contact and helps the runners re-establish. Keep the grass tips just visible through the top dress rather than burying them completely.
Because it’s early winter, avoid heavy fertilising. A gentle slow-release buffalo fertiliser is perfect this time of year. https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotts-lawn-builder-4kg-buffalo-lawn-food-4kg_p2962045 from Bunnings is a good option because it’s designed specifically for soft leaf buffalo varieties like Sir Walter and Palmetto, and it feeds gradually without burning. Apply it lightly rather than at full spring rates.
Watering is still important, but less often now that temperatures are cooling. Give the repaired spots a deeper soak once or twice a week instead of daily watering. Morning watering is best for buffalo lawns in cooler months.
Try to keep foot traffic off those soft areas for a few weeks while the runners reconnect and spread. Buffalo can look slow through winter, but once warmer weather returns in spring, those patches should thicken up much faster.
Here is a handy guide: How to detect lawn problems by @Adam_W
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Dear Eric,
Thank you so much for your advise and recommendation. Will certainly pick up the stuff from Bunnings and repair the areas affected.
Regards
Sing out if you need further assistance @shaker! Also, here's another guide you might find useful: How to care for buffalo lawn.
Mitchell
Hi Mitchell,
One more question, what do you do with the runners like in the picture
Prune them or just leave them to grow?
If you've already raked out the thatched material, then you can now topdress the area with https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotts-lawn-builder-25l-organic-based-lawn-soil-topdress_p1097031 as Eric has mentioned above. I would leave the runners in place as new grass can grow from them.
Hi, Already done as per your advise
ideally when can we apply fertilizer pls?
Good morning @shaker I am looking forward to seeing your lawn bounce back.
Hi @shaker,
Nice work, that looks really good.
The https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotts-lawn-builder-25l-organic-based-lawn-soil-topdress_p1097031 that you've used has a slow-release fertiliser included, so there is no real need for it right now. I'd give it a month or so, then reevaluate. If it looks a bit dull after a month, keeping in mind that winter is not the prime growing season, you could give it a top up with some fertiliser. Something like this https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotts-lawn-builder-4kg-buffalo-lawn-food-4kg_p2962045 would be a good choice.
You might like to check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/lawn/how-to-care-for-your-lawn-in-winter for some general tips on lawn care through the cooler months.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Jacob
Great Tqsm for all your advise and recommendations 👍
hi do you have similar product to rock glue?
hi the pop up sprinkler was very much embedded Manage to raise it up with riser Just wanted to know what should be the height of the pop up sprinkler to the grass height please
An equivalent product would be the https://www.bunnings.com.au/landscape-lock-2l-concentrated-garden-glue_p0598863 . It bonds mulch, pebbles, stones and dust, preventing movement by wind, rain and light foot traffic. it's easy to mix and apply with a garden pressure sprayer and provides a soft flexible bond that lets water through and promotes air circulation. It applies on white to show coverage, but dries clear to look natural
In regard to the sprinkler, it should not sit above the grass when retracted. Ideally it should be flush with the soil/lawn surface or at most a few millimetres (2–5 mm) below grade to avoid damage from lawn mowers. The pop-up stem should be high enough to clear the grass blades while watering.
Great Tqsm Eric for your prompt response
👍
hi Eric,
My pop up sprinkler is around 55mm diameter Pls see picture
I plan to install this cover
will the small sprinkler guard be adequate in size pls they did not mention the size
The Holman sprinkler guard is designed for Holman sprinkler systems only, and they don't have any documentation about it being compatible with other sprinklers. I'm not sure how it will interact with your Rainbird sprinkler. There is a larger version of the Holman guard, but I can't tell if it will work with your sprinkler. I suggest bringing your sprinkler with you and test it at the store to see if it fits.
hi Eric well noted & Tqsm for your prompt response
hi Eric ,
today fixed sprinkler guard
Thank you for the update, it appears that the Rainbird sprinkler fits inside the Holman guard. Not a snug fit but good enough to hold the sprinkler in place.
hi Eric During aeration Spike hit watering pipe What the best repair method pls
hi Eric
No response on the above
Apologies for the delayed response.
Assuming that the pipe is coming from a garden tap and is exclusively feeding your irrigation system, then you can repair it. If it is a pressurised line going into your home, then you would need to contact a plumber for assistance.
If it is an irrigation system, then you would need to cut out the section of pipe with the hole and splice in a new section using two joiners to connect it into the existing pipe.
The first thing to do is measure the diameter of the pipe. It looks like it is probably 20mm PVC pipe, so I will work on that assumption, but the process is the same if the diameter is different, it just uses different diameter pieces. Start by cutting out the damaged section using a hacksaw, then cut a new piece to fit the gap from a piece of https://www.bunnings.com.au/holman-20mm-x-1m-pvc-pressure-pipe-class-12_p4750047 . You can then attach a https://www.bunnings.com.au/holman-20mm-white-pvc-coupling_p3140675 to each side of that section using https://www.bunnings.com.au/protek-125ml-red-priming-fluid_p4750121 and https://www.bunnings.com.au/protek-125ml-type-n-blue-cement-solvent_p4750114 and connect it to the in ground pipe using the same primer and cement solvent.
