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How to revive newly laid sir walter buffalo turf?

Hi workshop community,

I am just wondering if anyone else has had this problem with there sir Walter buffalo.

it looked a bit brownish when I purchased it, I laid it straight away, no longer than 30mins from loading on my Ute.

i have deep watered the turf as per instructions up to 3 times a day but just seems to be dying and not getting better, this is around the 2 week mark since laying it.

the soil was turned and any weeds removed and a new layer of lawn mix soil on top.

does anyone know if this will come back.

regards.

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Comments

EricL

Hello @paul4444

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your buffalo lawn.

I'm sorry to hear that your lawn is not settling uniformly. From what can be seen in the photo and based on the timing you’ve described, this looks much more like transplant shock and underlying stress rather than the turf being completely dead. Sir Walter buffalo often looks brown or patchy when first laid, especially if it was already a bit stressed when you picked it up. At the two-week mark it is still very early in the establishment phase, so it’s not unusual for it to look worse before it looks better.

The pattern of browning that follows the turf rolls, along with the darker damp-looking areas, usually points to inconsistent contact with the soil underneath or moisture sitting in the root zone for too long. Watering up to three times a day is perfect for the first few days, but after that it can actually be too much, particularly in a narrow area like this that likely gets some shade and limited airflow. Buffalo grass does not like constantly wet roots, and if the lawn mix underneath isn’t draining well, the roots can struggle to establish and may even start to rot.

A good thing to check is the underside of the turf. If you gently lift a corner and the bottom is still green with small white roots starting to grow down into the soil, there’s a very good chance it will recover. If it feels slimy, smells sour, or is completely brown underneath, those sections are less likely to come back. The faint green lines showing through are a positive sign that there is still life there.

At this point, easing back the watering is usually the best step. One deep soak once a day, or even every second day if the soil underneath is staying moist, is generally enough after the first week. Lightly pressing the turf down to improve soil contact can also help, and a liquid seaweed treatment can reduce stress, but it’s best to avoid fertiliser until you see clear new green growth.

Sir Walter is quite resilient, and if the roots haven’t rotted, it often starts to green up over the next four to six weeks as it properly establishes. Please note that the Buffalo lawn is covered under the Perfect Plant Promise, make sure to keep your docket should you wish to exchange any of the rolled turf.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

paul4444

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/61859#Comment_61859

Hi EricL,

thank you for your response, everything you have told me makes sense.

i will do one deep water daily for now and decrease to every second day of staying wet, i did look underneath and can see some pale green colour underneath.

i will see how its going in around another 4 weeks.

thanks again for your reply, much appreciated.

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