Hi @StephenBrookes,
These patches certainly look like they could be caused by lawn grubs, and there is a simple test you can use to confirm this. Mix one to two tablespoons of household dishwashing liquid into about 9 to 10 litres of water and slowly pour it over a patchy area of lawn about one square metre in size. Wait a few minutes and watch closely. If lawn grubs are present, they will wriggle up to the surface to escape the soapy water. This happens because the soap irritates them and forces them to come up for air.
If you find there are lawn grubs present, you can use a product such as this Richgro Hose On Lawn Beetle and Grub Killa to treat them.
If you find that no lawn grubs appear, then you may need to look at other possibilities. Patchy buffalo lawns are commonly caused by things like watering problems, soil compaction, nutrient deficiencies, fungal disease, physical wear or excess thatch. If you carry out the soapy water test and find no grubs, please let me know so we can explore further.
For the Chelmer and greater Brisbane climate, the citrus that perform best are those that enjoy warm sunny conditions and low frost risk. Tahitian lime is an excellent choice and is very productive in subtropical areas, while Eureka lemon is reliable and widely grown locally. For mandarins, Imperial and Emperor both perform well and produce sweet fruit, and for oranges Washington Navel and Valencia are well suited, with Valencia being especially good in warmer climates. All of these varieties thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and regular feeding, making them strong and dependable choices for Brisbane gardens.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
