How to revive large Buffalo lawn that is mostly weeds?

[kirkyroberto]

So I’ve been reading a lot of posts here trying to get some idea of what to do with my lawn. It’s huge at 320m2. Country VIC climate and it has been let go. I am only guessing that it’s Buffalo but having read a lot of discussions and looked closer I think it is mainly weeds. I considered killing it off and starting again but I’ve been put off by the enormity of the exercise. Also I’m trying to do it at minimal cost but the weeds grow so fast that I’m spending 1 day every weekend mowing so it’s about my time too.  Plan is to fertilise then use buffalo pro weed killer to spray the lot. Then potentially repeat if necessary. Then aerate and reseed. I’m tipping 90%of the “lawn”will be gone after the weedkiller works. But I’ve noticed I have a lot of established winter grass too- and it needs a different product…maybe Munns? Question is can I spray the Buffalo pro killer and the Munns at the same time? Have to let it go for basically two weeks no mowing according to the Buffalo pro directions so thought might as well do it at the same time. But the Winter grass killer best window seems to be spring for established so now I don’t know what to do? Do I wait and deal with it separately in autumn like some of the advice says? Also can I reseed with Kikuyu instead of buffalo? It says it’s invasive on buffalo and the buffalo thatching is an issue for me, as well as browning in summer where I am. Long term I want to use the Primo Max Growth regulator on my lawn ready for next spring to keep it healthy and get my life back- the mowing is killing me.  

 

 

  

[JacobZ]

Hi @kirkyroberto,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

It's a big project, but if we break it down into a few steps, you should see some success this year with great results showing by this time next year.

I’d suggest starting with weed control. Once the weeds are managed, dethatch, scarify, and aerate the lawn, then top-dress and overseed. Finally, maintain a consistent routine of mowing and watering to support healthy growth.

I can't say for sure what species of grass you have as the sections that are not taken over by weeds are quite brown. The grass leaf looks thin, which is not generally a sign that you have buffalo, but because it is so dry, it may be buffalo that has curled up under stress. With this in mind, it would be best to use buffalo-friendly products like the BuffaloPro Hose On Lawn Weed Killer that you've mentioned. As you've said, this will only cover certain weeds, but being a more broad-spectrum weedkiller, this is a good starting point. Apply this and wait a week to see what is being killed and what isn't and then we can help select a suitable product to control what remains.

The next step after weed control is to dethatch your lawn. As you have such a large area, you might like to consider purchasing a Ryobi One+ 18V Brushless Cordless Scarifier OSF1835BL with the Ryobi Dethatcher Attachment RSCA1. Start with the dethatcher attachment on and do 2 passes over your full lawn to pull up any of the thatch. Tidy up and dispose of the clippings before moving on. You'll then want to scarify, which is essentially cutting the grass right down to the dirt. These two processes open up the space between the leaves and essentially give the grass a reset. It will look dead at this point but fear not because it will come back. Check out How To Dethatch Your Lawn for a bit of guidance on this part of the process.

After this, you'll want to aerate the lawn. You can use a Saxon Lawn Aerator Spiked Roller, but due to the size of the area, I'd suggest hiring a Lawn Corer to speed up the process and reduce the toll on your body.

Once aerated, you'll want to top-dress the lawn. Topsoil can be purchased in bags like this Seasol Lawn Top Dress Mix or purchased in bulk through your local store's Special Orders desk. For an area the size of your lawn, bulk ordering will likely be more cost-effective. Use a Top Soil Spreader to smooth and spread out your topsoil. Check out How To Aerate And Top Dress Your Lawn for some guidance.

You can then overseed your lawn with Kikuyu seeds using a Scotts Handy Green Spreader to get even coverage. 

After the seed is down, you should water daily to promote germination and growth. Ensure you use the mist setting on your hose or sprinkler, so the seeds aren't washed away.

Once the lawn is established, you can follow How To Care For Kikuyu Grass for tips moving forward.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Jacob