Repair a Damaged Buffalo Lawn

The lawn should be off bounds during the repair. This means no cars, no bikes, no playing, etc… on the lawn during its repair stage. Because as the lawn is repairing and creating new green growth, these young shoots will be fragile and easily damaged, and thus will be easily killed by any wear and tear.

Measure up the lawn and apply a good quality lawn fertiliser with trace elements and phosphate at the manufacturer’s recommendations. Be careful not to over fertilise, which can damage the lawn, nor under fertilise, which provides little benefit. Be sure to water the fertiliser into the lawn immediately after application.

We can apply fertiliser a little more frequently during repair but, at much lower rates.

Instead of waiting 2 months until the next application of fertiliser, we can apply the fertiliser once a month during the repair phase.

Using this method, we use a quarter to a third of the amount of fertiliser we would normally use on our lawn. This gives the lawn an ongoing and much reduced source of nutrients. Feeding the lawn more often with less food.

Never fertilise the lawn regularly with what you would apply for a normal application, as this could severely damage and sicken the lawn.

Once the lawn is back to full health, we return to a standard fertilising program.

Wetting Agents won’t do a great deal on their own to repair a damaged Buffalo lawn, but they are a minor element in the entire picture towards good lawn health. Wetting Agents will aid in dispersing water properly and effectively throughout the soil profile, and as such will help the lawn to receive the most benefit from its watering regime. So it’s a good idea to apply these at the same time as the fertiliser.

We must ensure our Buffalo lawn is receiving adequate water during repair. Reticulation should be checked to ensure it is functioning properly and repaired if necessary. Be mindful of the seasons, watering more in hotter weather and less in cooler weather, and sometimes even stopping watering throughout winter if necessary.

One week after the application of fertiliser is the best time to spray for any lawn weeds. Buffalo is actually very good at outcompeting weeds but will develop weeds very quickly once it becomes damaged.

Purchase a Broadleaf Weed Killer designed for use on Buffalo lawns, and dilute as per manufacturer’s recommendations in a large spraying bottle, applying to the turf in recommended quantities (measure the lawn to be safe). A Broadleaf Weed Killer will kill the majority of weed types in Buffalo grass. If other weed sprays are necessary, then look at these once the lawn has returned to good health.

• Be sure to use a weed spray labeled SAFE for BUFFALO GRASS. Using the wrong weed spray on Buffalo could severely damage or even kill the grass.
• Be sure not to spray for weeds one week before or one week after lawn mowing, as doing so could severely damage or kill the grass.

So far we have added nutrients to the Buffalo turf in the form of fertilisers, we have stopped using the area for any type of wear and tear, we have ensured the lawn is being watered properly and receives the most benefit from that watering by applying Wetting Agents.

Within a few weeks, we should be seeing some improvements to our Buffalo lawn.

Now it’s time to adjust our lawn mowing practices.

Lawn mowing should be continued as normal during the lawn repair phase for any areas of the lawn which are still in fairly decent health.

Regular lawn mowing will aid the lawn in repair by encouraging it to grow more laterally and repair itself faster.

Raise the height of the lawnmower slightly if you believe the lawn was previously being mowed too low. Remember that Buffalo grass likes to be kept at about 30 – 50 mm in height, and will retain its best health when kept at these heights. For more information about mowing heights, check out our Lawn Mowing Guide for Buffalo Grass.

Semi bare areas, or Buffalo grass which is very thin on the ground, should be mowed without a catcher so to return these nutrients from the clippings back to the soil. Unless the lawn was recently sprayed for weeds – then the catcher would need to be used and the clippings disposed of for the first couple of mowings after spraying.

Areas of lawn that are bare should be excluded from mowing until the area is once again covered with new Buffalo lawn growth which is strong and healthy.

Organic lawn products can also be applied to the lawn during repair. These products are usually based on seaweed, blood and bone or pelletised manure products. All these products are fine in moderation.

Stick with the one product. There is no need to put a big mix of products onto the lawn, we would only be complicating everything and possibly adding too many of the wrong nutrients at the same time, and wasting a lot of money in the process.

Instead, fertilise properly with a lawn fertiliser as already recommended.

Apply an organic product once or twice during the three month period allowed for the lawn’s repair. Keeping things simple and small in application and quantities. And only if you feel like doing so. These organic products can be very beneficial to lawns and soils in ways that regular fertilisers are not, but they will not replace the benefits obtained from real lawn fertilisers.

For more information about organic lawn care, check out our plethora of Natural & Organic Lawn Care Guides.

These are the basics for repairing a damaged Buffalo lawn. All based on solid lawn care practices, with everything in moderation, and nothing done to the extreme.

We’ve stopped further damage being done to the lawn, especially to the new and fragile growth by no longer using the lawn for play during repair.

Lawn mowing frequency stays the same as for all good lawn mowing frequencies, with only an adjustment in mowing height if necessary, while avoiding mowing any bare patches.

Wetting Agents are simple and good lawn care practices which should be done at least once or twice a year.

Weed spraying is simple and done for all lawns when needed.

We have begun a proper lawn fertilising regime by using good quality lawn fertilisers, and we are applying the next few applications at reduced rates but, a little more frequently during the repair process.

Like we said, there are no magic potions, just good quality lawn care based on sound lawn care practices for all lawns.

Depending on the season, as long as the lawn is still actively growing – we should see major improvements in the quality of our Buffalo lawn as each month passes, until the Buffalo lawn is once again in full health and is fully repaired.

For more fast facts and Q&As on our Buffalo varieties –

• Prestige Soft Leaf Buffalo
• Sapphire Soft Leaf Buffalo
• Palmetto Soft Leaf Buffalo

Or check out our handy Quick Lawn Selection Guide.

LawnPride HydraMaxx 2L Hose-On

LawnPride Maintain Mini 26-2-9 + 3.4 Fe 20kg