READ THIS BEFORE STARTING WITH THIS BASIC LAWNCARE PLAN!
This basic lawncare plan was developed with the beginner lawncare DIYer in mind. It is simply something to help you get into the swing of things. It will give you a safe guideline to maintaining your Warm Season lawn in South Africa, but understandably cannot account for every specific circumstance. It must be understood that every garden, climate and soil type etc. is unique and so It is always best to conduct a soil test for the most accurate feeding regime. Please feel free to email me at info@backyardbushveld.co.za for more info on soil tests. I can then assist you with a plan that benefits your specific requirements more accurately. These fertilization quantities are calculated based on safe doses for most circumstances and uses products that should not contribute negatively to most soil types, but in all circumstances it is your responsibility to closely monitor your lawn for any negative responses so that we can determine what might be going wrong in your specific situation. Do not substitute any recommended product with something else that you assume may be similar!!! This plan is designed in this way because of the combined effects of each product, and not just the NPK totals. Before starting with this plan, you need to be 100% sure that your lawn is positioned in a location that is suitable for growing and sustaining kikuyu grass, your lawn is not subjected to any continuous physical damage such as pets etc, you do not already have an insect or disease issue, and that your lawn is in a generally 'good condition'. If you don't know if your lawn is in a position to start with this plan, simply contact me at info@backyardbushveld.co.za so that I can try to help you individually. This plan is simply for basic residential turf maintenance purposes and cannot fix problems that already exist, nor can it prevent anything negative from occurring in future. Insects, diseases, the weather, incorrectly applied products etc. are all beyond our control and so, Backyard Bushveld cannot be held liable for any negative occurrences that may take place upon commencing with this plan! It is nature, and sometime people, after all.
Application month - Application Rate per 100m2: September - 9kg, November - 5kg, January - 3kg, March - 4kg, May - 2kg, July - 2kg. One 25KG bag of TerraPlus Natura N is usually enough to maintain a 100m2 lawn, for an entire year.
Application Rate per 100m2: Maximum solubility is 90g/L. Dilute up to 5g per 1L water for foliar applications(via pressure sprayer). Leave the product on the leaf for foliar applications. Approximately 2,4kg of TerraPlus Solub NK is usually enough to maintain a 100m2 lawn, for an entire year.
The general recommendation is to aim for monthly applications of totaling approximately 200g. You can split them up into weekly applications at 50g each or fortnightly applications at 100g for example. Use higher rates for peak Summer heat stress, and throughout Autumn. If you miss a few applications, it's not the end of the world. Winter applications are also possible if your turf is not dormant.
Application month - Application Rate per 100m2: September - 9kg, November - 2kg, January - 2kg, March - 6kg.
Application month - Application Rate per 100m2: November - 3kg, January - 3kg, May - 2kg, July - 2kg.
Application month - Application Rate per 100m2: September - 3kg, March - 3kg
Application month - Application Rate per 100m2: November - 2kg, January - 2kg, May - 2kg, July - 1kg(if not dormant).
The above inorganic option does not account for Calcium inputs. You can use agricultural Gypsum as a calcium amendment. Agricultural lime is not the same thing, and you must be sure of your soil PH before using it. There are also liquid gypsum products available to make your life easier. In all circumstances, if you are not certain about anything, contact me at info@backyardbushveld.co.za before putting down any old product!