Should I water my Sir Walter in a drought?

In most areas of Australia drought is simply a fact of life. Whether we’re talking the dry season experienced in Far North Queensland or the bushfire prone summers of South Australia and Victoria, almost every Australian will see periods of zero rain lasting weeks at a time during a normal year.

Such extreme weather can offer up a serious challenge to Australia’s lawn owners, of which there are many. Droughts often lead to water restrictions, meaning lawns are exposed to intense sun without the respite of a good soak of water in the night. Varieties like Sir Walter turf have been bred to deal with these conditions as best they can, but even Australia’s toughest grasses can struggle to rise to such a testing occasion.

So if you’re an owner of Sir Walter Buffalo and find yourself faced with water restrictions during a drought, what should you do?

Step 1: Don’t panic

The great thing about Sir Walter is that it has the ability to go dormant in weather extremes. If your Sir Walter doesn’t get enough of a drink during a drought it may begin to brown off, but this is nothing to worry about – it’s simply the grass’s way of protecting itself, by redirecting its energies to keeping its root system alive.

Step 2: Soak it deeply when possible

Water restrictions can actually serve to make your Sir Walter better at surviving droughts. The reason is that it stops you from overwatering your grass, which can stunt the growth of its roots. To encourage the growth of a sprawling root system that is able to access water deep within the soil, you should be watering your lawn less often, but for longer. This also means you are able to suit your Sir Walter buffalo watering plan around restrictions. Take the opportunity during water restrictions to give your lawn a good soak just once or twice a week – it’ll be far better for it when the next drought hits!

Call the Sir Walter experts on 1800 458 859, and find the perfect lawn solution for you.