Salt and Your Lawn
If you’re lucky enough to live by the beach, your lawn receive its fair share of ocean spray. In some cases it can be completely under water at high tides, so a salt tolerant variety is a must.
Salty soils prevent your grass from absorbing nutrients and retaining moisture. Salt spray on the blades of the grass can cause burns. Salt in soils are not uncommon and will usually be found in small amounts. It is only a problem when the levels increase, preventing nutrient absorption.
High levels of sodium in water can cause compaction in clay soils which makes it difficult for root development and for the salt water to leach away. In these soil types, you should apply gypsum to help break down the compacted clay and allow the water to filter through easier.
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How to prevent salt damage
Fresh water is your friend when it comes to reducing the salinity in your soil. If you suspect there has been some damage or you have experienced strong coastal breezes, watering your lawn is the best course of action. The sodium will remain on the grass and within the soil until you do this. When watering, make sure you do so for a couple of hours to leach the sodium out of the soil, washing it away from the soil where it is affecting your lawn. Deep, long watering like this will also wash nutrients away from your soil, so it is a good time to follow up with a good fertiliser. Try Lawn Solutions Fertiliser available from Lawn Solutions online store.
Choose a salt tolerant turf variety
Compared to most other varieties, buffalo lawns, like Sir Walter DNA Certified, are very salt tolerant. Some types of seashore paspalums are now available and while salt tolerant, they lack other qualities, such as drought tolerance. Always consider all the turf varieties available to you before making a choice for your seaside home.
Call us on 1300 TURFCO to discuss your needs and what will work best in your individual situation.
For more information on turf varieties and to find one that is right for you visit our turf page.
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