Archives for June 2013

This week, the kids and I were lucky enough to have a free afternoon and we headed down to the beach. Not to swim though. Oh my goodness no. The water was freezing, the wind had a chill to it, but we still went and had a lovely walk along Cabarita Beach headland. It never ceases to amaze me the Blue couch that grows around the headland, on rocks and in the sandy salty soils. But it really is coastal turf when it grows like this.

Cabarita Beach Headland

So even if you think you have an area that couldn’t possibly grow grass, think about the beach and how grass grows everywhere.

Well the Sun is out and the Wind is up. So although it looks warm outside its still pretty chilly. And I know that this chill through the air is stopping a  lot of us going outside. But that doesn’t mean that you need to have dirt and mud around for all  of winter either. I have had a lot of people tell me (at parties mostly and at social events – yes like the pub) that Winter is a terrible time to install turf. It always amazes me that even though you are wearing a Coastal Turf shirt, have told them that you have been on the farm and installing turf for at least 20 years now, People still want to give you advice on how to do your job.

I always smile politely at these people and say that this has not been my experience. Yes it is cold and sometimes finger numbing to install a lawn in the winter, but it does the grass no harm. And in my experience the grass establishes really well in winter. I think that is because in winter people are more likely to stay off the grass. When in summer you put down or have us install your new lawn, it looks great and the feeling under your bare feet is amazing so as soon as its down you want to run and wrestle and play all over it consistently. This unfortunately means that the tiny little hair like roots that are coming out of the turf slab into the soil can become broken and then the turf cannot establish properly. And can even take a lot longer to establish. And then there is always the temptation to mow the newly installed grass too soon, again braking those tiny fragile roots. This can lead to dead patches.

In winter however, we are not outside for as long. We are definitely less likely to be running around bare foot, and who really wants to mow in winter? This means that the turf can send out its little roots and establish hassle free. And yes the leaf wont grow as fast but this does not mean that underground has stopped. Its still going great guns. Especially if you a have a nutrient rich soil  or  have placed a little Rooster Booster food for the roots under the turf.

So Winter is a great time to install you new lawn. It means you have less to do. So enjoy your new lawn and if you want clean hands and the peace of mind that your lawn is installed to perfection, then have us install your new lawn for you.

Chat Soon

Sare

PS A;though my fingers are numb typing in the cold. Do feel sorry for my husband installing the grass this morning in Tweed. His fingers must be very very cold by now.

Coastal Turf, turning dirt into your new lawn.

Well we are back to wet weather again for a couple of days. And that means that I am back to my lovely Mud Baths as my kids call it. That means that after I have harvested I come out looking like Shrek. Just the mud covered kind. I don’t think I have weird ears, although sometimes in the really wet times, the chlorophyll from the grass does stain some of me a little green. But as I keep telling myself that women spend thousands of dollars getting mud baths to rejuvenate their skin, and I get it for free. I wonder then why my skin is not as soft as a small baby? oh well…

But our great mud and soil does not just do good things to my skin but it does great wonderful fantastic things for our grass that can be your lawn. Our Black nutrient rich soil gives the turf a wonderful food source that means it can grow healthy and strong. And the great advantage with turf is that you take some of the soil from our farm to your lawn. So its food source goes with it. You aren’t starting from scratch. You go from nothing to green lush lawn. Awesome!

So I will think of those people out there installing their lawns this weekend in the rain, knowing that their skin is enriched, and their lawn will look fantastic. My husband is installing a lovely mans lawn in Blackrocks Pottsville today in the rain. He said this morning at least he doesn’t have to get his trainee to remember to move the hose around today.

Have a lovely wet weekend

Chat Soon

Sare

PS check out the Facebook page for pictures of the wet installers and me after a wet weather cut.

Well I have had a very eventful week. Its been a bit of an exciting adventure. On Wednesday I went down to Goonellabah (near Lismore) to Visit the lovely Jodie from the mummymusingsandmayhem.blogspot.com/‎

What an amazing play space she has created for her kids, and hopefully soon to  be Family Day care area. I know when my kids were at Family Day Care age they would have loved the space that Jodie is creating. I went down as part of Turf Australia’s Greenin Australia project to give her some helpful tips on the grass that she already has and recommend grass that would suit the area around her Rock Quarry area. I made the call of Palmetto Buffalo for this area because it requires a third of the mowing of other buffalo’s, is really hard wearing, and spongy under kids feet. Her daughters, like my 3 crazy kids, didn’t look like they liked shoes very much. And that is what grass is for . The tactile sensation, easy goingness, very USED space. Perfect for Palmetto. And as Jodie says, her husband is not a keen mower (I don’t don’t know many who are, mine mows for a living, and mine definitely NEVER wants to mow at home) so Palmetto is great.

I showed her some samples,

Blue Couch and Palmetto Buffalo Samples in the back of the Ute.

And had a chat about Grass, Kids, and events happening around the Lismore region, while Dad measured up the area. I also gave her some ideas for her existing Buffalo in regards to maintenance. We ended with another Mum to Mum chat around the Ute as we got ready to leave. Thanks to Jodie for a lovely morning, and her adorable daughters for showing me their boots. And yes I would have to agree that Dora the Explorer boots are way cooler than my work boots. But mine do tend to stay on a little better.

Chat soon

Sare

Jodie, her toddler twosome, and the Coastal Turf Ute.

How is your long weekend looking? Mine is looking a little wet. And I am very very happy to have grass around our place. This time last year it was all mud, and granted there are still many patches of mud, it is still lovely to have grass around the doors to take most of the mud away.

Winter is a long time to stay inside and really, in this beautiful place that we live in why should we stay inside all day when we could be outside enjoying the sun (when we have it). I have always found that my kids are much nicer when they have been outside, even if its just for a little while. And it is so much nicer to have them inside again when they aren’t all covered in mud.

Today I have taken pictures of four of the farms grasses to show you what your yard could look like. And how the different colours grasses could look like at your place. Especially around the door ways to take off mud from boots and feet before they venture inside!

Chat soon
Hopefully over a drier week
Sare