Well this week I have been from the normal old job of creating, installing and providing people with new lawns, to being apart of the Tweed Sustainability Expo to show people how a gorgeous green lawn can not only add value to your home, but value to your life as well. It was a great Saturday and it gave me the opportunity to chat and learn from so many new people. Especially those interested in grass, its benefits and how we can help them have the best lawn you can. Tony the Turfman and I had a great time. Thanks to everyone who came and had a chat.

Then on Monday I went down to Brunswick Heads to help Jo add the “skin” to her sculpture for the Brunswick Sculpture walk to be held on the October Long weekend. It was a great experience to watch my Beautiful Blue be turned into something other than a lawn. I truly hope that in the future I get another chance to build another Turf Sculpture with Jo or another Artist. (For those, like me whoa re less refined at art, the grass wall is a resting wall, or a seat to lean against and look out at the creek. It is also a reflection of the corners that the river takes in Brunswick heads. I was impressed. I can grow beautiful grass and help attach it to things, but I couldn’t have come up with the subject.)

I can not wait to see what the rest of the week will bring to my life? What exciting new project do you have at  your place we can help you with?

 

Chat soon

Sare

  What are your doing this fine Saturday? Are you installing new lawns? Or are you thinking about what is the best lawn for me? If you are head down to the TWeed Sustainability Expo at the Murwillumbah Civic Center this morning and come and tough and feel the grass, get expert advice from myself and Tony the Turfman on the installation of your new turf for the perfect lawn.  

I think that Wintergreen Couch or just plain old boring Green couch as it colloquially known, all too often gets a bad wrap. Its called the cheap and nasty turf grass. The turf for people who don’t care about their lawns. Well I am here today to tell you just because something does not have a fancy name or have an expensive price tag, does not mean that it is Nasty.

Wintergreen Couch, the green variety we have at our farm, is so super soft fluffy deep green colour lawn, but it is tough and resilient as well. The fine leaf of the wintergreen makes it cushioning and fluffy against bare feet. It really is a joy to walk across. And to install. After 2 months of installing new lawns, mostly buffalo lawns, one of our young apprentices was so excited to install a Wintergreen Couch lawn. He lay down on the finished product to revel in its beautiful softness. From then on when ever I took him on a quote, he tried to talk people into a couch lawn, especially a wintergreen couch lawn, because he loved the softness so much. And he showed people his picture of him embracing the green couch. (The photo is on our Facebook page for all those who know who I am talking about.)

But being a big softy, doesn’t mean that Wintergreen couch is a push over, a weakling. Oh No! It can take on the heavy hitters and come out on top. The Wintergreen couch has a wonderful deep root system. So even if the leaf is taken down by an intense work out (like a dog running backwards and forwards near the fence line) the leaves will grow back quickly to make the area green again. This grass is so tough that it has been used in school playgrounds for years. Its tough enough to take the beatings of kids pounding it day after day with their feet, balls and play, but soft enough to cushion the falls of little ones. The grass is so tough that we a couple of years ago we installed Wintergreen couch at the Casuarina Hockey Club, and those tough Hockey players haven’t worn a dent in it yet. And those hockey players are strong people, with fast feet, and faster stronger arms. SoIi know when I take my daughter to play at Casuarina for her Hockey games, she will have a nice soft area to fall on, and slide on, and all those other hockey mad things they do.

Wintergreen is one of those unsung heroes. It has cushioned our feet and bodies for years and we have just walked all over it, expecting more and more. Wintergreen is amazing in full sun, not sucking up endless amounts of water in summer, not demanding high fertilisation in Winter, and still being soft and green for our backyard sports, like the infamous Summer backyard cricket match between the neighbours, or the Winter football Grand final between your street and one over, or just the relaxing all year sport of lying on the grass watching the clouds go by.

Really where would we all be without the good old wintergreen supporting our childhoods. And really where would we be going if we didn’t introduce our kids to the excitement of a Wintergreen Lawn.

And the reason it is so cheap compared to those zoysia and buffalo lawns? Because of its deep root system, the wintergreen can be harvested with ease and regrown on our farms quickly so we can get more green to you faster. Thats all. No mess, no fuss. All just good cheap green fun.

Chat Soon

Sare

On this very chilli cold morning, I have been trying to stay warm. But I haven’t really found a good way yet to bring feeling back into my fingers. I think that by lunch we should be all warm again. But until then, I thought I would share a story with you to warm your heart. And my fingers as well.

A couple of weeks ago, when it was really cold, a had an Emergency Turf Call from a Fencer friend of ours. Yes Turf farms do get Emergency Turf Calls. They vary in nature. From the “My lawn is dying, HELP!” to “My Hill is washing away, HELP!” to “Oh No, I forgot to order the turf that I told my partner I would, HELP”. The call from our Fencer friend was of a similar nature. His Mate was in a bit of a rush.

His wife had gone to Belgium to visit her family, for an actually health emergency. Much more important than a Turf Emergency. But her husband stayed at home, and as husbands who can’t fix the problem do, decided to do something else to make wives feel better, like fix their house and yard. His wife had been asking for many years now it seems to fix up a few things. So while his wife was away Mate wanted to do all the wonderful things to their home she had longed for. The thought was amazing. So he enlisted the help our Fencer friend, who is actually a Carpenter by trade, to help him renovate their lounge room, back terrace and of course their fence. Mate’s wife was due to be away for 3 weeks. So Our Fencer and his Mate thought they had plenty of time up their hand helping beautifying things. They pulled out walls, ripped out the kitchen, put up frames, put in sliding doors, put in new walls, all after they had both finished a day of paid work. A truly amazing effort.

Then Mates wife calls to say things have settled down in Belgium and she is coming home a week early. Joy and Panic buttons were pushed everywhere! Fencer went into crazy working mode finishing all the reno’s, and even calling in favours from other trade friends to get the job done quickly and beautifully. Mate worked harder than he ever had before, labouring for all trades. There were blisters and sweat and beers had by all. And 2 days before Mates wife was due to come home our Fencer friend rang me with his Turf emergency.

Now as most of you know we usually need 3 days notice for all deliveries. Coastal Turf is not only a family owned business, but we are a Family operated Business. Out if the 4 of us, really there is only Mick who isn’t related. Dad and Mick deliver your turf and look after the farm, Barbara (Dad’s cousin) answers the phones, and I deliver your turf, look after the farm, answer the phone, write interesting (hopefully) blogs and do all those other odd jobs no one else wants to do. And the week that Fencer called, Mick was away. So it was just Dad and I on the farm and delivering. And we were already trying to do the work of 3 with 2 people.

But a Turf Emergency, is a Turf Emergency. Especially for such a lovely husbandly cause. We knew we could harvest the turf, some beautiful Blue Couch, but Dad and I couldn’t work out how we were going to get it to him. Fencer said he could come and pick up one pallet at a time with his trailer. The order was 300sqm, thats 8 pallets. And A lot of trips. I thought I could hand deliver in 3 trips . After Fencer explained to Dad all the ins and outs of what he and Mate had done over the last 3 days, Dad and I made the call to work into the dark. We harvested in the late afternoon and dropped off the turf to Mate and Fencer in the dark. Mate had lovely neighbours who all didn’t mind the late delivery, with the noises of the truck and bobcat. They helped with lights and torches. I think for some of the kids it was the highlight of their week.

And the turf went down that night, and the next morning. That afternoon Mate went to pick up his wife from the airport. While he and fencer were putting the finishing touches on the house and lawn, Mate said how devastated he was that they were going to get home in the dark. And then his wife wouldn’t see all the amazing work he had down when she was away to make her happy . So being the quick thinking amazing man Fencer is, he suggested an overnight stay in Brisbane the night she got in, “Blaming tiredness of course and not wanting to drive home when both of you are tired”, and returning home in the light.

I saw Fencer a couple of days ago and I asked how Mate went. “Real Well! She was chuffed. He didn’t leave the house for 3 days, not even for a surf”.

Mate had made his wife extremely happy. And all of us Fencers friends all had that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from helping out a mate. And besides its always good to have a Carpenter owe you a favour….

Chat soon

Sare

On this cold windy chilli day, (dam you winter for returning so coldly) just a reminder that its not just your extremities that are cold. Your lawn will be feeling the chill as well. And may be a little in shock as well. I know I was to feel the cold return after the lovely warmer weather we had for a couple of days.

For your newly installed lawns, over the next two weeks, watch the leaf head for any curling.  If the leaf curls your lawn is drying out and needs a light sprinkle. Like people our lawns still need water in winter. But I know that I always forget to carry my water bottle to drink from in winter. In summer its like the second thing I reach for as I leave the door. This first is my phone, which is usually attached to one of my kids. And then I get to the end of the day feeling a little dehydrated. When your turf is first installed it is really relying upon the slab it comes with to survive. Its not until day 15 at the earliest that your new turf is actually nearly a lawn. So light watering is best to keep away those dehydration headaches, for you and your lawn.

For the long lawns that have been established for years, months, or forever, over the next two weeks, your lawn is about to wake up and try and capture all the warmth of Spring. And grow greener. This winter has been a cold wet one. A change on the coast to what we are used to. And this has caused a lot of soils to compact, restricting the air pockets within the soil, leaving no room for little organisms to move through the soils. It’s this movement through the soil that creates pockets for roots to grow and oxygen to reach the roots. The compact may make your lawn look a little lifeless. White leaves can be seen through your lawn. With your lawn about to wake up and start actively growing and looking for food, get your garden fork out and areate your lawn. Every couple of steps stab the ground and wiggle the fork to allow the air to down get to the roots. And then fertilise before the next rain with a pelletised Fertiliser like Dino Fert. And your lawn will show you all the benefits coming into Spring, and be less work in the heat of Summer.

I know I am really looking forward to the warmer weather coming along, and being able to feel my fingers first thing in the morning. My kids are just looking forward to wearing shorts again. For some reason wearing pants and jumpers is highly inconvenient to a 7 year olds life. Stay warm everyone.

Chat soon

Sare

 

This weekend, which fingers crossed will be Sunny, and a little bit warmer, I will be standing cheering and clapping as my daughter plays hockey. Its her first hockey carnival. She is super excited and I am excited for her. Being my first carnival I am hoping that I am prepared. I have my umbrella (for sun and rain), my chair (for the in-between times) an esky of food, money to buy better food from the canteen, and hat. I’m sure I am forgetting so many things. This weekend I am really just looking forward to spending the day outside in the sun on the grass.

Its these sunny winter weekends that draw us all outside. Outside to sporting events, like kids Gala Hockey days, outside to stroll in the sun, outside to play in out yards. Doing all those little odd jobs that you mean to do in summer, but really its way more fun to go and play than fix things up. At least at this time of year, when you work in your yard you get nice and warm! And living in our beautiful climate this time of year is great for installing new turf. So now is a great time to potter around in your yard and fix up your lawn. Either install a whole new one or patch up those pieces that need a bit of new life brought back in. And it makes you feel all warm inside. A little bit from all the physical work you do, but mostly because you can have that instant satisfaction of seeing what you have toiled all day to accomplish.

So why not this weekend, get out into your yard. Make yourself feel warmer, and your house look better, and your family proud of you with your new flashy Coastal Turf lawn.

Chat soon

Sare

Your lawn is your investment. I have written often about how your lawn is the first thing people see when they come to your place and how the investment  your lawn can add minimum of $70,000.00  of value to your home.

But today, I want to chat to you about the soil underneath your new turf. When you invest into your lawn, it is wonderful to buy  perfect Coastal Turf slabs to become your new lawn but to ensure a return on your investment, either environmental or financial, you need to have a  good base for your lawn investment to thrive in.

Like the old saying “Soils ain’t Soils!” (Sorry Barbara in the office is a bit of a John Law’s fan and he does tend to get into your head). Soils are a living thing. If you took a really really really close look at the soil underneath a turf farm or a thriving green lush lawn you would see not just little dirt particles, but a thriving ecosystem of worms, microorganisms, organic matter and dirt particles. Its these alive little bugs that help create fantastic “waste” for the roots to absorb. I went to an interesting soil workshop (no really it was interesting, I thought it was going to be boring, but the presenter was AMAZING) and found out all about the really super tiny organisms that make a huge difference. Did you know that not only do their poo give soil nutritionist for plants to absorb, but by tunnelling through the soil to do their little buggy business they create pathways for the roots to expand through the ground. Its amazing that all the things we can’t see can make all the difference.

I guess its like building a house. Getting the foundations right means that your home will weather any storm and will be a safe place. And getting the foundations right for your lawn means that you will have to spend less time and money later to maintain its beautiful colour and be the best lawn on the street.

So when you order the Soil, ask for an organic rich mix. A great way to tell if the soil is healthy is to smell it. It should smell, well, for lack of a better word, yucky. A bit of the old blood and bone smell or chicken poo smell to it. One gentlemen I chatted to sad it smelt like mushrooms left to die. Soil also needs to be loose enough that the Bugs can move through the soil with ease, but not humbly enough that it wont hold together. My favourite test it to pick up a hand full, make a fist, and then when I open my hand, see if it stays clumped together or falls away from your hand like dry beach sand. If it clumps together is a great sign that your soil is wonderful! This test also gives you the ability to feel the texture of the soil, to feel how damp the soil is, and it will give you a great indication of the true smell.

When you spread out your soil, by hand or by machine, please make sure that you have it sloping away from your home. So if we do get a big dumping of rain the water will run away from your home.

By biggest tip for Buying soil is to buy from a local supplier who knows your area. They will know if you already have really sandy soils, or clay soils, or rock. And then they can match you up to the best type of under turf soil for your area. Often a yard will have a generic Under Turf Soil. These are usually a great mixture for your local area. But I suggest just asking if they incorporate any Mushroom Compost or Chicken poo within the soil. By having it added to the soil, you wont need to add fertiliser down the track as often.

The next most important thing is straight after you get off the phone from the soil people (and then the bobcat people if you want it machine spread for you) is to call us and arrange to have the turf delivered the day after the soil is spread. Recently so many people have had their soil come, spread it out (a lot of hard work I tell you), forget to order the turf, and then have the rain come and wash it away. Get your order in for the right turf for your area delivered early the next morning after you have spread the soil and trap all those nutrients and Bug Life under the turf, make your soil work for your lawn and create the best looking lawn in the street with some locally supplied soil and some beautiful Coastal Turf Lawn.

 

Remember your Soil life, effects your Lawns Look. So Don’t waste your investment of time and energy of getting and spreading the soil, cover all the goodness with some Beautiful Coastal Turf Grass and create a beautiful lawn.

Chat soon

Sare

I wanted to share with you a story about my mum. My Mum is one of the most brilliant amazing women I know and without her my life would be just unbearable some days. She is not just my mum but my friend and trusted confidant. Saying that my Mum is a bargain hunter. And being a bargain Hunter, she always goes for the cheapest bargain, no matter what. No matter the quality or the brand, if its cheap she feels she has won one over someone. My family always gives my Mum a bit of a jib about it. But She is convinced that her Bargain shopping will be our saver. We believe that her Bargain shopping is actually costing her more in the long run.

For example a couple of months ago we were shopping in a department store and on one of the Bargain discount tables she found a Toaster reduced from $25 to $4. “Bargain!” thinks my Mum and she buys the toaster. Even though at the time she had a perfectly working toaster at home. So Mum takes the Toaster home and puts it in her “emergency” cupboard. So last week, Mums Toaster died, as Toasters do after a good 4 years of service. “My Bargain Toaster!” thinks my Mum.  She is all excited as my kids were in her house for school holidays, and she was going to show us all how great her Toaster was. And who better to spread the word through the family how good you are than the Grandchildren! They are obviously unbiased. Out comes the $4 Toaster and is proudly put on the bench for all to see and make toast with on the chilli morning. In goes the first two slices and success. Toast is made. Slightly more toasted than usual, well it was burnt in my youngest opinion. Then go in the next two slices, down goes the button, slowly the toast slides down, the heat turns on and the elements glow….

Then all the lights go out, but most importantly in an 8 year olds holiday life, the TV goes off! The amazing $4 toaster has tripped the safety switch! Not really a Bargain. More a dud! And thank goodness for the safety switch! So my Mum then had to ring me to come home and switch the power back on, and borrow our toaster for the morning. My Dad then went out that afternoon and bought a $40 toaster from our local Electrical store, with a safety guarantee and the local knowledge back up that when we see him down the street, he will be somewhat accountable for our money spent with him. Both he and my Dad know they can both look each other in the eye and shake hands in the street when they meet because a quality product has been bought for a reasonable price.

Bargains can often come with a warning in the background. If something is cheap, really cheap then it is usually because it is not right. And the same goes for Turf and soil. If a growing grass slab is offered cheap, then there is usually a reason. Unlike my Mum’s toaster, the Grass is less likely to blow a safety switch, but it may come with extra nasties like Weeds. Weeds are defined as any living plant that should not be growing in an area. But Weeds are commonly know as such Nut Grass, Bindi’s, and Summer grass.

Buying a Bargain Turf or soil, one that is cheaper than the norm, can often cost more in the long run. Spraying out the weeds in your new turf  costs extra dollars, and can hinder the establishment period of your lawn. And if your soil is of poor quality, then nutrients will have to be added in the long run to ensure the lawns continued health.

At Coastal Turf, we don’t have bargains. (Because my mothers Emergency Bargain cupboard wont store turf. LOL. No not really.) We have high quality Turf Grass to become your new lawn. And you have the guarantee that when you buy from a local family business, and you see us in the Pub, Park or down the street, we can shake hands, have a chat about your lawn, and life, and both look each other in the eye; Confident that you bought a quality product with a solid service, for a reasonable price.

Chat soon

Sare

Empire Zoysia is quite often over looked because it has a weird name that is hard to say. Don’t be embarrassed when you say its name. No one here cares if you pronounce it correctly or not.  And least of all the grass cares. Try  calling it by its preferred nick name of Empire Zoysia the E-Z lawn. Like all of us with a interesting first names that are either unpronounceable or have that embarrassing story, Empire Zoysia prefers its Nick name E-Z. Yes its partly from the first two letters of the name, and partly a funny play on words. Because Empire Zoysia is such as easy lawn to own. The grass it self is a thick dense lawn, with close knit blades making the lawn a soft cushion to walk on. The dark emerald green colour is very appealing to the eye as well. The easy going part comes from its need for little to no attention from the owner.

My favourite part of this lawn is that in May the lawn concentrates on its root growth over its leaf growth so there is no need for any mowing until August. This doesn’t mean you have to stay off the lawn. No no. It means you still get out there and walk, run, play, tackle, roll and enjoy your Empire Zoysia lawn all winter. And when the Empire Zoysia lawn awakens in Spring, it is still a very slow growing leaf so your mowing regime is for possibly every 10 to 15 days rather than every week. Over Summer the Empire Zoysia will let you know if its thirsty by rolling its leaf up. So in Summer when you are out on your lawn playing the all important game of cricket, if your lawn is curling up then give the game a bit of a cool down with a light sprinkle of water. Or a quick slip and slide mid way through the game. Always a crowd pleaser. And thats all the fuss that the E-Z lawn will give you.

Because E-Z lawn is so dense, it is less likely to allow nasty weed invasions as well. So you can rest assured you can walk around bare foot in the warmer months. ( you can as well in winter, but I don’t recommend it as it really really cold on the toes. brrr) And due to E-Z lawns slow growing leaf, there is less fertilising required over the life of the lawn. So in short there is more time to be enjoying your Empire Zoysia Lawn, than fussing over it. I love mine around my clothes line. Because it does mean I can walk out there no shoes in the warmer months, (I do wear shoes in winter, mostly because I am a cold frog who believes anything under 20 degrees is freezing and requires beanies and gloves) and enjoy the lawn under my feet.

Chat soon

Sare