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Thriving Through WinTer: SmarT TipS


 for KiKuyu LaWn Care and WaTering                           CONTENTS



 ccepting  your  kikuyu  lawn’s
 winter dormancy is a prudent and                                                           ISSUE 138
 aenvironmentally  responsible  choice,
 especially in all areas of South africa where water
 conservation is essential.  your grass can enter
 a state of graceful dormancy without needing
 to be watered if you recognise and honour its
 natural cycles. here Water Wise explains how to
 maintain kikuyu lawn during the winter season
 while  using  much  less  to  no  water,  building
 resilience, and making sure it returns to life and
 vigorous growth in the spring season.











 •   Wait for the rains to start in late spring before
 awakening your kikuyu from its dormant state.
 •   newly installed kikuyu will only require more
 water during its settling or establishment
 period.  gradually decrease the frequency of
 watering after this phase.
 •   in summer, water in the early morning or
 late afternoon as this reduces water lost to
 evaporation.
 •   use a trigger nozzle if watering kikuyu with a
 hose.
 Dormancy in Lawn  Smart Maintenance of Kikuyu
 dormancy refers to a period where growth of the   •   Stop mowing your lawn; with reduced grass
 grass temporarily slows down, and grass goes   growth in winter, longer blades insulate roots
 into a resting state for one season. Kikuyu always   and soil from cold temperatures while roots
 goes dormant during winter, where the grass will   remain active.
 turn brown. however, brown kikuyu grass does   •   during the winter season, do not apply any
 not mean it is dead; it has simply gone dormant.   fertilisers.   CONTENTS
 dormant kikuyu does not need to be watered;   •   as spring approaches, prepare for weed   2024 SALI Awards of Excellence   6
 it is ‘resting’ and conserving energy for the new   emergence on your lawn by hand-picking or
 growing season. dormancy is a natural way for   Conradie Park   14         On the Cover
 Kikuyu  lawn to conserve moisture and nutrients in cold   spot-treating weeds with organic herbicides.  2024 ILASA Awards   18  Conradie Park in Cape Town.
 Pennisetum clandestinum, commonly known   and dry seasons. it is therefore not necessary to   This article was co-authored by Rand Water: Water   See article on page 14.
 as kikuyu, is the most widely used lawn grass   water your kikuyu during winter.   Skills Development Training   21  Concor Construction is acknowledged for
 in South  africa.  it is native to  east  africa and   Wise and Evergreen Turf with the goal of raising   SA Wins at Chelsea   22  sponsoring the front cover.
 awareness among the public and customers
 has an aggressive growth form, which means it   Water Wise Watering of Kikuyu
 can become invasive and take over indigenous   •   avoid frequent watering of kikuyu when it is   about sustainable practices for watering and
 maintaining kikuyu lawns.
 grasses. Kikuyu is drought tolerant, inexpensive,   dormant.  ALLIED TRADE FEATURE
 and easy to maintain because it can grow in   •   Check your  lawn in  the morning to  assess   Stoned!  24
 areas where most grasses cannot. however, it is   moisture levels.  if it seems moist, water once   Always be #WaterWise  www.concor.co.za
 sometimes considered the highest user of water   every 10 days depending on the weather.  Mosaic Tunnel at Pinnacle Point   27  info.construction@concor.co.za
 in comparison to other commonly  used turf   •   When the lawn appears to be dry, water once a   021 431 3400
 grasses. Kikuyu is mostly planted as an instant   week and only in the morning (between 6 am –
 lawn for sports fields, golf course construction   10 am) until optimal moisture is reached.
 and rehabilitation.  it has a mat root and a   •   avoid watering in the evening to prevent
 herbaceous growth habit.  it however doesn’t   prolonged moisture on the grass, which can
 grow well in shaded areas.  lead to fungal diseases.   PUBLISHER   SALES EXECUTIVE   JOHANNESBURG OFFICE:
           Nico Maritz – 011 327 4062   Brenda Visser – 068 181 4041             Tel: 011 327 4062, Fax: 011 327 4094,
           nico@eiapublishing.co.za    brendav@eiapublishing.co.za               Now Media Centre, 32 Fricker Road,
                                                                                 lllovo, Johannesburg
           EDITOR                      PRODUCTION                                www.eiapublishing.co.za
           Karyn Richards – 011 327 4062   Chris Grant – 082 498 7660
           karyn@eiapublishing.co.za   chris@eiapublishing.co.za
           SALES & MARKETING MANAGER    DESIGN                                   Copyright: No part of this publication may
           Martin Fourie – 072 835 8405   Diane van Noort                        be reproduced without the permission of
           martin@eiapublishing.co.za  d2vn@mweb.co.za                           the publishers. The views of the contributors
                                                                                 and advertisers are not necessarily those of
                                                                                 Landscape SA nor of the publishers.
           Check us out www.salandscape.co.za                                               Landscape SA • Issue 138  2024    1
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