BUSINESS OF THE MONTH: Lawn Solutions Australia

Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA) is developing the best products, people and performance in the turf industry.

Known as the go-to brand for ‘anything lawns’ in Australia, this includes turf, lawn care products, and lawn and turf related advice. Lawn Solutions Australia consists of a national network of locally owned, and mostly family-operated turf businesses.

The LSA Group produces over 50% of the domestic and commercial turf sold in Australia and is the only group that operates in every region and climatic zone in the land. This broad coverage allows LSA to research turf and develop new products and varieties for a range of Australian conditions.

Synonymous with high standards, to join LSA you must be approved by the Australian Genetic Assurance Program for turf, known as AusGAP, to grow the certified grasses that only LSA Members supply.

Bringing the latest international developments to Australia

LSA has formed alliances with major international breeders, giving its members access to the latest developments overseas. With these partnerships, the LSA network, through extensive collaboration has been able to build the most successful turf research and development program in Australia, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

This program has seen the release of a comprehensive stable of market-leading and well-recognised turf brands including Sir Walter DNA Certified, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda and Sir Grange Zoysia.

“We have the best grasses for today and we’re working on the best grasses for the future,” said Joe Rogers, Business Development Manager at LSA.

Research and Development

LSA want to find new and improved grasses that provide consumers with better choices when looking for a new lawn variety.

The LSA Research and Development program now includes more than 30,000 different cultivars of turf that are constantly being evaluated in the hope of finding more new varieties that have a list of benefits for consumers just like TifTuf and Sir Grange. Together with their international scientific teams, LSA monitor new varieties for environmental benefits, water use, shade tolerance, drought tolerance, growing speeds and a plethora of other aesthetic, environmental and practical factors – all with the consumer in mind. 

Thousands of grasses are bred and tested before a shortlist of elite performers is selected. These grasses are then put into further trials testing how they perform under wear, shade, and drought conditions. If the grasses are successful in those trials, they will then undergo further trials. These involve herbicide resistance, establishment, recovery speed and harvestability.

LSA trials grasses in a range of climates right across Australia. This helps to determine how they will handle the Aussie conditions. LSA will also compare them against existing turf varieties to see how they stand up. This is a commitment to the development of superior varieties of turf for the Australian landscape. 

LSA is not looking for more of the same and is not just selecting grasses because they did well overseas. They are looking for proven performers backed by Australian data. LSA are demonstrating integrity and transparency not seen before in Australian turfgrass research.

“We are looking for grasses that don’t just perform or survive. We are looking for new grasses that provide a point of difference, show exceptional qualities, and new traits unseen in the marketplace before – the cream of the crop,” said Joe Rogers.

Sir Walter DNA Certified has led the way as the most successful commercial turfgrass in Australian history. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is achieving the same early successes that Sir Walter did over 20 years ago. A newly developed and introduced grass becoming the first and only turfgrass in the world to be awarded the Smart Approved WaterMark is a testament to the extensive research and development that every single LSA Member has contributed. Sir Grange Zoysia is one of the most versatile, low input grass varieties to ever be released in Australia. 

These grasses are available commercially to golf courses, sports fields, and public spaces, but are also available to domestic homeowners. Grasses that were bred for golf courses like the Olympics Golf Course in Rio are indeed available for the Aussie backyard too.

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda was bred out of the famous Tifton University in Georgia by the world’s best turf breeders. TifTuf has shown superior qualities to that of more than 30,000 different varieties. It is an absolute stand out when it comes to not just Couch grasses but all grasses.

The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) conducts world-leading testing and research for developing innovative techniques and products to improve turfgrass and sports surfaces. STRI recently conducted a trial evaluating the “Performance of Bermuda (couch) grass cultivars under different shade, irrigation, and wear treatments”. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda was a clear stand out performer in this trial outperforming all other available couch grasses, proving TifTuf to be the best couch grass available in Australia.

When it comes to sports of all kinds the right grass is paramount when you imagine the traffic the playing area must cope with. Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe, Queensland was the first solid turfed TifTuf sports field in Australia. The stadium hosts many sports and is the home of the recently added 17th NRL franchise the Dolphins Rugby League Football Club. The stadium also hosts soccer team, the Brisbane Roar FC, which competes in the A-League.

“The feedback from the Roar and the FFA has always been very positive,” said Redcliffe Dolphins General Manager of Football Operations Grant Cleal.

“The players love the venue and love the TifTuf playing surface also.”

TifTuf has been taking the domestic lawn industry by storm in recent years also. TifTuf has superior drought tolerance, and speedy recovery, and just like its name is tough and hardy. This has led to it being a highly sought-after turf option for families with pets and kids and lawn enthusiasts looking for a sporting home lawn variety.

Sir Grange Zoysia

Sir Grange is a fine bladed premium turf variety, which has high shade tolerance and very low nutrient and water requirements. With a range of temperature and geographical adaptability, tolerance to varying pH levels and soil types, and a built-in mechanism to extract salts from the soil, Sir Grange offers the greatest versatility and utility of any warm-season grasses available today. These characteristics, combined with its beautiful dark green colour, make it a perfect fit for Australia. 

Sir Grange can be mown short or kept longer making it a great option for sporting surfaces, golf courses in particular. Sir Grange, known as BRF Zeon Zoysia in the US and around the world, can be found on many high-end golf courses in Australia including Teven Valley Golf Course, Killara Golf Course and Indooroopilly Golf Course.

The award-winning Sir Grange Zoysia receives high praise at Teven Valley Golf Course.

“At Teven during the reconstruction, the players/members only want to play on the new course,” said Teven Valley Golf Club superintendent Paul Gumbleton. 

“They would prefer to play the holes twice on the new course and not on the old course. Golfers love Sir Grange.” 

What separates Sir Grange from the others in the golf world is its density and leaf structure. Sir Grange is approximately twice as dense as Couch and Kikuyu, meaning it has roughly twice as many plants in any given area. 

Further to this, Sir Grange leaf blades grow directly upwards from the surface again unlike couch grass, which grows outwards from a root or runner. These traits ensure you are getting a better ball lie on Sir Grange and better ball speed in play. 

A superior ball lie also means fewer divots as you will not have to dig your club in to get under the ball. This leads to a lot easier club contact and a lot less work for the course in divot maintenance.

Sir Grange’s superior density also makes it much more difficult for weeds to invade which is perfect both for the homeowner and in the golfing world. It also looks fantastic at a variety of mowing heights. 

Mown short to around 15mm or half-inch when we’re talking fairway and green-surrounds-height, through to the preferred height of your front lawn, or even unmown in rough situations – Sir Grange can handle mowing maintenance at these varying levels without much in the way of scalping or bruising that can occur on other grass-types.

The superior shade tolerance of Sir Grange makes it ideal for home lawns and those shaded greens and fairways that exist on most golf courses where Couch and Kikuyu tend to struggle, especially during the winter months. Low water and fertiliser requirements also result in lower inputs for the golf course and the homeowner, saving valuable time, money, and environmental pressures.

LSA Members right across the country are striving to supply the best grasses for their regions. They are part of the greater success being achieved in turfgrass development through being part of a national network – a network that is helping make golf course and sports field quality grasses accessible to everyone.

So, if you wish you could bring the golf course home with you, now you can.

If you are looking to install a new lawn or want to know about any of the grasses LSA Member’s supply, please get in touch with Lawn Solutions Australia or with your local LSA Member.

MORE INFORMATION:
E: info@lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au
P: 1300 883 711
W: www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au