March on the Sunshine Coast is usually a mix of warm temperatures, humidity and regular rain. While the rain is fantastic for gardens and lawns, it also creates perfect conditions for weeds, lawn pests and rapid plant growth.
Right now is one of the best times of the year to strengthen your lawn and garden before we head into the cooler months. With the right care now, you can keep your yard healthy and looking great through autumn.
At Caloundra Produce & Landscape Supplies we see the same seasonal pattern every year across the Sunshine Coast. Lawns start growing rapidly, weeds appear almost overnight and garden beds can quickly become overgrown. Here is what we recommend focusing on this time of year.
With consistent rainfall and warm soil temperatures, lawns across the Sunshine Coast enter a strong growth phase. This is great for thickening your lawn, but it also means maintenance becomes more important.
During wet periods lawns may need mowing more frequently.
A few key tips include:
• Avoid removing more than one third of the grass height at once
• Keep mower blades sharp to avoid tearing the grass
• Slightly raise mowing height during wet periods
Leaving the lawn slightly longer encourages stronger roots and helps turf handle changing weather conditions.
Moist soil after rain creates ideal conditions for fertilising your lawn. Nutrients move easily into the soil and are quickly absorbed by the grass roots.
Applying a quality fertiliser now will:
• Encourage stronger root systems
• Improve lawn colour and thickness
• Help the lawn recover from summer stress
• Prepare turf for cooler autumn weather
Popular lawn fertilisers available at Caloundra Produce include:
• Grass Master – a premium slow release fertiliser designed for Australian lawns
• LawnPride Maintain – ideal Maintain overall lawn health and colour with this professional controlled release fertiliser with slow-release technology that will feed your turf for up to three months. Suitable for use on turf grass throughout Australia.
Slow release fertilisers are especially effective as they feed the lawn gradually over time.
After periods of rain, lawn pests such as armyworms and lawn grubs often become more active across the Sunshine Coast.
Signs of pest damage can include:
• Brown or dying patches appearing suddenly
• Grass pulling up easily from the soil
• Birds pecking at the lawn searching for insects
If you notice these signs early, treating the lawn quickly can stop pests spreading further.
Products commonly used to control lawn pests include:
• Acelepryn GR Turf Insecticide – excellent for long term grub prevention
• David Gray Lawn Beetle & Turf Pest Insecticide Granules 3kg
Our team can help identify the problem and recommend the right treatment if you bring in photos or samples.
Rain is the biggest trigger for weed growth across lawns and gardens on the Sunshine Coast. Within days of rainfall you will often see weeds popping up everywhere.
The key is to control them early before they spread.
Common lawn weeds appearing this time of year include:
• Creeping oxalis
• Clover
• Bindii
• Summer grass
• Broadleaf weeds
Selective herbicides allow you to remove weeds without damaging your lawn.
Products stocked at Caloundra Produce include:
• Bow and Arrow Herbicide – one of the most effective broadleaf weed killers for lawns
• Surefire Multi Turf Herbicide
Treating weeds while they are small makes control far easier and prevents them spreading seeds throughout the lawn.
Mulching is one of the best things you can do in the garden right now.
A good layer of mulch will:
• Reduce weed growth
• Retain soil moisture
• Improve soil health
• Protect plant roots
• Improve the overall appearance of your garden
After rain, soil conditions are perfect for applying mulch because moisture helps it settle evenly.
Popular mulches available at Caloundra Produce include:
• Cypress Mulch
• Cypress Chip
• Tea Tree Mulch
• Hoop Pine Mulch
• Hardwood Chip
• Enriched Organic Mulch
• Sugar Cane Mulch
Applying mulch around 50 to 75mm thick will dramatically reduce weeds while helping soil retain moisture.
Heavy rain often highlights drainage problems or areas that need landscaping improvements.
This is a great time to check for:
• Areas where water pools
• Garden beds that need edging
• Pathways that become muddy
• Sloped areas that may need retaining
Many Sunshine Coast homeowners use materials such as decorative gravels, pebbles and reclaimed railway sleepers to improve both drainage and garden structure.
At Caloundra Produce we stock a wide range including:
• Decorative pebbles and gravels
• Bulk sands and soils
• Reclaimed hardwood railway sleepers
• Garden edging
These materials can dramatically improve both the function and appearance of your garden.
For Sunshine Coast gardens this month we recommend focusing on:
• Fertilise lawns while soil moisture is high
• Watch for lawn grubs and armyworms
• Remove weeds early
• Refresh garden beds with mulch
• Improve soil health
• Check drainage and garden structure
Taking care of these tasks now will make garden maintenance much easier heading into autumn.
Gardening conditions on the Sunshine Coast can change quickly depending on rainfall and temperature.
If you are unsure what your lawn or garden needs, visit the team at Caloundra Produce & Landscape Supplies. We stock a wide range of lawn care products, herbicides, fertilisers, soils, mulches and landscaping materials suited to local conditions.
You can also browse and order online through our website with convenient local delivery available.
A little work in the garden now will go a long way toward keeping your lawn and landscape looking its best for the months ahead.
Shop online with Australia-wide shipping or click and collect from our store in Little Mountain. Need a hand finding the right product? Get in touch.
Not sure what you need? Speak with an expert.
