Low maintenance lawns are often requested by homeowners, however it is often found that their requests can vary greatly. Some people are looking to cut down on the number of mows their lawn needs, others are trying to reduce the amount of water that they use on their lawn and there are also people who want a lawn that can withstand children and pets without constant repairs.
What actually drives maintenance load
The maintenance required to ensure growth, color and performance needs to be considered. The vertical growth rate of a variety will determine how frequently it needs to be mowed. The root depth and leaf structure of a variety will determine how long it will stay looking its best between watering. Finally, the lateral growth of a variety by stolon, rhizome or a combination of both will determine how quickly minor damage will recover without further intervention.
4. Climate fit, this will override all of the others. Grass grown outside of its ideal temperature will require additional inputs to perform well. Cool season grasses sown in hot interior climates will require additional watering over the summer months. Warm season grasses grown in cold outer suburbs or heavily shaded sites will go dormant for longer periods and thicken out less, resulting in a yard that requires additional follow up work such as weed control and subsequent herbicide applications.
Shade tolerance as a hidden cost
The conditions of a Backyard vary greatly from the Front Yard or Drive. For example, the shadiest part of any property is the Backyard, made up of fence lines, trees and even two story high neighbors. In this area a variety rated for 4 hours of direct sun will thin out at 3 hours of sun, forming bare patches which require most of the work in follow up maintenance. Light measurement at the worst point in the yard in midwinter is far more important than light measurement at the best time of year in summer.
Comparing the main low maintenance turf options
Below are the varieties commonly specified as part of easier-care lawns compared. Performance has been rated in suitable climates only and not across a universal scale.
| Variety type | Typical mowing interval | Water demand | Wear recovery | Shade tolerance |
| Soft-leaf buffalo | 2 to 3 weeks in peak growth | Low to moderate | Moderate | Good, 3 to 4 hours sun |
| Hybrid bermuda (couch) | Weekly in peak growth | Low | Excellent | Poor, needs full sun |
| Zoysia | 2 to 4 weeks | Low | Slow but steady | Moderate |
| Kikuyu | Weekly or more | Moderate | Excellent | Poor to moderate |
| Tall fescue | Weekly in spring and fall | High in summer | Poor, needs oversowing | Good |
Reading the table against the brief
Variety choice, The best case scenario. Soil preparation, The scenario reality. A good quality turf variety can produce excellent results in lawns with low maintenance requirements. However, turf varieties differ greatly in their growth habit, maintenance requirements and wear tolerance. Zoysia species are often the most suitable option for mow and forget lawns. Their slow vertical growth rate means that divots and other damage take a long time to recover from, but Zoysia lawns are generally low traffic and have minimal maintenance requirements.
Site preparation determines the maintenance ceiling
The best case scenario for a variety is how it will perform in a yard. However, how a yard is prepared will also determine how a variety will perform. A lawn over shallow soil on compacted clay will have shallow roots whether you have laid the best variety of living turf on top or not. It will need frequent, light watering. For this reason it is worth speaking to a grower about low maintenance turf before the soil work begins, so the variety and the prepared profile are matched from the outset.
- Test drainage before quoting. Dig a test hole, fill it, and time the drop. Slow drainage means drainage works, not a different variety.
- Rip or scarify compacted subgrade rather than blanketing it with imported soil.
- Provide 100 to 150 mm of screened sandy loam with organic content, graded to fall away from structures.
- Correct pH at this stage, when it is cheapest to do.
Setting realistic expectations with the client
Don’t confuse low maintenance with no maintenance. Be clear as to the continuing requirements of the established lawn.
- Deep, infrequent watering rather than short daily cycles, to push roots down.
- One or two fertilizer applications a year, timed to the growing season.
- Mowing at the upper end of the recommended height range, which suppresses weeds and reduces water loss.
- Dethatching or vertical mowing every few years for stoloniferous varieties.
When turf is the wrong recommendation
Ultimately there are some backyards that aren’t worth growing living turf on, deep permanent shade, very small areas (less than 20m2) within a paved area that has little to no irrigation available are examples. These can be better off with mulched garden beds, alternative groundcovers, and even synthetic surfaces.
