Yep...certainly has slowed down...from one weekend to the next especially after last weeks cold snap. On Sunday I mowed and only filled the catcher twice over to ~700m2 - normally it would be at least 6-8. I have to mow...till things pick up again, I am just going to mow with the catcher off.
We had a shocking season of lawn grubs from Jan-March, which will give you dead patches, but it is way too cold for them now. Dogs/cats pissing on your grass will give you the dead patches as well...I have a Beagle. I wouldn't worry too much...it will come back...it just doesn't recover as quickly at this time of year.
I fertilize 2-3 time a year with urea (which gives a lot of extra leaf growth) and let that have a week or so to get kicked off - you know it has because the grass grows ~1" every 2 days so you have to mow 3 times a week! Once it has kicked off, I spray it with a growth retardant which slows the long blade growth so you only have to mow once a week, but it makes the grass really thicken up. The only watering I do is when I apply the uarea - if you don't, you will burn your whole yard. Other than that, the only care it gets is mowing, broad leaf weed/target weed spraying for nut grass or mullumbimby as required, spray for lawn grubs as required - both of which isn't very often. Luckily no bindii yet. Because the grass is so short and thick, most weeds just don't have a snowflakes chance in hell of establishing. The blue couch has also taken over most of the footpath out the front of one of the neighbours places too - green couch just doesn't handle the constant short cutting.
The other things is you should raise you cut height a bit now for the colder months too...not too much...I find 3-4mm is plenty. Just give the couch a bit more leaf...
If I has taken some photos around a month ago, I would have had some stunning pics for you. It is still very good now, but what a difference a few weeks of cold weather makes... I'll take some shots on the weekend after I mow.
Ben.
