It doesn’t matter whether you’re fertilising Prestige®, Sapphire®, Palmetto® or any of the other Buffalo grasses, the requirements for fertilising all Buffalo lawns is almost exactly the same as fertilising any other turf variety. Despite the myths, you do not need to pay more for a special Buffalo grass fertiliser.
The main reason that Buffalo lawns lose their colour throughout the year is due to a lack of fertiliser. Though other factors may also come into play, such as soil health. The appearance of Soft Leaf Buffalo grasses become extremely pale when lawn fertilising is forgotten or neglected.
Fertilising Buffalo Lawns:
Apply a quality lawn fertiliser at manufacturer’s recommended application rates in the following months:
- September
- November
- January
- March
Switch to a quality winter fertiliser for the following months:
- May
- July
These fertilising schedules are suitable for standard grade lawn fertilisers. The use of slow release lawn fertilisers will require a slightly different fertilising regimen.
Special Note about fertilising buffalo lawns in January
Fertilising in January is optional. The homeowner should evaluate the health and quality of the Buffalo lawn during this peak growing season. If the turf is in good health and growing at healthy rates, then January fertilising can be skipped.
Watering lawns after fertilising buffalo lawns
Turf should be watered as soon as possible after fertilising. This is due to the Nitrogen in the fertiliser which can burn the leaf of the turf if left to sit on top of the lawn for too long. This is most evident and most important as the weather begins to heat up. Therefore, the hotter the day, the sooner the fertiliser should be watered into the Buffalo lawn to avoid possible damage to the turf.
Supplementing Iron
Soft Buffalo lawns have a slightly higher Iron requirement, which is a Trace Element which should be found in all quality lawn fertilisers.
Your Buffalo turf will need an Iron supplement with an Iron Chelate, or a trace element supplement at least once a year to help maintain it’s dark green colour.
These products can be purchased rather cheaply at all lawn care and garden stores. Iron is best applied to the leaf as a foliar spray as it becomes an easier source for the plant to absorb.