Couch Grass Varieties, Tips & Buyers Guide

Loved for its soft, fine leaf and ability to thrive in Australia’s warm, sunny climate, Couch Grass has been on Australian shores for over two centuries. Despite its delicate appearance and inviting, soft texture, Couch grasses are known to be hardy, fast-recovering and drought tolerant which explains their popularity in sports turf and commercial landscaping applications.

Thanks to exciting new hybrids entering the Australian market, interest in curating perfectly manicured Couch lawns has grown rapidly in the Australian domestic market too, as proud home owners compete for the best lawn in the street!

Let’s explore which Couch variety is the perfect choice for your lawn.

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Characteristics of Couch Turf

If you’ve ever wondered how to identify Couch grass, it is easily distinguishable from other warm season grasses thanks to its fine leaf blades sprouting from above ground stems known as stolons. This above ground stolon network is aided by an underground network of roots known as rhizomes. Pulling a section of Couch grass, regardless of the variety, will reveal this very plant structure.

Aside from its physical structure, Couch grass is best known for the following five key features:

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High Drought Tolerance

Ideal for hot, Australian summers, Couch grass uses less water than some other grass varieties

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Shade Tolerance

Couch grass will grow in partly shaded areas that still receive at least 75% sun

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Very High Wear Tolerance

Rapid recovery makes it ideal for sports fields, playgrounds and active family backyards

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Low Maintenance

Couch’s dense growth will outcompete some weeds meaning a naturally weed-free lawn

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Fine Leaf & Soft Underfoot

The soft leaf gives a premium, comfortable feel – a lawn that begs to be enjoyed!

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Exceptional Colour

Couch grass boasts a rich green colour that darkens through Spring and Summer

Our Couch Grass Varieties

Variety	Features	Expected Costs
IronCutter Elite Hybrid Bermudagrass	✓ Premium look and feel ✓ Lush green colour ✓ Low thatch	💰 $12-18 per/sq.m
Stadium Sports Couch	✓ Hard-wearing ✓ Fast repairing ✓ Quick Spring green up	💰 $8-14 per/sq.m

Other Couch Grass Variaties

IronCutter Elite Hybrid Bermudagrass	Stadium Sports Couch
✓ The latest turf genetics, engineered for Australian conditions	✓ Outstanding wear tolerance and fast recovery
✓ Soft, vertical leaf that’s soft to touch, but wear resistant	✓ Soft, fine leaf makes an outstanding sports field or home lawn
✓ Slower vertical leaf growth means less mowing than other Couch varieties	✓ Deep, dense root structure establishes quickly for a resilient lawn
✓ Extremely drought tolerant and Smart Drop certified	✓ Thrives in warmer climates, both dry and humid heat
💰 Expect to pay $12-18 per/sq.m	💰 Expect to pay $8-14 per/sq.m

myhomeTURF's Top Tips for Couch Grass

Nathan Tovey is myhomeTURF’s resident expert. Decades of experience in the industry has culminated in a role which sees him work alongside turf growers all around the country to provide better quality grass to home lawn owners. Put simply, he’s the man to ask about getting the best out of your lawn.

Here are his top tips for Couch grass:

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Healthy Soil = Healthy Lawn

A healthy lawn starts with healthy soil. For established lawns, bio-stimulants like Rootmaxx or Kelp-ER are like a probiotic for your lawn and keep your soil full of the microorganisms and healthy bacteria that keep your soil full of the nutrients that your lawn needs. If you’re laying a new lawn and notice that your soil isn’t a healthy, dark brown, if it’s full of clay or debris or if it’s rock-hard and difficult to dig through, consider bringing in 5-10cm of quality turf underlay and planting on that instead.

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Water the Right Way

Too little water too often will encourage the plant’s roots to prioritise water at the soil layer, instead of plunging deeper into the earth. Longer roots accessing water deeper in the soil will lead to a healthier plant – one that’s more resilient to temperature extremes, and one that will recover more quickly from bug attacks or other stress.

✓ Give your lawn long, deep watering, less frequently for the best results.

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Have a Maintenance Plan

As well as scheduling your watering and mowing, a good lawn maintenance program should include the ongoing use of quality slow release fertilisers, a pre-emergent herbicide and pest protection like Acelepryn, at the very least! The difference between a good lawn and a great lawn is always the extra work the owner is willing to do, and modern lawn care products are cheap and easy to apply.

✓ Be more proactive than reactive with your maintenance – you’ll save money in the long run and have a consistently better lawn as a result.

How to Maintain Couch Turf

Installing your new Couch lawn is a simple process that can easily be tackled as a DIY job, or with professional help. You’ll need to Measure Your Lawn to know how much turf you’ll need, then contact your local myhomeTURF Grower who can assist with quantities and deliver fresh cut turf to your door on the day of the project.

Installation can be broken down in to four simple steps:

Prepare the Site

Whether you’re replacing an existing lawn or laying one on a fresh site, the process is largely the same. Give your new lawn a headstart by preparing the site properly:

✓ Kill existing weeds 2-3 weeks prior using a herbicide like Glyphosate360

✓ Till or scarify the old soil, and remove any debris like rocks or tree roots

✓ Add 50-75mm of quality organic Turf Underlay

✓ Screed and level using a lawn leveling tool

✓ Ideally, prepare the site days or weeks before and allow for settlement. Re-level if necessary

Turf Delivery & Laying

Lay your new lawn immediately upon delivery. Evenly spread an Under Turf Starter fertiliser to help it establish, and start along the longest straight edge.

✓ Don’t leave your turf on the pallet for more than 24 hours

✓ Identify the longest straight edge (fence, garden edge or driveway) and start along there

✓ Ensure the roll ends meet neatly with no overlapping, and no air pockets underneath

✓ Stagger joins in the rolls by laying them like house bricks

✓ Use garden shears or a sharp knife to trim to length, or shape around obstacles

Watering Schedule

New lawns require plenty of water to help them establish, but overwatering can cause shallow root establishment or invite lawn disease. Overcome both by using the following method:

✓ Water thoroughly immediately after installation to relieve stress on the lawn

✓ Watering will activate the soil biome, and the Under Turf Starter fertiliser

✓ Water at least twice a day for 15min for the first two weeks – don’t let it dry out

✓ Avoid watering late afternoon or evening to avoid disease pressure

✓ Gradually back the watering off until you’re watering deeply once a week

When Should You Mow Freshly Laid Turf?

Your new lawn will be ready to mow weeks after installation. We recommend waiting until the turf is rooted down – that is, when the rolls can no longer be lifted up as the roots have taken into the soil below.

✓ Root matting can take slightly longer in cooler climates, or during colder months

✓ Limit stress on the lawn by only taking off 20-30% of the total leaf length at first

✓ Mow frequently to promote new leaf and lateral growth

Where to Find a Couch TurfSupplier

Thanks to it’s suitability to the Australian climate, it’s widespread use in sports turf applications and surge of popularity in the home lawn market, Couch Grass is available Australia wide.

Try our Find A Turf Supplier tool and enter your postcode to be connected to growers in your area who can assist with pricing.

Why Choose myhomeTURF for Couch Grass?

myhomeTURF Couch Grass varieties are all premium grasses, specially selected for the attributes that make them ideal for the Australian climate and conditions.They’re exclusively available through the myhomeTURF Grower network.

myhomeTURF Growers in your area can supply fresh cut turf delivered to your door to help you create your dream backyard, and all varieties are backed by our lifetime aftercare support from our expert turf consultants.

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Couch Grass Varieties, Tips & Buyers Guide

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