Buffalo Grass Turf Review & Buyers Guide

By far and away, Buffalo Grass is Australia’s most popular choice for home lawns. Beloved for its soft leaf texture yet hardy nature, Buffalo Grass is perfectly suited for home and commercial lawns thanks to its lustrous year-round colour and low water usage when compared to other warm season grass varieties.

Most Buffalo varieties are renowned as being low maintenance when compared to other varieties. One of Buffalo’s most appealing attributes is its shade tolerance, which allows it to grow in partially shaded areas – a handy feature for Aussie yards with established trees or shading from fences and eaves.

Some of the latest Buffalo Grass varieties to hit the Australian market are improved modern hybrids of traditional Buffalo Grass, and offer even more desirable attributes. myhomeTURF’s Buffalo range is made up of three, premium DNA-Certified options.

Sapphire Buffalo is the market’s most shade tolerant Buffalo variety, while Prestige Buffalo boasts the darkest green colour. Palmetto Buffalo is the pick for homeowners that want a lush green lawn that requires the least amount of fertilising and maintenance.

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Buffalo Turf Key Features

There are five key features that make Buffalo Grass the number one choice for Australian home lawns and open spaces. They are:

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High Drought Tolerance

As well as being able to withstand Australia’s blistering Summer temperatures, Buffalo Grass is also praised for its low water usage meaning less time and money spent tending to your lawn, and more time enjoying it!

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Salt Tolerance

Lawns bordering the coast, those watered from bores inland or even overflow from backyard pools can affect soil salinity, making it difficult for some grass varieties to thrive. However, Buffalo Grass is known for its great salt tolerance, making it perfect for a long list of applications.

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High Shade Tolerance

Whether its low light from fences or under eaves or mottled light through a tree canopy, shaded areas are notoriously difficult for warm season grasses. Buffalo Grass is the least affected, in fact Sapphire Buffalo can grow in areas with up to 70% shading!

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Excellent Wear Tolerance

Buffalo Grass is the natural choice for active backyards thanks to its excellent wear tolerance and fast repair. Its robust, broad leaves can tolerate high foot traffic, as well as plenty of play time from kids and pets.

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Attractive Dark Green Colour

The appeal of a lush, green backyard cannot be understated, and Buffalo Grass is regarded as one of the greenest grass varieties on the market. In fact, Prestige Buffalo is rated as the darkest green grass on the market, and most importantly, all Buffalo varieties maintain their beautiful colouration all year round.

Our Buffalo Grass Varieties

Prestige Buffalo	Palmetto Buffalo	Sapphire Buffalo
✓ The most advanced genetics, tailored to Australian conditions	✓ Exceptional green colour throughout Winter	✓ A premium fine leaf variety with outstanding colour
✓ Luxurious deep green colour all year round	✓ High shade tolerance	✓ The highest shade tolerance – up to 70%
✓ High wear tolerance, perfect for active backyards with kids or pets	✓ Low water use translates to great drought tolerance	✓ Soft underfoot and family friendly
✓ Low maintenance requirements – less mowing and fertilising	✓ Soft leaf and low seed head means less irritation	✓ Lush green colour year-round
💰 Expect to pay $10-17 per/sq.m	💰 Expect to pay $10-17 per/sq.m	💰 Expect to pay $12-20 per/sq.m

myhomeTURF's Top Tips for Buffalo 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.

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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 Install & Maintain Buffalo Grass

Installing your new Buffalo 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.

The process is as simple as:

Site Preparation

Remove existing grass and weeds. Level the soil and add quality soil mix if needed. Rake smooth and firm gently.

✓ Kill existing grass with herbicide 2-3 weeks prior

✓ Remove debris, rocks, and old root systems

✓ Add 50-75mm quality soil/sand mix if needed

✓ Level and rake to create smooth, firm surface

Turf Delivery & Laying

Lay turf immediately upon delivery. Start along the longest straight edge and work systematically across the area.

✓ Lay turf within 24 hours of delivery

✓ Start along longest straight edge (fence/driveway)

✓ Butt joints tightly together – no gaps or overlaps

✓ Stagger joints like bricks for best results

✓ Use a sharp knife to trim 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 in to 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

Caring for Your Buffalo Lawn

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Spring

Wake your Buffalo lawn out of winter dormancy by applying a slow release granular fertiliser like LawnPride Turfmaxx. Begin mowing more frequently, and treat any broadleaf weeds by using a selective herbicide like Bow and Arrow.

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Summer

Increase your watering schedule to offset increasing temperatures and dry winds, being mindful not to water in the heat of the day. Consider the addition of a soil wetter to offset extreme heat and low rainfall.

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Autumn

Apply a granular fertiliser to maintain nutrition throughout Autumn and Winter. For cooler climates, consider slightly increasing the grass height by adjusting your mower to maintain colour and condition.

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Winter

Regions that experience frost may see signs of dormancy in their Buffalo lawn – slight loss of colour and slower growth. Reduce watering, but don’t stop all together.

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Troubleshooting

Buffalo lawns can fall victim to lawn disease or pests like Army Worm and African black beetle, all of which will cause sudden decline in condition. This may manifest as discoloured spots on the leaf for disease, or isolated patches dying off for a beetle infestation.

Where To Find a Buffalo Grass Supplier

Being Australia’s most popular lawn variety, and its suitability to all climates and regions, finding a My Home Turf Buffalo Farmer in your region is simple!

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 Buffalo Grass?

myhiomeTURF Buffalo Grass varieties are all premium grasses, specially selected for the attributes that make them ideal for the Australian climate and conditions. They’re all DNA-certified, and 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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