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Being a warm season grass, Kikuyu will bounce back regardless to what you do to it. Its hardy, and take a lot of beating. Once its established, its hard to get rid of. In NZ, our Kikuyu is a mixed blend with annual rye grass, so once the Kikuyu goes into dormancy, the rye grass takes over during cooler temps. Normally our Kikuyu is dominant around beach areas, and some residence areas too and stays green throughout the summer season, but its hard to maintain particularly as it grows really quick and with its fast runners it can make pathways look unsightly especially if you want to maintain a crisp edge which can get out of control if left unmaintained.
Thanks so much for this comment, I'm still learning a lot about this type as it's still relatively new to me. The part about it being mixed with rye around your coastal areas is going to give me a good bit to think about and research in the near term. Do you know of any boutique kikuyu varieties grown in the NZ area? Or is it all basically the same stuff? Also, if you would indulge me; do people in your area call bermuda grass "buffalo" or vise-versa? I am starting to see a lot of inconsistencies in references to buffalo grass in places in the southern hemisphere. Anyway, I expect this stuff (kik) to bounce back strong. By feb I expect the kik and bermuda in my back yard to be looking awesome and then I'll start hitting it all with herbicide while seeding tttf, I'm very curious how many months (or years) it will take to look like a fescue lawn. :)
@@TurfMechanic Its only a mixed variety in residential areas. Furthermore, the mixed blend of Kikuyu and other mixes are also very expensive too, so not as popular as well. People choose not to grow it in land for the reason it can outgrow and out compete other neighbouring grass types and is difficult to control. In NZ, its seen as more of an invasive weed and a pest for the above reasons, so the more in land you live, the less likely you will see Kikuyu on the streets. In coastal cities or towns it’s a different story as Kikuyu is more commonplace and widespread, and hard to remove too. Nor is it a mixed variety either. For that reason, its still a good grass to grow as it retains its green appearance longer than most; drought tolerant and hard-wearing too. \ Be it Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, Boston green, St. Augustine etc… in the US would be different said down-under and vice versa. Not always but sometimes. The only key thing that remains universal are their respective botanical names and classification id. Even though in NZ and Aus we both say ‘coriander’ as opposed to the US expression ‘cilantro’, as long as we are referencing the same botanical name, genus and specie, we know in the end we are talking about the same plant. Ideally if the conditions are right, and you have the right soil in place, and done the right steps, you should start seeing germination take place within 7 days. As long as the soil is constantly moist you will start seeing growth take place fast. My true type tall fescue last year took overall 2 to 3 months.
@TheClaudos would you be interested in chatting to me about lawn care? I live in NZ and am just about to buy my first home and I’m really excited to renovate the lawn but all the videos I find on the internet are from other countries. I’m in the north island and I think kikuyu is the most prominent species. I’d like to try a new species out but I’ve heard it’s a waste of time as kikuyu will just take over eventually.
Will be watching! Hope you’re enjoying your new digs. I’ve been trying to slowly make my lawn a heavy fescue blend for the last few years but it suffers every hot summer. Sometimes I think of letting my aggressive existing grass just take over (thought it was common Bermuda but maybe it’s actually kikuyu) since it takes abuse and just keeps coming back lol. Thanks for sharing your experiences and your thinking along with your knowledge!
Kikuyu can do almost anything. Keep it around 25-40mm and it'll be nice under foot. Some lawnies regularly mow it to 10-15mm. 25.4mm is 1". Resetting the height like you're trying to do requires cutting it lower than you want and letting it grow back to the desired height, which is basically what you're saying after 10mins. As a warm season grass, do that in mid spring and it'll be a carpet.
I scalped our kik about a month ago and found the same thing, you get rid of the thick stalky bits and a much smaller blade grows that is softer but im expecting stalky crowns to come back fairly quickly even if I maintained it low. I also have bits of P RYE in it and its growing at more then twice the rate of the kik out back and the buffalo at the front.
While using a scarifier rake to remove dead grass, is it post to pull out grass stolons/roots during the process? The grass looks like dirt now on my Kikuyu lawn.
IDK it's going to be tough to have some good turf with that big dog.some of that grass you were looking at kind of looks like Bermuda grass we have over here in the South I don't know that stuff is tough to get rid of about three treatments of glyphosate about the only thing I know that can get rid of that stuff
Ohh that's awesome, I'll be sure to check that out, probably not live but I'll watch for sure. I'm very interested in seeing and hearing how other kikuyu owners tend to their pads
it's very concerning to me too. It was heavy rains for the area, I'm told it was a very rare occurrence to get rains that heavy around here. However the whole lawn slopes down to that area giving me even more incentive to do substantial grading work back there...and the gutter over the patio spouts right there onto that corner of the grass so that will be another project that needs a repair. Add in a french drain underground and I'm hoping I can divert the water to a holding tank for rain water harvesting in the future. We shall see.
It got heavily damaged in the CA rains and flooding this winter. I then had a lot of the area dug up to install an in-ground drain so it doesn't look the same any more. I did scalp my front yard down to about half an inch this winter though and it's all coming back just fine.
3 месяца назад
@@TurfMechaniconly scalp Kikuyu in mid spring/early summer mate
Yep, that's a job that has to happen soon. Not fun but nessesary. Guttering away from the area will also help but the grading work will be high priority
It sure is, had my eye on the vanhous machine for the past year and finally sprung for it. It goes well below grade on the lowest setting, should be really good for seeding and light leveling on top of the normal duties of a power rake.
Kikuyu is a tribe in Kenya E.A. possibly research if that's the origin of this grass seed. If so, then its best areas to plant are places that don't over 75 degrees F and no lower than 70 degrees F. Kikuyus lives close to the equator... This was so hilarious for me because of its name since I am East African .Also it's best left alittle longer like pasture grass not home lawns.
When we moved into the house in October the lawn had been watered every day or two for a long time, blatantly violating watering restrictions. Since around October 25 or so we swapped out the control box and pulled watering back to every 4th day assuming rain hadn't just happened. I'm now running it once a week in line with local restrictions for about 15 minutes at a time. I'm looking to update the irrigation lines over the next month to optimize water usage and maybe start harvesting that rain water that floods down from the patio cover. Glad to have another socal viewer btw, thanks for watching!
Here in Australia all the lawnies will tell you, aim for 25mm (1") irrigation per week, split into 2 sessions. So 12mm (0.5") twice a week. That way the roots will grow deep for the water, and the grass will be drought-proof. If restrictions limit this, then don't worry. It's almost impossible to kill a Kikuyu lawn, it'll always come back. Just a thunderstorm will get it going again. Just remember that it will go dormant in winter, just let it be.
Backyard was definitely one of the big selling points on this house for us. It needed help but as you said the potential for awesomeness is there. Just gotta put in the effort, which is the fun part. 😀
►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄
I hope your neighbours are enjoying their new Kik lawns
Being a warm season grass, Kikuyu will bounce back regardless to what you do to it. Its hardy, and take a lot of beating. Once its established, its hard to get rid of. In NZ, our Kikuyu is a mixed blend with annual rye grass, so once the Kikuyu goes into dormancy, the rye grass takes over during cooler temps. Normally our Kikuyu is dominant around beach areas, and some residence areas too and stays green throughout the summer season, but its hard to maintain particularly as it grows really quick and with its fast runners it can make pathways look unsightly especially if you want to maintain a crisp edge which can get out of control if left unmaintained.
Thanks so much for this comment, I'm still learning a lot about this type as it's still relatively new to me. The part about it being mixed with rye around your coastal areas is going to give me a good bit to think about and research in the near term. Do you know of any boutique kikuyu varieties grown in the NZ area? Or is it all basically the same stuff? Also, if you would indulge me; do people in your area call bermuda grass "buffalo" or vise-versa? I am starting to see a lot of inconsistencies in references to buffalo grass in places in the southern hemisphere. Anyway, I expect this stuff (kik) to bounce back strong. By feb I expect the kik and bermuda in my back yard to be looking awesome and then I'll start hitting it all with herbicide while seeding tttf, I'm very curious how many months (or years) it will take to look like a fescue lawn. :)
@@TurfMechanic Its only a mixed variety in residential areas. Furthermore, the mixed blend of Kikuyu and other mixes are also very expensive too, so not as popular as well. People choose not to grow it in land for the reason it can outgrow and out compete other neighbouring grass types and is difficult to control. In NZ, its seen as more of an invasive weed and a pest for the above reasons, so the more in land you live, the less likely you will see Kikuyu on the streets. In coastal cities or towns it’s a different story as Kikuyu is more commonplace and widespread, and hard to remove too. Nor is it a mixed variety either. For that reason, its still a good grass to grow as it retains its green appearance longer than most; drought tolerant and hard-wearing too.
\
Be it Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, Boston green, St. Augustine etc… in the US would be different said down-under and vice versa. Not always but sometimes. The only key thing that remains universal are their respective botanical names and classification id. Even though in NZ and Aus we both say ‘coriander’ as opposed to the US expression ‘cilantro’, as long as we are referencing the same botanical name, genus and specie, we know in the end we are talking about the same plant.
Ideally if the conditions are right, and you have the right soil in place, and done the right steps, you should start seeing germination take place within 7 days. As long as the soil is constantly moist you will start seeing growth take place fast. My true type tall fescue last year took overall 2 to 3 months.
@TheClaudos would you be interested in chatting to me about lawn care? I live in NZ and am just about to buy my first home and I’m really excited to renovate the lawn but all the videos I find on the internet are from other countries. I’m in the north island and I think kikuyu is the most prominent species. I’d like to try a new species out but I’ve heard it’s a waste of time as kikuyu will just take over eventually.
@@Ewokanok How did you get on? I'm in Auckand and make videos :)
Will be watching! Hope you’re enjoying your new digs. I’ve been trying to slowly make my lawn a heavy fescue blend for the last few years but it suffers every hot summer. Sometimes I think of letting my aggressive existing grass just take over (thought it was common Bermuda but maybe it’s actually kikuyu) since it takes abuse and just keeps coming back lol.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and your thinking along with your knowledge!
ps-I picked up my last TTTF seed bag at a local Ewing irrigation shop. I wanted a particular brand they had in lg quantity.
Kikuyu can do almost anything. Keep it around 25-40mm and it'll be nice under foot. Some lawnies regularly mow it to 10-15mm. 25.4mm is 1".
Resetting the height like you're trying to do requires cutting it lower than you want and letting it grow back to the desired height, which is basically what you're saying after 10mins.
As a warm season grass, do that in mid spring and it'll be a carpet.
I scalped our kik about a month ago and found the same thing, you get rid of the thick stalky bits and a much smaller blade grows that is softer but im expecting stalky crowns to come back fairly quickly even if I maintained it low. I also have bits of P RYE in it and its growing at more then twice the rate of the kik out back and the buffalo at the front.
Great video yet again.
Thanks a bunch Richard, thanks for watching!
Awesome vid. Key-kuyu is how it’s pronounced. Cheers!
Thanks so much! Seems like everyone pronounces it differently all over the world 🤣 I appreciate your input and glad you enjoyed the vid!
While using a scarifier rake to remove dead grass, is it post to pull out grass stolons/roots during the process? The grass looks like dirt now on my Kikuyu lawn.
IDK it's going to be tough to have some good turf with that big dog.some of that grass you were looking at kind of looks like Bermuda grass we have over here in the South I don't know that stuff is tough to get rid of about three treatments of glyphosate about the only thing I know that can get rid of that stuff
That stuff Kikuyu is more aggressive than Bermuda and will overtake it.
I like your videos I like your videos
Loving this content. I will have a guest on my LoL Live show who is from Australia and has Kikuyu grass. Love this stuff.
Ohh that's awesome, I'll be sure to check that out, probably not live but I'll watch for sure. I'm very interested in seeing and hearing how other kikuyu owners tend to their pads
@@TurfMechanic She's schedule for 12/18
that flooding in the backyard is a little concerning. Was that from heavy rains or just moderate?
it's very concerning to me too. It was heavy rains for the area, I'm told it was a very rare occurrence to get rains that heavy around here. However the whole lawn slopes down to that area giving me even more incentive to do substantial grading work back there...and the gutter over the patio spouts right there onto that corner of the grass so that will be another project that needs a repair. Add in a french drain underground and I'm hoping I can divert the water to a holding tank for rain water harvesting in the future. We shall see.
Oh so this it what my daughter has in her lawn! I’ve been ripping it out 😳
Any updates on how this is looking ? i scalped my backyard last week and I'm afraid to do the front lol
It got heavily damaged in the CA rains and flooding this winter. I then had a lot of the area dug up to install an in-ground drain so it doesn't look the same any more. I did scalp my front yard down to about half an inch this winter though and it's all coming back just fine.
@@TurfMechaniconly scalp Kikuyu in mid spring/early summer mate
Has anyone had success with kikuyu grass in 100 degree heat wheather? How does it compare to burmuda?
That's where it thrives. Water once a week, deeply
First, it looks like you need to re grade your yard to slope away from the patio and house before any renovation.
Yep, that's a job that has to happen soon. Not fun but nessesary. Guttering away from the area will also help but the grading work will be high priority
Prob need to use a downpipe from the roof gutter!
New scarifier sighting?!?
It sure is, had my eye on the vanhous machine for the past year and finally sprung for it. It goes well below grade on the lowest setting, should be really good for seeding and light leveling on top of the normal duties of a power rake.
@@TurfMechanic Sweet. I'll be watching for it's video debut.
Kikuyu is a tribe in Kenya E.A. possibly research if that's the origin of this grass seed. If so, then its best areas to plant are places that don't over 75 degrees F and no lower than 70 degrees F. Kikuyus lives close to the equator... This was so hilarious for me because of its name since I am East African .Also it's best left alittle longer like pasture grass not home lawns.
Me as Kikuyu woman crying a lil bc of the pronunciation but he's so close. N yes it is the og
How often have you been watering the kikuyu? We’re in SoCal also
When we moved into the house in October the lawn had been watered every day or two for a long time, blatantly violating watering restrictions. Since around October 25 or so we swapped out the control box and pulled watering back to every 4th day assuming rain hadn't just happened. I'm now running it once a week in line with local restrictions for about 15 minutes at a time. I'm looking to update the irrigation lines over the next month to optimize water usage and maybe start harvesting that rain water that floods down from the patio cover. Glad to have another socal viewer btw, thanks for watching!
@@TurfMechanic if you need to buy new sprinklers, water efficient, check with your local water authority for rebates on your purchases.
Here in Australia all the lawnies will tell you, aim for 25mm (1") irrigation per week, split into 2 sessions. So 12mm (0.5") twice a week. That way the roots will grow deep for the water, and the grass will be drought-proof. If restrictions limit this, then don't worry. It's almost impossible to kill a Kikuyu lawn, it'll always come back. Just a thunderstorm will get it going again. Just remember that it will go dormant in winter, just let it be.
Your backyard has great potential. Looking forward to future videos and the transformation. 👍💚🦸
Backyard was definitely one of the big selling points on this house for us. It needed help but as you said the potential for awesomeness is there. Just gotta put in the effort, which is the fun part. 😀