Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Grass

Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is a warm-season grass variety that has a medium leaf and an attractive bright green hue.  Shorter plant internodes give this grass a more packed, dense canopy that looks and feels good underfoot. Like most kikuyu varieties, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu has an aggressive growth habit that promotes frequent branching and faster recovery from wear and tear. This unstoppable variety exhibits good root tensile strength making it able to withstand high foot traffic. Self-repairing and drought-tolerant, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is a top performance turf choice for sporting reserves, public green spaces, nature strips and residential backyards that have big dogs, busy kids, zero irrigation and are full sun environments.  

Like most kikuyu turf varieties, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu won’t tolerate shade. Full-sun is where it thrives and will perform at its best. What makes this variety unique is its strong winter growth pattern. So while it shuns the shade, it still displays excellent winter tolerance and will establish itself easily in cool climates all year round. 

You won’t see a more aggressive grower than Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu! Having said that, it needs good old-fashioned lawn maintenance to keep it lush. To make Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu grass grow faster, you want to do the following:

• Get the conditions right: Kikuyu can grow in a variety of soil types, however, it does have a preference. Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf grows best in fertile, light to medium textured soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0. Speaking of conditions, Eureka Kikuyu needs fullsun. It’s a warm-season turf variety and prefers growing in warm temperatures (15°C to 25°C is its sweet spot!). However, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is able to maintain healthy growth even during winter. 
• Regular mowing: Because of its aggressive growth habit, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu needs to be mowed frequently – especially in the warmer months. Dethatch in late spring for best results. 
• Fertilising: Kikuyu is highly responsive to nitrogen and for that reason, we recommend applying a slow-release fertiliser as directed during the warmer months. Ideally, once in late spring, again in mid to late summer and again in late autumn. This will maintain healthy growth. 
• Irrigation: It’s important to observe the efficient irrigation of your kikuyu to maintain its growth. Only water as-needed, and never during winter unless it’s showing signs of drying out. When you do water, do so early in the morning.

Nothing looks and feels as good as thick, carpet-like grass. Those outdoor barbies and rounds of footy in the backyard are perfectly complemented by a lush lawn that holds up to wear & tear and maintains brilliant vibrancy. 

Kikuyu is a tough turf variety, boasting a dense, rapidly growing type of grass. However, there might be factors that can lead to poor lawn performance. If you notice your kikuyu lacking in thickness, you want to first look at your mowing habits. Already an aggressive grower, kikuyu does well in preventing weeds/pests and can self-repair. For that reason, a couple of tweaks to your mowing frequency could see a difference in your lawn health:

• Mow regularly to suppress upright growth and  promote lateral growth. 
• Mow in different directions to help encourage the grass to stand straight up.
• Keep your mowing length short to improve turf density. Your kikuyu will learn to grow thicker with more lateral growth. Remember never to remove more than ⅓ of the leaf blade!

In addition to mowing, you can  improve the turf density  of your kikuyu grass with a combination of healthy lawn practices. This includes fertilising, watering as needed (when the grass shows signs of drying out or wilting), dethatching (to improve nutrient absorption to more effectively feed your lawn), and limiting foot traffic. The use of Plant Growth Regulators is an option for kikuyu. These chemicals will slow vertical growth and encourage lateral growth – achieving more density in your lawn and reducing the number of times in a month you will have to mow it! 

Kikuyu is one of the biggest culprits for invasive spreading. This aggressive growth habit can mean regular creepers/runners infiltrating garden beds and pathways. For this reason, kikuyu can act as a weed and will require regular maintenance to control its invasive behaviour.

One of the simplest ways to stop kikuyu grass from spreading is to mow it and whipper snipper the edges regularly. But if those runners take over, the best mode of practice is to:

• Pull it out by hand: If the invaded area is relatively small, all you need is some old-fashioned muscle power. Carefully pull the runners out by hand or sever them off using a spade.
• Use a non-selective herbicide: Using a non-selective herbicide will be effective at removing creepers and unwanted patches of grass. Invasive grasses like kikuyu grow tall quickly, so the best time to remove runners is when there’s a bit of length to the lawn. 

That build-up of dry organic matter in your grass is not only unsightly but can get in the way of growing a healthy lawn, not to mention, can make it more than a work-out to push a mower through it!  

If you notice spots of dry, frayed grass after mowing or notice your lawn feels spongy underfoot, then it’s likely you have thatch. A natural accumulation of dead grass stems and debris, thatch builds-up below the surface of your lawn at the base of the blades. The problem thatch poses for your Kikuyu lawn is that it will block air, sun, water and nutrients from penetrating the soil. In other words – you’re going to risk having an unhealthy lawn. 

Good news is, removing thatch from kikuyu grass is easy. Grab your mower and dethatching rake, and try these tips:

• Mow low: Also known as scalping, mowing your kikuyu at a very low height will remove thatch and encourage regrowth. Dethatching kikuyu grass by scalping is effective if you scalp as close to the ground as possible.
• Use a rake: If your thatch is around 1cm deep and covering a relatively small area, you can get away with using a dethatching rake. This is the easiest and least harmful way to dethatch your kikuyu. 
• Hire a vertical cutter: If you’ve got a lot of lawn to cover, hiring a vertical cutter (or dethatching machine) will make light work of dethatching your kikuyu. 

Kikuyu is a warm season grass, so the best time to dethatch is late spring or early summer during the growing season so it repairs quickly. After dethatching, feed your lawn with a quality fertiliser and water deeply.

Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is a warm season grass that is highly drought-tolerant. Because of this, you’ll only need to water on an as-needed basis. But there are some exceptions:

• If your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu lawn is showing signs of dryness or is wilting
• If you have just installed your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf

Following installation, your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf will require less water to establish and less water to maintain than other turf varieties once established. Water on an as needed basis only to prevent high thatch build up and unnecessary maintenance. One of the unique features of Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is its fibrous root system. This enables it to draw water from deep in the subsoil keeping it nourished even in hot temperatures.

General advice is to water as needed during the summer months and avoid watering during the winter months. 

For more tips on watering your lawn, check out our Seasonal Guide to Watering Instant Turf. 

One of the drawcards of kikuyu grass is its attractive green hue and dense growth habit. This makes it a popular choice for full sun backyards and public open spaces. One thing to keep in mind is that it is a warm season grass that must be grown in full-sun in order for it to thrive. Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is not a great performer in low light or shaded areas. If you’re thinking of installing Eureka Premium VG  Kikuyu in your yard, make sure your potential site is getting at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf can stand up to a variety of conditions once established and performs well in most Australian climates. It’s a winter active grass so it will display steady growth habits during the cooler months, but will go into a certain level of dormancy and will stop growing when exposed to frost. 

If you have a Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu lawn you’re likely to have noticed it doesn’t need a lot to keep it growing! A speedy grower, it’s critical to note this turf variety should only be fertilised on an as-needed basis. 

Best practice? Fertilise your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf 6 weeks after installation. From there, further top-ups can be applied, once at the start of spring (to assist with spring green up) and once or twice through autumn to prepare it for the onslaught of cooler winter weather.

Follow these fertilising guidelines to ensure your Eureka Kikuyu remains strong, happy and healthy:

• Fertilise in early September using a complete fertiliser such as Lawn Solutions Australia fertiliser.
• Fertilise in autumn with a slow-release fertiliser. 
• Fertilise again in early summer (only as needed. It’s important to avoid over-fertilising in summer).
• Use a slow-release fertiliser if your lawn is lacking in greenness/vibrancy.
• Avoid manure-based fertilisers.

Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is one of the most economical turf types available due to its aggressive growth habit. It features superior self-repairing qualities and can withstand high amounts of wear & tear without losing its health and vibrancy. For this reason, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu is one of the cheapest (yet highest performing!) turf varieties available. So if you’re looking for a guaranteed instant lawn landscape solution and want to ensure a long term return on your landscape investment, Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is almost bullet proof! 

Coolabah Turf sells Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf for between $11-$14 per square metre. 

On an average 40m2 area, kikuyu will cost around $480. In order to find out exactly how much your lawn will cost, it’s best to reach out to our friendly team at Coolabah Turf by contacting us. We can provide you with an accurate quote and helpful lawn installation tips.

It’s important to choose your turf type to suit your location and lifestyle needs. Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf is a fool proof lawn that will guarantee a result on your long term landscape investment! So long as you install it in full sun environments and practice healthy lawn care, you can be confident that your Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu Turf will provide you with a beautiful looking yard. 

For an exact price on the lawn for your specific needs click here for an instant quote or contact us on 1800 648 425.