Central Queensland is one the lucky areas of Australia when it comes to choice of lawn varieties. There are a number of excellent options available when it comes to selecting lawn seeds and they will all grow spectacularly in the sub-tropical climate.
The climate of Central Queensland – with its hot, moist summers and warm, dry winters, coupled with decent rainfall – is the perfect place for couch, zoysia, buffalo, and kikuyu lawns. From the coast to the central highlands, these are the grasses best suited to this region of Australia.
Let’s take a look at each grass variety to see which is the ideal choice for your Central Queensland lawn.
Queensland Blue Couch
Couch grasses are the most commonly used variety for most Central Queensland lawns. Queensland Blue, unsurprisingly, is the one which is most suited to the area. The name tells you all you need to know – it was created in Queensland, for Queensland, and it has a blue tinge!
Queensland Blue is hard-wearing and drought tolerant, making it a robust family lawn that doesn’t require too much watering. It is definitely recognised as one of the better choices for areas affected by drought or water restrictions.
This lawn does require a sunny area, so if you’ve got big trees throwing shadows across your lawn, perhaps look to one of the other varieties.
One of the biggest drawcards of the couch grasses is that they’re really quick to germinate. If you need to plant your lawn and have it established quickly (if you’re looking to sell your house, or if you’re just impatient!), Queensland Blue is for you.
Zoysia
Zoysia grass is one of the favourite grasses for tropical and subtropical climates Australia wide. It’s a lovely grass to look at and to play on making it perfect for families with kids or anyone who wants to be the envy of their neighbours.
The drawback of zoysia is that it is very slow growing and takes a long time to establish. If you have the patience to nurse your lawn until it is established you’ll be rewarded with an extremely hard-wearing, hardy, weed resistant lawn.
Zoysia is the other warm season grass which does well in shady yards. It’s also great at resisting drought, but it doesn’t cope well with frost. If you’re in a southern area of Central Queensland which is prone to frosts in winter, it’s best to choose a zoysia blend or opt for a different grass variety altogether.
Kikuyu
Kikuyu’s pros are its cons. This hot-weather-loving grass is about as low maintenance as it gets. It loves the hot weather and it’ll grow in just about any condition. The flipside is that it doesn’t stop growing. Kikuyu is like a naughty toddler – you’ve got to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t get out of control and get into places it shouldn’t.
The best thing about kikuyu is that it is cheap. For large patches of yard, sporting fields, or big public areas, kikuyu is the budget friendly way to go.
Kikuyu will tolerate just about anything you throw at it – sandy conditions, salty air, or extreme heat. It’ll do well in the hot summers of the highlands as well as the saline conditions of coastal Central Queensland. The only time it struggles is in a frost, so, like with zoysia, if you’re in a southern region that experiences frost, grab a blend or opt for another grass.