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Warm season grass

A healthy lawn

Melbourne’s current water restrictions prohibit the watering of grassed areas with drinking water.

But as Melbourne’s sportsgrounds have proven, not all grasses are alike, with warm season grasses such as Couch, Buffalo and Kikuyu well suited to Melbourne’s harsh summer weather – surviving and often thriving, on sporadic summer rainfall.

In the long term, warm season grass uses an average of 70% less water than common ‘cool’ season grasses in a residential garden. But like many plants, it needs more water as it establishes its root system.
 

What is the program?

The 28-Day Exemption – to transition to warm season grass provides Melbourne residents with the ability to apply to use potable (drinking) water to establish warm season grass only with all other aspects of water restrictions still in place.


After the exemption period ends, applicants are subject to the full breadth of current watering restrictions – which prohibits the watering of grassed areas at any time with drinking water.

Warm season grass typically takes four weeks to establish its root network and to generally become quite resilient.

The exemption has been designed to provide Melbourne households with the same measured flexibility as sportsgrounds – to invest in the long-term water efficiency of their garden by transitioning over to warm season grass.

Schools, commercial and industrial customers interested in establishing warm season grass should contact their local water retailer.

Read more about the different grass types and its characteristics  www.warmseasongrass.com.au