How Often Should You Apply Lawn Products?
This is one of the most common questions we get and it deserves a straight answer. Apply too often and you waste product and money. Not enough and the lawn never builds any momentum. Getting the frequency right is one of the biggest differences between a lawn that looks okay and one that holds its condition all year.
Here is the exact schedule for every product in the Turf and Surf program, broken down month by month. For a full explanation of what each product does and why the sequence matters, read the 5-step program guide.
First, understand the layers
The program runs in layers and the application method is different for each one. Getting this right matters as much as the frequency.
The soil layer is Soak, Vital, and Base. These 3 products can be mixed together and applied in a single pass using 5 to 10 litres of water per 100 square metres. Water them in immediately after applying. They are working in the soil and root zone and need to be pushed down where the roots are.
The leaf layer is Surge and Vivid. These 2 products can be mixed together and applied in a single pass. Allow them to sit on the leaf for 2 hours before watering in. They are absorbed through the leaf tissue and watering in too early reduces how much the plant takes up.
The granular base layer is Density. Broadcast it with a spreader and water in thoroughly to activate the release. It feeds steadily in the soil between liquid applications.
On months where several layers are due, broadcast Density first and water it in, then apply the soil layer, then the leaf layer later the same day or the following day.
The monthly schedule
This is the standard Turf and Surf program for warm season grasses including buffalo, kikuyu, zoysia, and couch across most of Australia. Rates are per 100 square metres.
January
Soak 200ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. Peak summer. Soak matters most here, because hydrophobic soil is at its worst and every watering needs to reach the root zone. In extreme heat above 35 degrees hold Surge until conditions cool, as heat-stressed lawns cannot take up nitrogen efficiently.
February
Density 2.5kg, Soak 200ml, Vital 100ml, Base 120ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. The full program. The lawn has been under sustained summer stress and February is when the soil and root work goes back in ahead of the autumn growing window.
March
Acelepryn 8 to 15ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. March is the armyworm and caterpillar control window. Heat stress has lifted and the lawn is actively growing, so everything applied now compounds through to winter.
April
Density 2.5kg, Vital 100ml, Base 120ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml, plus Bow and Arrow 50ml and Spartan 10 to 30ml. The biggest month in the calendar. Bow and Arrow takes out bindii and broadleaf weeds while they are small, and Spartan goes down before winter grass germinates.
May
Surge 100ml, Vivid 100ml. Rates halve as growth slows. The reduced rate holds colour without pushing soft growth the lawn cannot support in cooler conditions.
June
Surge 100ml, Vivid 100ml. Winter maintenance at the reduced rate.
July
Surge 100ml, Vivid 100ml, Vital 100ml, Base 120ml. The soil layer returns mid-winter. The leaf may be resting but the root zone is still active, and what you build here is what the lawn spends in spring.
August
Density 2.5kg, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. Rates return to full. The August Density feed is the one that separates lawns that jump out of winter from those that take weeks to catch up.
September
Acelepryn 8 to 15ml, Spartan 10 to 30ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. Two preventative windows open at once. Acelepryn goes down before African Black Beetle egg hatch peaks, and Spartan before summer grass and crab grass germinate.
October
Density 2.5kg, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. Peak spring growth. The lawn is using everything it can get.
November
Soak 200ml, Vital 100ml, Base 120ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. The full soil layer returns ahead of summer, with Soak coming back in as water demand climbs.
December
Density 2.5kg, Soak 200ml, Surge 200ml, Vivid 200ml. Summer maintenance with the granular base underneath.
Application rates at a glance
All rates are per 100 square metres.
Soak: 200ml in January, February, November, December
Vital: 100ml in February, April, July, November
Base: 120ml in February, April, July, November
Surge: 200ml every month year-round, 100ml in May, June and July
Vivid: 200ml every month year-round, 100ml in May, June and July
Density: 2.5kg in February, April, August, October, December
Weed, pest and disease control
These sit alongside the program rather than inside it. Spartan in April and September. Bow and Arrow in April, or any time broadleaf weeds are actively growing. Acelepryn in September and March. Impala as needed when conditions favour disease. Do not apply Vivid on the same day as Impala.
Complete the program
The schedule above is what the Full Routine Bundle is built around. It includes all 5 liquid products for $244 and is the most cost-effective way to run the complete program without running out of one product mid season.
If you are starting out, the Starter Pack includes Soak, Vital, and Surge for $150, the core products to get into the program and apply the schedule above from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply the soil layer and leaf layer on the same day?
Yes. Apply the soil layer first, Soak, Vital, and Base mixed together, then water in immediately. Apply the leaf layer later the same day or the following day, Surge and Vivid mixed together, and allow 2 hours on the leaf before watering in. Applying both layers on the same day saves time and keeps the program on schedule.
Why do Surge and Vivid run every month when the other products do not?
Because they work at the leaf and are consumed quickly. A foliar feed is used within 3 to 4 weeks, so monthly application keeps colour and growth consistent. The soil layer products build structure and root depth, which compounds over time and does not need topping up as often.
What happens if I miss a month?
Pick it up and continue. Missing one application will not undo your results. The program is forgiving over short gaps. Where lawns fall back is when multiple months are skipped in a row, particularly through summer when the lawn is under the most stress. Consistency over a full season matters more than perfect timing on any single application.
Do I need to water after applying?
Yes, but differently for each layer. The soil layer, Soak, Vital, and Base, must be watered in immediately after application. Use 5 to 10 litres per 100 square metres to push the products into the root zone. The leaf layer, Surge and Vivid, should sit on the leaf for 2 hours before watering in. Density should be watered in thoroughly to activate the release. If temperatures exceed 30 degrees, water in the soil layer immediately and apply the leaf layer early morning or evening.
How do I know if the program is working?
The clearest indicator is colour consistency. A lawn on the full program holds a deep, even green throughout the season rather than cycling between green and pale as individual applications wear off. You should also see faster recovery from mowing, better drought tolerance through summer, and a lawn that comes out of winter ahead of where it went in. Results compound over time. The longer you run the program the more noticeable the difference becomes.
My lawn is new. When should I start the program?
Wait until the lawn has established root contact with the soil, usually 4 to 6 weeks after laying. Start with the soil layer, Soak, Vital, and Base, to condition the soil and support root development. Bring in Surge and Vivid once the lawn is actively growing and has needed a few mows. Do not rush nitrogen onto a new lawn that is still establishing roots, and do not apply a pre-emergent to turf that has not yet rooted in.