Kikuyu vs Sir Walter: How Do These Popular Grass Varieties Compare

Shade Tolerance

Drought Tolerance

Maintenance

Wear & Tear

Cost 

Conclusion

Kikuyu vs Sir Walter Turf Comparison

Both Sir Walter Buffalo and Kikuyu are among the most popular grass varieties in News South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and other parts of the country.

If you are torn between these two grass types, it’s a good idea to get a glimpse of how they differ.

Kikuyu’s rebound after droughts and other natural stressors is commendable and this is one of the reasons why it is a popular choice among homeowners.

It is highly valued for its soft texture, dense fine leaf and beautiful even green colour.

Kikuyu varieties perform well in many parts of the country.

The Sir Walter grass is another common turf variety that can easily flourish in an Australian garden.

This green turf has soft underfoot and feels comfortable to walk.

It is a high-quality, low-maintenance grass that can withstand harsh Australian environments.

And unlike many grass types that are often plagued by pests, Sir Walter is known for its pest-resistance characteristic.

It’s tough to choose between Kikuyu and Sir Walter Buffalo grasses unless you have an idea of how they compare.

We’ll see how these two grass varieties differ in the following:

• Shade tolerance

• Drought tolerance

• Wear and tear

• Maintenance

• Cost

Shade Tolerance

Kikuyu vigorously grows in most conditions. While it is not shade-loving grass, it can tolerate some shade.

On the other hand, Buffalo varieties including DNA Certified Sir Walter are known to perform really well in shaded areas with as little as 3 hours of sunlight a day.

No other lawn varieties do well with less sunlight than Sir Walter turf.

Verdict: Sir Walter Buffalo grass is a great choice for shady gardens while Kikuyu grass is ideal for non-shady gardens.

Drought Tolerance

Every Australian lawn will experience hot weather, dry periods and even drought at any point throughout Spring and Summer, so it is important to choose a variety of grass that tolerate drought conditions.

Many areas in the country including New South Wales experience very hot summers, and this is where deciding on which turf variety to get really matters.

Both Buffalo and Kikuyu grass varieties are great for drought-prone areas.

Kikuyu grass has large prostrate runners that actively seek moisture.

These runners have excellent growth rates and establish more quickly than other turf varieties.

Bred for Australian conditions, Sir Walter is renowned to have a superior drought tolerance than many other lawn varieties.

It has deep root systems that easily penetrate further into the subsoil, getting moisture from deeper within the soil.

Verdict: Comparing Sir Walter Buffalo vs Kikuyu grass in terms of tolerance to dry conditions, while both can thrive without water for an extended time, Sir Walter has superior tolerance.

Maintenance

We all want a lawn that is low-maintenance because it saves us time, effort and money to keep it looking good.

Comparing Sir Walter Buffalo vs Kikuyu, it’s hard to choose if maintenance is your main consideration as both turf varieties do not require much attention.

Sir Walter Buffalo grass is one of the most disease, weed and pest-resistant Buffalos, which means that you can greatly minimise the number of chemicals and lawn-care products needed to keep your Buffalo lawn healthy.

Kikuyu grass, on the other hand, can withstand heavy foot traffic.

It doesn’t require much watering so even under dry conditions, you can expect this turf to survive.

However, Kikuyu turf is invasive in nature and can be a headache to deal with when they start invading your garden beds and surrounding garden.

Your lawn care provider can recommend the best way to stop Kikuyu from overgrowing where they should not.

Finally, the vigorous Kikuyu also needs more mowing than Sir Walter.

Verdict: Low maintenance Sir Walter Buffalo is non-invasive and slow-growing, making it a great option if mowing is not your favourite thing.

Also, Sir Walter grass has a tight growth habit, allowing it to repair itself easily.

This in turn reduces the chances of getting bare patches. Kikuyu is a good choice where there’s regular heavy foot traffic.

Unlike Kikuyu grass, it is also non-invasive so you don’t have to worry about grass invading your flower beds.

Moreover, because of the slower growth rate of Buffalo grass, mowing is not required as frequently as Kikuyu during the summer months.

Wear & Tear

Kikuyu turf has superior wear tolerance and recovery rate because of its large prostrate runners which give it a deep root system.

Kikuyu is one of the quickest-growing varieties that quickly recover from high activity such as kids or pets playing on the lawn.

In terms of wear and tear, a Sir Walter Buffalo lawn is also hard-wearing.

Sir Walter has extremely strong and deep roots that allow it to maximise nutrient intake, which in turn gives it the ability to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Verdict: Eureka Kikuyu lawn is relatively hard-wearing, and it is a perfect choice for home lawns where active kids and pets frequently play.

Cost

When it comes to overall performance, Sir Walter Buffalo is a sure winner because it does not require much attention and is hardy and shade tolerant.

However, this above-par performance comes with a higher cost per square meter.

If initial cost is your main consideration, between Buffalo vs Kikuyu, the latter is a good choice as long as you have a yard that gets full sun.

While Buffalo grass is more expensive upfront, it could save you on long-term maintenance costs.

Based on this average cost, there’s a huge difference between Sir Walter Buffalo vs. Kikuyu.

Verdict: If you want to have a new lawn but are on a tight budget, Eureka Kikuyu is a more affordable option.

However, if you consider long-term maintenance costs, broad-leaf Buffalo varieties including Sir Walter are a practical choice.

Conclusion

It’s nice to have a lawn with lovely green colour manicured grass as it can increase your property’s curb appeal and value.

One of the many factors that you need to consider to create a beautiful lawn is the type of grass to plant.

Both Kikuyu and Sir Walter are among the best options for Australian gardens because they are naturally resistant to drought and dry periods.

Among other grasses, both Eureka Kikuyu grass and Buffalo grass are hard-wearing.

However, these two also differ in many aspects and that is what you need to take into account before making a decision.