Lawn Calendar

Subtropical lawn calendar

Hot, humid summers and mild, mostly dry winters. Places like Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Northern Rivers NSW.

Short answer

Subtropical lawns, such as Brisbane's, have hot, humid summers with most of the year's rain and mild, mostly dry winters. Warm-season grasses grow from late winter to late autumn, so feeding starts early. Prevent winter grass with an autumn pre-emergent, watch for lawn grubs and armyworm in the warm months, and water to the weather.

Subtropical lawns grow hard from spring through autumn, and humid summers bring weeds, lawn grubs and fungal disease. Winter is the quiet season: growth slows, which makes it the time for planning, and for dealing with winter weeds before they set seed.

Calendar timing is general guidance for the whole zone. Watch what your own lawn is doing, and follow product labels for timing. [CONFIRM: reviewer to confirm Lawn Calendar timing for this zone]

  • Hot, humid summers with most of the year's rain
  • Mild winters with cool nights; frost is uncommon on the coast
  • A long growing season from early spring to late autumn

Warm-season grasses (buffalo, couch, kikuyu, zoysia) do well. Growth slows in winter but lawns on the coast usually hold some colour.

Reminders for this zone

Add these jobs to your Lawn Journal and get a reminder when each window opens.

Add to my Lawn Journal

Places in this zone

Month by month

Januarysummer
  • Watch for armyworm
  • Watch for lawn grubs
  • Water deeply and less often
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Raise the mowing height in hot, dry spells
+2 more
Februarysummer
  • Watch for armyworm
  • Water deeply and less often
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Raise the mowing height in hot, dry spells
  • Keep on top of nutgrass and summer weeds
Marchautumn
  • Pre-emergent for winter grass
  • Watch for armyworm
  • Last feed before the lawn slows down
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Watch for brown patch
+1 more
Aprilautumn
  • Pre-emergent for winter grass
  • Cut back watering as it cools
  • Last feed before the lawn slows down
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Watch for brown patch
Mayautumn
  • Cut back watering as it cools
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Watch for brown patch
Junewinter
  • Deal with winter weeds while they are small
  • Mow only when it needs it
Julywinter
  • Treat bindii before it forms burrs
  • Deal with winter weeds while they are small
  • Mow only when it needs it
  • Service the mower and sharpen the blade
Augustwinter
  • First feed of the season
  • Treat bindii before it forms burrs
  • Check your sprinklers before summer
  • Deal with winter weeds while they are small
  • Stop winter grass seeding
+3 more
Septemberspring
  • First feed of the season
  • Lower the mowing height gradually
  • Treat bindii before it forms burrs
  • Watch for lawn grubs
  • Check your sprinklers before summer
+9 more
Octoberspring
  • First feed of the season
  • Lower the mowing height gradually
  • Watch for lawn grubs
  • Core aerate compacted areas
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
+7 more
Novemberspring
  • Watch for armyworm
  • Watch for lawn grubs
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Watch for brown patch
  • Clover spreading? Check the lawn is fed
+3 more
Decembersummer
  • Watch for armyworm
  • Watch for lawn grubs
  • Water deeply and less often
  • Mow regularly while the lawn is growing
  • Raise the mowing height in hot, dry spells
+4 more

Questions for this climate

Who wrote this, and what it's based on

Reviewed by
Awaiting expert review
Last updated

This page hasn't been reviewed by our technical reviewer yet [CONFIRM: reviewer]. Until it is, it isn't listed in search engines. How we write and review

Sources

  1. Climate classification maps, Bureau of MeteorologyTemperature and humidity zones map (warm humid summer zone). Accessed 3 October 2026.