Turf Talk by Lawn Solutions Australia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe and Nath discuss everything that is happening in the turf industry and at LSA, including bringing Stampede to market and why local Aussie testing is vital for imported grasses, Joe's newfound TV hosting duties, and, most importantly, they revisit their early-season footy predictions to see how their initial footy tips from earlier in the year are holding up. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe sits down with Will Bowden, Turf Agronomist and Product Development Manager at PGG Wrightson Turf in New Zealand. Will shares his career journey in the turf industry, from starting out playing golf as a kid in Devon, UK, to working as a greenkeeper, moving into sports turf consulting, and ultimately taking on his current agronomy role in New Zealand and the surprising link to some of Australia's most well know sports surfaces. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Will Pearce—ICL’s lead for Turf and Landscape across Australia and New Zealand. Will looks back on where it all started, from pushing his dad's old '72 Scott Bonnar mower around the yard to earning his Agricultural Science degree at the University of Queensland. He shares key moments from his career along the way, including digging into turf research with the "Living Turf Library" at Redlands, testing warm-season grass durability and drought resistance in national trials, and consulting for world-class sports venues like Wimbledon with the STRI. Plus, they chat about his early days helping out DIY lawn lovers on forums like Queensland Lawn Fanatics and take a look at where lawn care products are headed next. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe sits down with Glenelg Golf Club Course Superintendent Tim Warren to discuss his journey through the turf industry, from his early days in greenkeeping to leading one of Australia's premier golf courses. Tim shares the story behind Glenelg's ambitious course redevelopment, the challenges of delivering a major renovation while maintaining world-class playing conditions, and the vision that's shaping the club's future. It's an insightful conversation covering leadership, innovation, and what it takes to continually raise the bar in golf course management. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe sits down with Carlos Sartoretto, a highly respected international sports turf agronomist. Carlos shares insights from his extensive career, detailing his journey from studying agronomy engineering in Brazil to managing world-class pitches for the FIFA World Cups in Brazil (2014) and Qatar (2022). He also discusses his time conducting turf research in Australia and his current high-profile role as a pitch cluster manager for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Gerry Faehrmann from Lawn Green to explore a career that has spanned decades in the lawn care and turf industry. From building Lawn Green into one of Australia's most recognised lawn care businesses to becoming a respected educator, coach and advocate for professional lawn care, Gerry shares the lessons he's learned along the way. The conversation covers business growth, marketing, turf management, and the evolution of the industry, offering valuable insights for contractors, turf professionals and lawn enthusiasts alike. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Michael Bradbery from Syngenta to unpack his journey through the turf industry — from starting out as a 15-year-old working on a golf course in Tamworth to becoming Superintendent at Manly Golf Club and working at Royal Randwick before making the move into the corporate side of the industry with Syngenta. Michael shares stories from the early days, the lessons learned along the way, and his perspective on how the turf industry has evolved over the years, along with insight into the technology and innovation already shaping the future of turf management today. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Nathan Bradbury from Nuturf to chat about his journey through the turf industry — from where it all started on the frozen golf courses of the Southern Highlands in NSW to the lessons he’s picked up along the way living and working on the world's best in the United States to revitalising one of Australia's eminent private clubs, The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Nathan shares stories from his career, insights into the evolution of the industry, and what continues to drive his passion for turf, people, and building strong relationships across the industry. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe and Nath chat all things winter lawn care — what you should be doing right now, common mistakes to avoid, and how to keep your lawn looking healthy and green through the colder months. They also recap a huge week for Lawn Solutions Australia, including the LSA conference and field day and what's coming up. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Bill Carraway of The Turfgrass Group. Bill shares his unconventional path—breaking away from a family of doctors and lawyers to find his calling in the dirt. After being kicked out of his home at 17, he built his first landscaping empire from scratch using nothing but a lawnmower and a credit card to becoming the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at The Turfgrass Group, focusing on the development and licensing of high-performance proprietary cultivars. From golf courses to turf farming across the globe, Bill dives into the evolution of the industry, the power of innovation, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Joe sits down with Nathan Gisi from MusTurf. Nathan’s path into the turf industry is anything but typical—starting out mowing lawns as a teenager in the US before moving into large-scale construction projects before shifting into landscaping, building experience in irrigation and construction before launching his own business, Lawncrafters. After relocating to Sydney, Nathan worked in data centre infrastructure before stepping into his current role with MusTurf, managing turf prep and installation across residential, sports and parkland projects at some of Australias most iconic location We dive into his journey, the move from the US to Australia, and what it takes to deliver top-quality turf installs. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe and Simon turn the clock back on Australia’s turf industry and uncover how it all really began. Long before turf farms became a staple of suburban development, early imports of kikuyu and couch in the 1930s were quietly reshaping how Australians grew and used grass — from racecourses to backyards Fast forward into the post-war boom, where a surge in population, housing, and infrastructure turned turf from a groundskeeping practice into a full-blown industry. With suburbs spreading and demand for instant lawns exploding, those early warm-season grasses became the foundation of modern turf farming in Australia. It’s a story of timing, innovation, and a country growing — quite literally — from the ground up. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe welcomes back Marcus Rogers from Turfco. Marcus returns to revisit his earlier predictions on Sabanto’s automated robotic mowers and how they’re shaping the future of turf farming. He also shares a bold new outlook on AI-driven “green on green” spraying technology, and what it could mean for the next wave of on-farm innovation. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Nathan are back just as the footy season kicks off, and there’s plenty happening both on and off the field. The guys chat about the buzz around the season opener, the spectacle of the NRL in Las Vegas, the fields themselves and their premiership predictions for the year (see below for prosperity). As well as the footy, the guys chat about the current weather conditions affecting lawns, an update on Stampede Hybrid Buffalo and the upcoming Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Joe's NRL Premier prediction: "Penrith by the length of the Flemington straight, no one will get anywhere near them this year". Nathan's NRL Premier prediction: "If I put my money on it i'd put it on the Storm". www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Joe sits down with Simon Elsworth , Head of Professional Solutions at Syngenta , to talk leadership, innovation, and where the turf industry is heading next. Simon unpacks how global R&D connects with real-world challenges on Aussie soil, the evolving demands on turf managers, and what it takes to deliver solutions that actually perform. A sharp, insightful chat for anyone working in turf and looking to stay one step ahead. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail Joe sits down with Shelley Fincher from the University of Georgia (UGA) to talk turf licensing and what it means to buy a licensed turf variety. Shelley shares her journey at UGA from her science background into law and what the future holds. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Joe sits down with Merrick van As, from the South African Lawn YouTube channel for a chat that spans continents but speaks the same turf language. From cool season turf battles, setting fire to lawns, the emerging lawn culture in South Africa and how lawn care communities are growing worldwide. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Nath are back for 2026, and there’s plenty to catch up on! In this episode, the boys run through what’s been happening to lawns over the last month, the Summer of cricket and what's to come in the turf industry in 2026 Whether you’re in the industry or just keen to stay in the loop, this episode is a great way to get up to speed. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail It's (almost) the end of the year so we thought there was no time like the present to sit down and take a look back at the year that was. From production facility expansions, trade shows and conferences to what's going on in the world of sport (and sports turf) as well as some shoutouts to new members joining LSA and those that have celebrated milestones this year... It's been a massive one so grab a drink with Joe and Nath to finish off the TurfTalk year. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Nathan Edwards fills in for regular host Joe and welcomes back our very first podcast guest Dr. Brian Schwartz, Professor - Crop & Soil Sciences at the University of Georgia. Dr. Schwartz is one of the leading minds in warm-season turfgrass breeding. Dr. Schwartz shares updates on the development of TifTuf, insights into Zoysia Australis, and the latest advancements in zoysiagrass breeding. He also reflects on his journey in turfgrass research and the ongoing innovation happening within the University of Georgia’s breeding program. www.lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au www.facebook.com/lawnsolutionsaustralia www.youtube.com/@LawnSolutionsAustralia