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Throughout the spring-summer season, we put a lot of work into the health and pleasant appearance of our lawn. In order for your lawn to easily survive the winter months under cover of snow, you need to take Lawn Care in Autumn, in advance.
In preparation for wintering, you need to mow the lawn, work to cleanse dry grass and debris, ensure good air and moisture penetration, and feed with fertilizers. Why lawn care in autumn important? So that in the spring there are no jams, bald spots and grass diseases, the roots safely survived the frosts, and the foliage was green and juicy. It is necessary to carry out measures to prepare the lawn for wintering in a timely manner. Let’s consider them in order.
Autumn lawn care in stages
I propose to consider in detail each of the stages of preparing a lawn for winter, so that it becomes clear what procedures are required in your case, and how to carry them out correctly.
1. Grass mowing in autumn
The last mowing of grass, depending on the region of residence and climate characteristics, may occur at the end of August, September and the first half of October. In the middle lane, this is September. It is important to select the correct grass height level.
Cutting too low can have a negative effect on the root system. A plant with a short leaf spends less energy on the growth of the rhizome and is worse in the ground. Too tall grass is also not suitable for wintering. If there are frequent thaws, tall grass can be at risk of disease, mold and mildew. The optimal height is considered to be 5-8 cm. Carefully follow the weather forecast and try to have time to make the final mowing 1-2 weeks before the first frost.
2. Overseeding the grass in the fall
Overseeding of lawn grass is usually carried out in the spring in April and May. In the fall, it is done only when necessary. If you find pits, bald spots, damage to the sod on the lawn, then these areas should be tidied up. In the case of using a roll lawn, it is necessary to have time to make patches in the first half of October.
So the grass on the damaged area will have time to take root and survive the winter safely. If you originally planted your lawn, then you need to plant new grass and level the surface of the holes with fertile soil. This can be done until the end of October.
3. Scarification and scarification in the fall
In autumn, special attention should be paid to cleaning the lawn from dead wood, debris and foliage, combing too dense areas of grass, combing out moss. Such cleaning is carried out using conventional fan rakes or special equipment. It is enough to scarify the lawn in the fall once in a set of measures to prepare for the winter. But it is better to collect fallen leaves from the lawn regularly.
A pathogenic environment develops under the layer of leaves, leading to the appearance of mold and rot. Therefore, it is worth getting rid of foliage immediately, allowing the surface of the grass to ventilate.
4. Aeration in the fall for autumn lawn care
Aeration is necessary to increase the air permeability of the soil and absorb moisture. This procedure will help prevent soil compaction due to precipitation. If your plot is small, spiked garden shoes are a good choice. For large lawns, it is easier to use spike rollers and special equipment that makes cuts in the soil using a system of floating knives. The lowlands on the site can be vertically pierced with a garden pitchfork so that the melted snow in the spring leaves evenly and water does not stagnate on these surfaces.
Tools For Lawn Care in Autumn
The market offers a large selection of special tools and equipment for lawn care in autumn. These tools for autumn lawn care can be divided according to the principle of operation:
- Mechanical or manual aerators. They are devices made of rotating discs with knives. They allow making depressions in the soil up to 6 cm. Such a device is easy to use, compact, does not require complex maintenance.
- Cordless lawn mowers, aerators and scarifiers. The advantage of this technique is in the operation of a portable charger. The cost of rechargeable batteries is commensurate with the cost of gasoline for long-term use.
- Electric aerators, verticutters, rakes. The advantage of such devices is uninterrupted operation from the network.
- Gasoline scarifiers, aerators, scarifiers. Advantage in autonomous operation on fuel without plugs and extension cords.
There are also universal devices that combine the functions of a verticutter and an aerator. They use various attachments with needles and knives. Comprehensive aeration and scarification provide the necessary ventilation of the root system, increase the saturation of the lawn with moisture, help to treat bald spots and ensure the rapid growth of new grass.
When and how to feed the lawn during Autumn lawn care
After you have mowed and combed the grass, loosened the soil, you can start feeding the lawn for the winter. In general, there are three types of mineral fertilizers for the lawn in terms of composition: nitrogen, potash and phosphorus.
- Nitrogen fertilizers are used mainly in the spring and summer, they give a bright color to the leaves, promote the growth of the grass surface. They must be handled carefully, if the dosage is exceeded, a yellow burnt spot forms on the surface of the lawn. It will take up to a month for it to become overgrown with greenery.
- Potassium fertilizers help the plant regulate the water-salt balance, be resistant to temperature and humidity extremes, and increase disease resistance.
- Phosphate fertilizers contribute to the accumulation of nutrients necessary for wintering, strengthening the roots and further growth of the shoots.
For autumn lawn care feeding, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are chosen, or their mixture with a slight addition of nitrogen, for better digestibility of trace elements. Granular fertilizers are considered safe for animals, so you don’t have to worry about the health of your pets if they end up on the lawn during the treatment period.
Just scatter the pellets with your hands, wearing gloves, if the area is small. And for even distribution over large areas, use a planter, filling it with fertilizer instead of your usual seeds. Top dressing must be carried out on wet soil. In the case of stable dry autumn weather, the lawn should be watered a couple of hours before and a couple of hours after the soil is treated with fertilizers.
By the way, about watering the lawn in the fall. In spring and summer, the lawn requires regular watering, on average, once a week for intensive growth, nutrition, brightness and juiciness of the grass. But in the fall, excess moisture is not good. The final watering of the lawn should be done after fertilizing with fertilizers for the winter for their better assimilation. It is worth continuing to irrigate the lawn in the fall only if dry weather is established in your area. In other cases, seasonal rains will take over the watering function.
After all the grooming activities have been carried out, do not forget to remove all unnecessary from the surface of the lawns during autumn lawn care: decorative figures and decorations, flowers in pots, garden furniture. Check the cleanliness of the irrigation system, free it of debris and leaves.
It is important not to disturb the surface of the lawn again during the rainy season.
If you frequently walk on wet grass and earth, wrinkles and bald spots will appear. Carry out all the procedures for preparing the lawn for winter in dry autumn weather correctly. And in the spring, your lawn will require a minimum of effort and financial investment, and will delight you with rapid growth and bright greenery.