Preparing the lawn for winter

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It happens that in the spring it is a pity to look at the lawn: somewhere bald spots, somewhere weeds instead of grass. The main reason for failures with lawns is sowing in poorly prepared soil and the lack of proper care. Winter is a difficult time in the life of lawn grasses, so it is very important to properly prepare the lawn for this period.

For restoration, sowing grass seeds is best from the third decade of June to the end of July - this is the period with the highest air temperatures and long daylight hours. On the grown grass in a restored lawn in the summer, walking is not recommended.

«If the owners do not like to splurge on trees, fully providing mother nature with their care for them, then even less willingly are spent on the lawn. Meanwhile, lawns grow and thrive well enough only where they are not spared by either constant care or quite considerable expenses.».
A. Regel, 1896

Mow the lawn regularly, but remove only the ends of the grass (approximately 1 cm). In mid-summer, it is necessary to fertilize with a complex fertilizer for a lawn in liquid form or with a solution of zircon, cytovite, epin (10 l of solution per 10 m²lawn). A weakened lawn, a lawn on dubious soils is treated every 7 days, on perfectly prepared clean soil - every 10-12 days.

Ground grass is mowed every 6-7 days, while from the beginning of June to July you should strive to maintain the height of the grass at 6-8 cm. At this time, mixtures with a large percentage of red fescue grow very quickly during feeding.

Since the end of August, if summer and autumn are dry, special attention is paid to watering. Throughout the season, the lawn is mowed to the same height, and in extreme heat, with a dry period - 1 cm higher, under the trees and in the shade the grass height level is also increased by 0.5-1 cm. In early September, it is recommended to carry out autumn feeding of the lawn with phosphorus and potash fertilizers (nitrogen is not used at this time). The dose indicated on the package is preferably reduced by about 30%. After top dressing, good watering is necessary so that the fertilizer granules completely dissolve, otherwise the root of the grass neck burns.

Since September, haircuts are carried out less often - once every 12-15 days. If only the tips are trimmed, the grass is left on the lawn as mulch. The last haircut is carried out in early October to a height of 7-8 cm. If October is dry and sunny, then after 2 weeks, setting the mower knives to a height of 9-10 cm, you need to trim the ends of the grass. Knives should be sharp, without burrs, so as not to tear, but cut the grass.

For September-October, you need to comb twice and pierce the turf with a pitchfork to a depth of 20 cm.In the second decade of October, it is desirable to water the lawn with a solution of epin, zircon and cytovite and mulch with a mixture of peat and compost in equal proportions (sand can be added on heavy soils). The thoroughly mixed mixture with the reverse side of the lawn fan rake is evenly distributed over the surface with a layer 1 cm thick, dolomite flour is added (a handful per 1 m²).

If suspicion of failures is necessary, add a mixture of peat with compost to such places and carefully rub it into the ground in a circular motion. Walking in these areas is not worth it, so as not to cause additional subsidence of the soil.

Completely stop mowing the lawn when the average daily air temperature is set at 10 ° C. Before the onset of frost, it is good to cover small lawn spaces with a dry layer of peat (2-3 cm) or with covering material. Such autumn care makes it possible for lawn grasses to form new side shoots, build up a fertile layer, and protect tillering nodes from getting wet.

On the first snow with temperature changes, you should not walk on the lawn. When removing snow, you must not drop it from the tracks onto the lawns. When an ice crust forms on a lawn, it is broken with a rake, and in winter they are pierced with a pitchfork or a stick. If you want to have a good lawn, then you should look after it all year round.

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