Lawn preparation for winter: tips for gardeners

Lawn is an element of landscape design, very beautiful, but at the same time requiring constant attention. You need to take care of the grass not only in summer and spring, but also in autumn. At this time of the year, it is necessary to feed the planting, mowing, wrapping up and conducting some other activities.

Stages of preparing lawn for winter

In order to prevent the grass from freezing in winter and discourage it in the spring, in autumn it is necessary:

• Add fertilizer to the soil.
• Cut the lawn.
• Clear it of "felt".
• Ventilate and repair.

Nitrogen fertilizer application

Begin preparation for winter cold with top dressing. In the early autumn, not too strong and concentrated nitrogen fertilizers contribute to the lawn . This type of fertilizing improves the color of the grass and stimulates its growth. Especially useful it will be for lawns weakened and affected by the summer drought. But to bring nitrogen into the soil you need to be careful, trying not to overdo it. Otherwise, the grass is too active to grow, spending a lot of "vitality" on it, which, of course, is extremely undesirable before the onset of cold weather.

Phosphate and potassium fertilizer application

Caring for a lawn in the autumn or preparing a lawn for winter is an activity that involves the implementation of procedures aimed primarily at strengthening the grass and strengthening its root system. If nitrogen fertilizing in the autumn period is not necessary, then the phosphorus formulations must be introduced into the soil without fail. Fertilizers of this kind contribute to the strengthening of the root system and the growth of lateral shoots. It is best to use superphosphate for top dressing.

Preparation of the lawn for winter is also carried out with the holding of such an event as the introduction of potash fertilizers into the soil. This kind of fertilizing increases the resistance of grass to various kinds of stress. Therefore, in autumn its application is also more than justified. Among other things, an increased potassium content in the soil will protect plants from diseases and improve the ability of their roots to absorb nutrients. Thus, the grass will well overwinter, and in the spring it will quickly grow. Fertilize the lawn usually with potassium sulfate. Very useful will be ordinary wood ash, which contains a huge amount of this substance. Sometimes in autumn in the lawn sprinkled also slaked lime or dolomite flour. This makes it possible to improve the structure of the soil and its chemical composition.

However, the easiest way to add to the soil in September is a concentrated fertilizer for lawns, designed specifically for autumn use. It represents an optimally balanced mix of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. You can buy it at a specialized store.

How to make fertilizer correctly

Carrying out such procedure, as preparation of a lawn for the winter, in particular introducing fertilizers, it is necessary to observe some rules. To feed the soil on a dry lawn is highly discouraged. Before applying fertilizers it must be filled thoroughly. After that, wait a day until the grass dries. The soil beneath it must remain moist.

When applying top dressing it is important to try not to burn the plants. Therefore, the preparation of lawns, bushes and trees for the winter by introducing fertilizers into the soil must be carried out using special tools. Grass is usually fed with a spreader. You can buy such equipment in the same store, where fertilizers themselves. In a day or two after the additional fertilizing, the lawn must be watered. This is necessary to ensure that the composition is well absorbed into the ground.

Preparation of the lawn for winter: secrets and advice to farmers. How to spend a haircut

In early November, the grass is last mowed. This operation is necessary in order to prevent the development of the fungus, in addition, the mown grass less fences. Carrying out this event, it is worthwhile to raise the lawn mower knives higher. On the lawn should remain grass length of at least 7 cm. By the onset of stable colds it will grow to 10 cm. It is this length that will allow it to overwinter with minimal losses. Of course, the lawnmower knives must be well sharpened. Otherwise, the grass can be damaged, thereby weakening it before the winter cold. Do not mow in the fall just thinned, drought-stricken lawns.

Cleaning of grass

Preparation of a lawn for winter is an event that includes, among other things, a procedure such as releasing it from the frayed remains of old grass (felt). To do this, you just need to go through the rakes. While performing this procedure, it is important to try not to damage the root system. In fact, cleaning the lawn from felt in the autumn is not an obligatory operation, but it still costs to produce it. In this case, the same exercise in the spring will be easier.

Of course, during the fall from the lawn, you need to shovel all the leaves that fell from trees and shrubs. The easiest way to do this is by special rakes with flexible "teeth", or an ordinary garden whisk. Suitable as a chiling (not worn out), and with plastic soft twigs. It is necessary to clean the lawn without fail. Rotten leaves can provoke the development of various infectious diseases. Today on sale there is also a special equipment ("vacuum cleaners"), designed to collect fallen leaves on the site.

Airing and repair

Carrying out such procedure, as preparation of a lawn for the winter, it is important, it is necessary to provide the roots of grass with the inflow of fresh air. To do this, the lawn is pierced with forks according to the scheme 1.5x1.5 m. Very dense grass can be slightly thin. Then planting should be covered with a thin layer of coarse-grained sand or peat-sand mixture. Preliminarily, if necessary, the lawn should be repaired. Sites with diseased grass, if any, are treated with fungicides. Very good for this purpose is suitable foundation. Void and bald patches on the lawn need to be sowed with grass on a new one or simply spread over a ready turf.

How to care for the lawn in late autumn and winter

Next, consider how to keep the lawn in winter. Proper preparation and maintenance are necessary even after snow falls on the street. At this time, the grass first of all needs to ensure a good flow of air. Very often after a thaw on the surface of snowdrifts a thin ice crust is formed - the crust. It must be removed by rake or shovel. The fact that under it is accumulated a lot of carbon dioxide, which, of course, is harmful to grass.

Walk on the lawn, ride it on skis and sleds can. But only when the snow cover reaches a thickness of 20-25 cm. To prevent the lawn from becoming extinct, in some cases it is necessary to arrange snow retention in late autumn. Sometimes it happens and vice versa - planting is very strong. In this case snowdrifts are scattered in winter. Otherwise, in spring, the grass may melt when melting too much snow.

Well, now you know how to care for the lawn in the fall, or preparing a lawn for the winter. Having completed all these simple measures, it is possible to prevent the grass from freezing or damping out on the site and completely save it until the spring.