Maintaining your lawn is not very complicated, now it’s turning into lawn care business. Despite this, it is necessary to spend time to make it shine. For a pretty lawn, it is necessary to mow it regularly, but also to scarify it, to fertilize it and to finish watering it while respecting the rules of the art. But at what times of the year should each of these spots be done?
Winter
During the winter months turf needs rest. Remove fallen leaves and pieces of wood from the lawn. Avoid walking on grass when it is very wet or frozen, as it destroys sensitive grass blades. In case of excess acidity (pH between 5.5 and 6), you can use liming at the beginning of March. Thus, the foam will grow less quickly and the soil will be able to absorb nutrients more easily. It is important to know the lime content of the soil. This is why it is advisable to take a soil sample at the end of February to determine the level of acidity of the soil.
Spring
You can already mow a first time as soon as spring approaches. Regular mowing is important because it allows young grass to receive the sun’s rays. Start with once a week and move to twice a week during periods of high growth (May and June). It is also the ideal time to scarify in case of presence of foam. This removes moss and weeds from the grass and the grass will be more airy. Then, it is advisable to apply fertilizer for the first time in March, a second time in July and a third time in October. Do not mow especially at the lowest level, but keep a minimum of 3 (ornamental grass) to 4 (play lawn) centimeters to let the blades of grass absorb water and nutrients through their leaves.
Summer
During the summer, it is better to mow the lawn once a week or once every two weeks. In case of strong heat, it is advisable to mow during cloudy days and avoid mowing too short. Use a large amount of water for at least half an hour so that the soil can draw on the water. Do this preferably in the morning so that the grass draws moisture during the day or in the evening to prevent the grass from burning.
Fall
The grass grows less quickly in the fall because of the drop in temperatures and that is why it is necessary to mow the lawn less frequently. Mow one last time in late October or early November and cut the grass shorter than usual (plus or minus 5 centimeters) to protect the lawn against frost. If you have not had the opportunity to scarify in the spring, you can do it in September as well. On the other hand, it is advisable not to do it from October, because the temperatures are too low and that there is not enough sun. Your turf also needs extra nutrients with the arrival of the winter months. For this, apply fertilizer at the beginning of October at the latest.
You can save a lot of time thanks to the mulching mowing by simply leaving the cut grass which will become an additional fertilizer. In addition, you avoid finding yourself with mowing waste. You can easily convert your STIHL mower into a mulching mower by installing a mulching kit.