Year-Round Lawn Care and Maintenance Seasonal Schedule – The maintenance of lawns is more complex than most people realize. We let you know when certain lawn care measures are required so you may plan accordingly.
When it comes to lawn care, it’s easy to lose track of what needs to be done when and when. However, timing is everything when it comes to routine maintenance activities like fertilizing, scarifying, and weed management. That’s why we’ve created a seasonal plan that outlines the optimal times to undertake certain lawn care tasks.
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Lawn care All Year-Round
There’s always something to do when it comes to grass care. You’ll discover how to properly care for your lawn in all four seasons, from spring to winter, so you can enjoy a beautiful yard all year long.
Lawn Care in Spring
The beginning of the lawn maintenance program is signaled by the flowering of the forsythia (Forsythia intermedia) around March or April. Gradually, the soil heats up, and winter hibernation is broken and the lawn starts growing again.
There is normally a lot of moss in the grass after the cold, sunless, and wet season, which should be removed as soon as the new growth begins. As a result, the lawn is scarified immediately following the first spring mowing. In the case of heavy soils, this might be followed by aeration and sanding of the soil. Scarifying is used on thin lawns before reseeding.
- March/April is when you should do your first mowing.
- Scarifying is then used to get rid of the moss and lawn thatch that has built up.
- After scarifying the lawn if it has very little turf, consider reseeding it.
- Spring and early summer are the best times to apply lawn fertilizer to ensure a lush, green lawn.
- Lawn Sand, for example, is ideal for aerating and sanding lawns on heavy soils in the spring after scarifying.
- Mow your grass at least twice as high as normal as soon as it reaches half its normal cutting height.
- Aeration begins in late spring if there are extended dry periods (2 – 3 weeks without rain) in April or May, and the lawn is content with an average of at least one natural or artificial rainfall a week at temperatures around 20° C (68° F).
- The spring weeds begin to sprout simultaneously with the grasses; root weeds like dandelions should be removed. If you want to let the weeds blossom as bee allies, mow prior to the formation of the seedlings.
Regardless, the lawn is scarified and fertilized in the spring. Having a well-watered lawn throughout the year is critical. For this purpose, we recommend using organic lawn fertilizers, which are composed of only natural components, and give the lawn the best possible care after the winter has passed. Using this fertilizer means you can walk your dog, cat, or other pet on the grass immediately after fertilization without fear.
Lawn Maintenance in Summers
Grass growth is mostly influenced by the growing season’s temperature. The warm weather condition also necessitates more frequent use of the lawnmower. Remember to resharpen the mower blades on a regular basis to maintain a neat cut.
Frequent cutting, on the other hand, depletes the grass’s nutrients, which must be supplied. Using a long-term organic lawn fertilizer is the best way to go about it. In times when the lawn is weak, this boosts its strength and nourishes it properly. When using granular fertilizer, wait till it’s raining before applying it to the lawn, or water the lawn immediately after.
In addition, a spreader cart should be used to apply the fertilizer to ensure even distribution and uniform growth of the grass. Some lawn fertilizers, on the other hand, do not require a spreader cart because the box is fitted with a practical spreading device for even application.
Water usage rises in the summer as well, due to both increased fertilizer use and evaporation. If you water too frequently, the bottom roots of your lawn will dry out. It is advisable to water less frequently but more thoroughly.
- If the grasses lose too much mass, they will be put under more stress during the hot summer months. Mow to a depth of 5 to 6 inches as soon as possible (at 9 to 10 inches). Even if you are going on a holiday, you should not cut your lawn more than five centimeters short. If you return to find the grass very high, only cut it down to half its previous level (at 12 cm height to 6 cm).
- Timely irrigation of the lawn is essential. Look at the soil and the grass blades for signs of contamination.
- Insufficient watering is indicated by withered, yellowing grass blades. In hot weather, watering must be performed every two days at most, and during a normal summer drought, only once or twice a week is acceptable.
- Summer watering with a slow-release organic fertilizer is recommended for stressed lawns.
If you water your grass too much, especially if it’s gotten used to it since sowing, it will develop shallow roots that are weak. During a drought, the lawn is more difficult to water since it has become ruined. As a result, following a drought of one to two weeks, it’s preferable to water again.
Lawn Care in Autumn or Fall
Lawn care procedures must change as well with the passing of the gardening season. If your grass has a few minor divots, you may easily fill them in with lawn seed. Lawn repair services are excellent choices in this situation. Because the soil is still warm from the summer, this is the ideal time to plant new grass.
- Less need to water the lawn.
- As the temperature and sunlight drop, so does grass growth and frequency of mowing.
- The potassium-based autumn fertilization is done from the end of August towards the end of October.
Good germination results are dependent on warm soil. The second or third fertilization of the grass should be performed between the end of August and the end of October.
Potassium-rich autumn lawn fertilizers with long-term effects, protect the lawn against frost damage. It helps the lawn recover from the hot, dry summer and the subsequent growing season. After fertilizing, rehydrate by watering again, or wait till a wet day. If you fertilize your lawn with too much nitrogen in the fall, your grass will be less frost-tolerant and turn yellow and then brown.
Scarifying the grass a second time is an option if it is really matted and mossy. This should be done prior to fertilization. It is also possible to use additional aeration or sanding on exceptionally heavy soils.
Lawn Maintenance in Winters
Because of the escalating cold and waning solar heat, the grass turns dormant. In any case, there are a few winterizing care guidelines that must be followed. The fall lawn fertilizer with a focus on potassium is critical to the lawn’s ability to survive the winter. After the winter, the spring fertilization cycle repeats itself.
Cut the lawn as short as possible before winter sets in so that it’s protected. Otherwise, the lawn’s so-called under-grasses may wither away, resulting in a patchy, thin lawn speckled with brown spots. However, to ensure even illumination of all lawn grasses, start the winter with a shorter lawn.
Springtime will bring more even sprouting as a result of this. As a result, vast areas of grass should be cleared of leaves before winter so that plants have access to the light they require.
#Note: It’s well knowledge that walking on the grass during a hard frost may snap the blades. We’d like to dispel the myth that you can’t walk over frozen lawns. Your grass plants and the soil won’t suffer if you do it correctly. Thawed soil can only be seriously damaged by loads that are both excessive and unwarranted.
- The lawn isn’t required to be fertilized in the winter after being fertilized in the fall with potassium-rich fertilizer.
- To protect the lawn, mow it one last time before mid-November.
- In order to avoid uneven spring sprouting, a large proportion of foliage is cut before winter.
- Even in the depths of winter, with a little caution and care, you may walk on the lawn without damaging it.
After the winter season, you should again continue with the lawn maintenance measures at the start of spring. More detailed information about lawn care after winter can be found in this article.