Getting the Lawn Winter Ready
The nights are starting to draw in and we will soon see an end to those outside summer jobs like hedge trimming and lawn cutting. But before you make that final mowing of the garden lawn, there are a few things you might consider doing, to help the grass to over winter well and bring you as much joy and hard work next year. Giving your lawn some well needed maintenance in the autumn is worth the effort. It will look good during the cold months and be better than ever next year. Here are a few tips to overwintering the grass.
That Final Cut.
It is true to say that the last mowing of the grass is never the last mowing! You think, this is it and a few weeks later there is a wee bit of growth and you have to get the mower out again. Whether it is the last time or not, at this time of year it is important to have the lawnmower cutting height set to between 2 and 3 inches. This is so you don’t cut down too far and scalp the grass, leaving a few gaping bare patches where moss will take hold.
Moss
And speaking of moss. I love it. I love it on the stones and the hedgerows, but not on the lawn. A good moss killer should be used in September. Spread it over the grass and wait a week or so before cutting. Get rid of moss and dead grass to improve a healthy growth in your lawn. A hardy lawn rake will gather the moss and dead leaves, allowing the grass to breath and be healthier.
Feed Your Lawn
Believe it or not, autumn is a good time to fertilise the lawn as the growth has slowed down and the grass begins to store nutrients for the bitter days ahead. Fertilising at this time of year also increases the resilience to disease. So give the lawn a good fattening feed before the winter sets in and you will see the difference when the daffodils are with us again.
Aerate the Lawn
The lawn in any busy household can get compacted over time. Children playing, bike riding or mad bar B Q parties. The grass gets stamped down which can cause problems with drainage, weeds and moss. It’s easy to Improve the drainage simply by inserting a garden fork into the ground as far as you can go, then giving it a wee wiggle backwards and forwards to make air channels. This is called aerating and it will do the grass a world of good. The neighbours might think you are mad, but once the see the results, sure they will all be aerating.
Once you have done the aerating, you just pop a scattering of sand over the lawn to fill in the holes. The lawn will love that.
If you follow the above steps and give your lawn a good tidy up before the winter sets in, you will have a lovely green growth in the winter and you can look forward to more hours of cutting the lawn in the summers ahead. Pop into us here at the Dandy’s and we will sort you out for the right moss killers and fertilisers and anything else you might need for the perfect lawn.
