A stylish well-groomed lawn is an excellent solution for any land, regardless of whether it is large or small. It can become a backdrop for flowering herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees, decorate a recreation area, playground, backyard, or lawn, and perform many other functions. There are many uses for these luscious green lawns in landscaping, but simply preparing the area and planting it with grass is not enough. Improper lawn care will quickly negate all the efforts made, and make the grass unsightly, one might even say ugly.
Reasons for the deterioration of the quality of the lawn
Unmanaged withered grass can greatly spoil the whole look of the site, so throughout the year the lawn must be diligently looked after. Many gardeners are faced with the fact that after sowing, the grass gives good shoots, grows, gains color, and then begins to dry out, turn yellow, and thin out. Often this happens precisely because of improper care.
What mistakes can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the lawn
- Bad watering.
- Wrong bevel.
- Lack of fertilizer.
- Trampling and other loads on the lawn.
- Various diseases.
In addition to all of the above, it can be added that pets who like to dig holes in the area can also spoil the herbage.
Basic lawn care rules
The grass cover during the entire summer season requires special attention. In order for the lawn to maintain its well-groomed appearance and delight with lush green grass, you need to follow a few simple rules.
Lawn care in spring
The first lawn care activities begin to be carried out with the onset of the thaw when the snow melts. Due to constant temperature changes, the snow cover becomes denser, covered with an ice crust, retains moisture, and also does not allow air to pass through, which leads to grass decay and damage to its root system. Therefore, in the spring, you need to start removing snow from the grass and breaking ice crusts.
After all the snow has melted and gone, and the soil has dried out a little, you can begin to clean the green carpet from foliage, dry grass, and other debris. This will not only make the lawn cleaner but also protect it from various diseases and pests. The garbage left uncollected is caked and prevents young grass from growing, as a result, the cover becomes not so dense, and bald spots appear.
- The surface of the lawn is more convenient to clean with a fan rake. It is important to carry out all procedures for caring for a lawn in the spring very carefully since at this time it is very easy to damage the turf that has been waterlogged after winter.
At the end of spring, when the grass has time to grow up to 10 cm, you can start cutting and fertilizing. The first trim is carried out in May, while only the upper 1-2 cm of the grass stand is removed. After that, nitrogen preparations or starter fertilizers for the lawn are applied to restore the root system and activate plant growth. Fertilizer is combined with watering so that the grass does not get burned.
Important! If signs of fungal diseases are noticeable, then the grass cover is treated with fungicides and herbal mixtures are poured into the bald spots. Mulching can be done upon request. After two or three trims, aeration is necessary.
Lawn care in summer
At the beginning of summer, you start to actively fight excess weeds, which are best removed by hand. Herbicides will help facilitate the work, but then the lawn needs to be prepared by fertilizing the lawn in a few days. After the application of herbicides, when the weeds wither, the cereals need to be taken out of stress. This can be done by spraying drugs epin or megafol.
In summer, due to the abundance of heat and light, the grass will actively grow, so it needs to be well watered and cut regularly. Watering should be full, uniform, in sunny weather at least 2-3 times a week, or even more often. As the grass cover grows, to maintain an attractive appearance, a bevel is carried out, leaving 8-10 cm of grass from the ground.
Throughout the entire period of operation of the lawn, in order to maintain its appearance, it is important not to forget about regular top dressing. This way the herbage will grow better, thicker, and brighter, and it will also reduce the risk of plant diseases. It is best to use summer complex preparations for lawn grass about 1 time per month. The frequency of fertilizing can be adjusted depending on the condition of the grass cover.
At the end of summer in August, weeds must be removed and the herbage fertilized with special formulations for lawn care in the fall. Damaged areas are restored, and do not forget to carefully loosen the soil and comb out the grass.
Lawn care in autumn
In order for the lawn to continue to turn green and delight with its appearance next year, it is important to organize competent care for it in the fall. From the beginning of September, aeration is carried out and the plants are fertilized with phosphorus-potassium preparations so that their root system strengthens in the cold and the grass does not die from frost. Now cut the lawn no more than 2 times a month, and in mid-October, stop altogether.
Watering is carried out only in dry weather, early in the morning or in the evening, no more than once a week. In the first days of October, stop moistening the lawn altogether. With excessive or too frequent watering in the fall, the root system of the plants will weaken, and the gardener may be disappointed with the beginning of the next season – most likely, the grass will look messy or even die.
Sometimes in the area where the lawn is sown, bumps appear. These places are sprinkled with sand and lawn grass seeds, after which they are leveled with a rake to a perfectly flat surface.
Important! Before the snow falls, it is important to clear the lawn of debris and leaves, otherwise, the plants will sprout and rot during the winter. The soil is sprinkled with mulch, and seeds are sprinkled on bare areas. After all the coating procedures, it is not advisable to walk.
Lawn care in winter
In winter, the coating becomes very fragile, so it is better to avoid mechanical damage and intense impact on the lawn. Until a layer of snow of about 30 cm settles down, it is better not to walk on it at all. To protect the grass from the cold, the snow is not removed, but the ice crust formed after the thaw is broken with a rake.
Features of lawn grass care
After getting acquainted with the basic rules for caring for a green lawn during the season, it is worth learning more about how to properly mow, water, mulch, and fertilize the lawn.
How often should you water your lawn?
Water is necessary not only for fragrant flower beds or vegetables in the garden. Without good watering, a green lawn will quickly turn into a shabby piece of land, the restoration of which will take a lot of time and effort, so it’s better not to start the situation and competently approach the organization of wetting the grass cover. Water not only prevents the coating from drying out but also helps to deliver nutrients to the roots of the plant, thereby making them stronger and stronger.
In the summer months, the cover is moistened in the morning about 2-3 times a week. During periods of drought in extreme heat, the herbage is watered every day, and in rainy weather, the frequency of watering is reduced. It is important that during irrigation the soil is wetted to a depth of about 20 cm, while not forgetting that an excessive amount of moisture is just as harmful as its lack.
The turf is irrigated by sprinkling, spraying water evenly over the surface. Water for irrigation should be warm, and close to air temperature, so then the grass will not experience stress, which disrupts the absorption of moisture and nutrients. It is best to install an automatic irrigation system, but you should think about this before planting the lawn.
How often should the lawn be mowed?
Mowing lawn grass is another mandatory emerald lawn care event, the purpose of which is:
- Prevention of chaotic growth of grass.
- Help in the fight against weeds.
- Cover leveling.
- Activation of grass growth, as a result of which the turf becomes denser and thicker.
- Giving a well-groomed appearance to the site.
Mowing the lawn is carried out depending on the growth rate of plants, usually about 1-2 times a month. It is desirable that the weather is not hot outside, and the turf is dry. During mowing, stems are left at least 5 cm high. To make it easier to take care of the lawn, it is best to get high-quality garden equipment – a rider, trimmer, or lawn mower.
Before you start mowing the lawn, you need to make sure that there are no foreign objects in the way of the lawn mower, otherwise, you can easily brake the equipment. The bevel is made first along the site, and then across.
The grass cut from the lawn must be removed, otherwise, soil ventilation is disturbed, and the condition of the grass will begin to deteriorate. The grass left after the procedure can be useful in the garden, for example, it can be used to make compost.
Lawn mulching – good or bad?
Mulching is a very popular agricultural technique that many summer residents use when caring for plants for the garden. Lawn grass will also be grateful if it is sprinkled with mulch from peat, hay, sawdust, compost, agro fibre, and other materials.
What is the function of mulching?
- Preservation of soil moisture and reduced frequency of watering.
- Protection of the root system from cold, overheating, and wind.
- Prevention of putrefactive processes.
- Soil acidity regulation.
- Preventing the spread of weeds.
- Additional fertilizer and nutrient retention.
- Surface leveling.
Mulch is scattered only on dry, uncompacted soil. Before mulching, the topsoil is loosened and cleaned of excess growth. A layer of mulch is laid out evenly, about 5-10 cm thick. When caring for a lawn, such a procedure is necessary after sowing cereals and to prepare the cover for winter.
Lawn grass aeration
The powerful root system of crops used for lawns grows rapidly and creates a dense cover in the upper layers of the soil. As a result, the lower layers of the soil receive less oxygen and nutrients, which soon affects the quality of the green carpet. Plants with a lack of oxygen grow sluggish, weak and it is difficult for them to resist harmful external influences. Therefore, it is important to occasionally ventilate the soil, that is, to carry out aeration.
The aeration procedure is carried out at least 2 times a year – in spring and autumn, while the turf is pierced with special tools to a depth of about 10-15 cm. For this, special aerator sandals, pitchforks (regular or tubular), and mechanical or motorized aerators are used. Before starting the procedure, the grass cover is cleaned of debris and foliage, and upon completion, it is fertilized with special fertilizers for the season.
Soil scarification
This is another method of loosening the lawn, only more intense and deeper than aeration. During scarification, the top layer of soil is not pierced, but cut along and across with special equipment with sharp knives (scarifiers) or fan rakes.
As a result of the procedure, plant roots begin to receive more light and moisture, grass growth accelerates and it begins to grow thicker, grasses take root better and the lawn acquires a rich color and looks healthier. In addition, scarification prevents the appearance of rot and does not allow the infection to spread. After such intensive loosening, it is advisable to sprinkle the soil with sand and mowed grass.
Conclusion
A beautiful lawn requires a lot of attention and financial investments. To simplify lawn care, it is advisable for a gardener to acquire special equipment and establish an irrigation system.
A well-groomed lawn is not only a stylish element of landscape design, it improves the climate, has a beneficial effect on the physical and emotional state of a person. Such a green corner will be a wonderful decoration for a recreation area, a playground, just a decorative element or part of a well-thought-out design style of the site.
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