5 steps to winterize your lawn

Preparing the lawn for winter

The process of preparing lawn grass and soil for winter consists of several steps.

Step 1: watering

The closer the cold, the less often watering should be. In a rainy autumn, you can completely do without it. If September is dry, every 5–It is advisable to irrigate the lawn by sprinkling for 7 days, but in this case you need to make sure that there are no puddles.

In October, watering is stopped completely, regardless of the weather, otherwise the roots may rot.

Video: "Preparing the lawn for winter"

The video focuses on the important stages of preparing a lawn for winter and climatic hazards that can kill plants.

Step 2: feeding

Autumn lawn care procedures must necessarily include top dressing, mainly the introduction of potassium and phosphorus. They strengthen the root system, increase its resistance to diseases and adverse conditions, improve the absorption of nutrients, help the plant survive the winter and grow faster in spring.

It is best to purchase a ready-made complex fertilizer for the lawn, in which both substances are contained in the right proportion.

You can also use the following fertilizers per 1 m²:

• double superphosphate: 50–70 g;
• bone meal: 2–3 glasses;
• potassium salt: 30–40 g;
• potassium magnesium: 30–60 g;
• potassium sulfate: 20–30 g

If the soil is prone to acidification, dolomite flour or slaked lime is also added.

A controversial issue is the admissibility of the use of nitrogen fertilizing. Some people prefer to apply a small amount in order to improve the color of the grass, others note that this provokes active plant growth, which is undesirable before winter: young shoots weaken the roots, drawing out a large amount of nutrients from them.

Top dressing is applied at the beginning of September according to a special scheme. First, the lawn should be thoroughly watered, it can even be poured a little until puddles form. In a day, when the soil is still wet, but the grass is already dry, fertilizers are applied using a spreader. In 1–Another watering is carried out for 2 days.

Step 3: haircut

It is important that by the beginning of winter the length of the grass is 8–10 cm. It is in this case that the lawn will survive the cold with the least losses. If the grass is longer, it will lie under the snow, and in spring it will begin to rot, and this will negatively affect the young growth. In addition, in this case, the risk of developing fungal diseases increases.

The time of the last haircut depends on the region. In Siberia and the Urals, this is most often done at the end of September, in the Moscow region and the middle lane as a whole. – at the beginning of October. In the south, for example in TOrassnodare, the best time will be mid-October.

Lawn mower blades at the time of the last mow should be sharpened and raised to a height of 5–7 cm so that the grass has time to grow to the required height before frost.

Only weakened lawns with thinned out–for disease or drought by vegetation.

Step 4: cleaning

Fallen leaves, mowed grass and its fallen remnants, that is, the so-called. felt must be removed before snow appears to prevent rotting and the development of infectious diseases.In addition, under the weight of the snowdrifts, the foliage will thicken, and this will interfere with the growth of young greenery in the spring.

Cleaning is carried out with a special fan rake with flexible teeth that do not damage the roots. You can also use a garden panicle, such as a chili or a plastic one, to collect leaves. If you have a dedicated leaf vacuum cleaner, use it.

Another important procedure before wintering – aeration. It is carried out in dry weather.

To do this, you can use a branded aerator, and if not,ordinary pitchfork. With their help you need withmake punctures in the soil at a distance of 20–30 cm apart. Each time, pierce the soil to a depth of about 20 cm, while slightly raising layer turfbut. This procedure will saturate the soil with oxygen, and will also allow water to flow inward, which will prevent the formation of an ice crust.

After aeration on the lawn, it is advisable not to walk for 3 days. Next, examine the grass. If you find areas affected by fungal diseases, they need to be treated with fungicides. The drug Fundazol has proven itself well.

If there are bald spots on the lawn, they need to be sown again or fresh sod should be laid there.

Step 5: mulching

Mulching protects the roots from overheating, prevents leaching, weathering and drying out of the soil, and inhibits the growth of weeds. Organic mixtures serve as additional feeding.

For lawns, a peat-sand mixture, coarse-grained sand or peat mixed with earth and sand in equal parts is recommended as mulch.

For the procedure, you can use a lawn mower with the appropriate function.

Technique and inventory

In the fall, you need to take care of the technique. First, let's take a look at how to properly prepare your lawnmower for winter. Do the following:

1. Remove the remaining fuel from the tank, otherwise during the winter it will lose its ability to ignite and significantly impair the operation of the device. To do this, switch the mower to idle and wait until it switches itself off. The battery of electric models must be recharged during the winter.
2. Check the oil level and change if necessary.
3. Thoroughly remove grass residues from the body, deck and all assemblies, and clean the cooling fins and exhaust area. Otherwise, corrosion processes can begin.
4. Check the knives. If there are cracks or chips, replace them with new ones. If there is no damage, remove and sharpen it or take it to a specialist.
5. Cover the prepared lawnmower with a cover and store it in a dry, clean place protected from extreme cold.

Now we will find out how to prepare the trimmer for winter. They do it like this:

1. As in the first case, get rid of the remaining fuel: some can be drained, the rest – work out idle.
2. Use lukewarm water and a brush to wash all parts on the handlebar and bar, as well as both trim guards. Remove the knife and clean the eyeliner chuck. Inspect all parts for damage. Add lubricant to the gearbox, inspect the air filter and motor. Adjust the carburetor.
3. Lubricate the cylinder-piston group. To do this, unscrew the spark plug, then use the starter to bring the piston to the top point and pour about 20 g of engine oil into the spark plug hole, then 3–Turn the crankshaft 4 times. Reinstall the spark plug without tightening it.
4. In winter, remove the candle and make several turns of the crankshaft, preferably at least once a month.

The more thoroughly and conscientiously the care of the lawn itself and the equipment in the fall, the easier and easier it will be for you in the spring!