If you zero raised his own lawn, you certainly will worry about how will take grass the first winter. After all, the lawn has already invested a lot of effort and I don’t want to spring the result is disappointing. But experience is not necessary, if time and properly prepare the lawn for winter. This problem should bother the people caring for your lawn in the fall. Consider the cycle of the main autumn work, which will help the grass to successfully withstand hibernation.
The contents
The strengthened root system, aeration and fertilizing
In winter, the aboveground part of the pitch will freeze and viprey, so the owners have to throw all forces on strengthening of the roots. They give a thick spring the shoots should not die in the frosts. Strengthen root system in two ways: the moderate fertilizing and aeration.
To power the lawn in the fall suitable only phosphate and potash fertilizer, which helps the maturation of the plants. Completely eliminate nitrogen fertilization. They accelerate the growth of grass and provoke the development of young shoots, and in the winter it is just not necessary, because the young seedlings are harder to tolerate sub-zero temperatures and die first.
Wood ash can be made along with peat and soil mix composition. So you simultaneously soil and level the soil
Where do we get phosphorus and potassium? You can look at the autumn sale of complex fertilizers for the lawn. But cheaper to buy separately: potassium sulphate and superphosphate. By the way, a lot of potassium contained in wood ash, so if you I fired fireplace or roasted on the grill kebabs, then you will get this fertilizer is absolutely free.
Better to feed before the rain. In the autumn it will not be difficulties, because the rainy weather in these months pleases consistently. It is desirable that the feeding occurred in the early autumn (beginning of September). Then, the herbs are more likely to absorb and assimilate the maximum nutrients from fertilizers.
Aeration is equally important for the roots. Getting a lot of oxygen, the roots grow faster and stronger. Besides, through punctures during the long cold rains the water goes into the deeper layers of the soil and will not remain on the surface of puddles, which with the morning frost turns into ice. The easiest way to move the lawn conventional forks, piercing their lawn in many places, and slightly tilting it upon himself to lift the roots. Can also be used for lawn aeration in the fall special attachments – attachments to tillers or aerators. Spend stir in dry weather.
Factory well aerator puncture the soil, but you can do ordinary garden fork, which should be put into the soil under the slope
Autumn chores with the lawn less bulky than summer, but it depends on them how well the grass will survive the winter.
Mowing the lawn: how not to be late?
Any lawn (and this year, and growing for several years) needs to go under the snow with «haircut». If the weather is warm, the autumn haircuts may be several. But for you the most important last. It should be held approximately 2 weeks before the first frost in your area, so the grass has time to grow to 6-10 cm If its height is less, the probability of freezing of roots at strong frosts. If the lawn has time to rise more than 10 cm, there is a risk vyprevaniya. For example, when alternating frost and thaw, formed an icy crust. And if the grass will go under the snow so crusted, it will suffocate without air and will viprey. In addition, the spring withered grass becomes an obstacle to the penetration of the earth’s new shoots. It will block them as mulch, which does not allow to grow weeds.
If you do not collect in the fall from the lawn old the grass, turned into felt, then in the spring she will become an obstacle for the growth of young turf
All collected from the lawn grass and leaves can be used as fertilizer for vegetable beds, spilling them on the ground and a little prikopa
To interfere with spring growth will cut the grass, if you don’t get her off grass in the autumn. After the haircut is sure to sweep the fan-shaped lawn rake to remove debris, old grass, which forms the felt, and the last mowing. Take the car all assembled «wealth» directly into the empty beds and precipice. During the winter of herbal waste get organic fertilizer.
The lawn repair and insurance from trampling
Autumn lawn care will take and cosmetic repairs. Small holes and dents in this period of time to completely level and covered with a mixture of compost and sand. Big holes, leave the spring, because they will need to add grass seed.
Good comments lawn in the autumn and add a mixture of peat and compost. Spilling the mixture on the grass, you at the same time and will align the land and fertilize the soil.
When comes the season of heavy rains and the soil becomes soft, it is necessary to insure the lawn from trampling if you frequently pass it to other buildings. To do this is to jot down on the grass of the boards and move only on them, because under the pressure of the feet soil «plays», and on the lawn are formed pits. If the weather is dry, the Board is better to put after the onset of stable negative temperatures. So you’ll tuck over the winter grass and will avoid «bald patches», you often see on the trails. And it is better in the winter do not walk on the grass sleeping.
Such bald spots — the result of trampling paths on the lawn, because the trampled soil prevents the roots oxygenated and contributes to their freezing
Whether to perform the lawn in the fall?
Understand the intricacies of care, focus on planting grass. Some gardeners too late to finish preparing the site for future lawns, and planting seeds just gets in the summer. If you compare summer and autumn crops of lawn, then preference should be given to autumn. For good germination the seeds need moist soil and no heat. All these are clear signs of the September weather, when the rains come, and the days are warm, but not hot. Besides, planting in the fall gives the lawn more harmonious growth because the grass does not interfere with the weeds. They are at this time beginning to prepare for winter and germinate poorly.
For late crops of lawn it is recommended to increase the consumption rate of seeds is about 1.5 times because of them for the winter freeze
If efficiently carry out the digging of the site and choose the roots of all the perennials, it is possible even not to spill the soil with herbicides. Sow a plot and wait for germination. However, with the time of sowing tightening is not necessary. September is the best time. Before the cold blades of grass have time to get stronger and grow so that you can them one at a time to mow. But try not to mow under the soil and only the tops.
Some gardeners recommend and podzimny sowing, i.e. planting of seeds in frozen soil (approximately in November). Then shoots you wait for early spring, and they will be strong as it has been hardened by frost. But in our climate there are several factors that can spoil such a landing. First, in areas with a bias spring floods can wash away part of the seed with the snow. Secondly, the fall may be delayed, and after the cold starts to thaw. Feeling the warming, the seeds will hatch and grow – and their «still warm» kill the first winter frosts. If you decide to podzimny planting, it is necessary to sow a greater proportion of seeds than usual, with the expectation of a partial winterkill.
