Spring lawn care. Year-round lawn care at their summer cottage

Guided by our article. If your family lawn around the house- an unpretentious place of rest and a cozy picnic on a day off, then you can get by with the very minimum of effort to lawn care. If your lawn conceived as a decorative element of the garden and you want perfect grass without flaws, it is better to immediately tune in to a significant investment of labor, money and time. Works on lawn care contribute to the improvement of water and air permeability of the soil, better nutrition of grass roots, prevent waterlogging, fungal infections, growth of moss and weeds, give the lawn a well-groomed appearance.

One day, a foreigner visiting the estate of an English lord, looking at a chic, even green lawn, asked the owner: "How do you support your lawn in such excellent condition?" "Oh, it's very simple," replied the descendant of a noble family. - You just sow grass, it grows, you cut it, it grows, you cut it again ... and so on for 500 years

Of course, this is just a joke. Handsome and well maintained lawn impossible to get only with haircuts; knowledge, effort and time are required. On the other hand, for do-it-yourself lawn devices centuries are not needed at all: with modern possibilities and some luck with the weather, you can create a lawn on their own and in one season.

Lawn watering, watering rate

New, just installed lawns(both rolled and seeded grass) need regular watering. However lawn watering, which was arranged a few months ago, is a matter of personal choice and availability of resources. For example, in the UK it is fundamentally not water private lawns and public lawns even during dry periods despite the fixed cost of cold water. The British consider it unacceptable to use national water resources for lawn watering, the grass on which, in a few rainy days, is naturally restored in all its green splendor. Browned during the drought lawns in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society and other national parks, it is perceived as completely natural here.

If you have made a choice in favor of watering your lawn, then do it strictly as needed, using lawn irrigation system with sprayers. Lawn watering rate is 13 mm of water at a time. More water at watering the lawn will be wasted. Place an open glass dish with a flat bottom in the area lawn irrigation systems and note the time during which 13 mm of water will be collected in it. If you have automatic lawn watering system, then you can set the timer to the desired time and lawn watering will be made without your participation.

Lawn mowing

Regular and competent cutting grass on the lawn– an absolutely necessary job if you want to have a well-groomed lawn. Lawn grass grows at a temperature of +5 degrees and above. Focus on it while timing first lawn mowing in spring and last lawn mowing in autumn.

During first lawn mowing in spring set the mower blade to the highest level. With the onset of stable heat, grass growth becomes more intense and you can already cut the grass on the lawn more often (once a week) and shorter, but not shorter than 5 cm. In hot weather, growth grass on the lawn slows down, especially in the sun lawns. Do this at this time lawn mowing less frequently (once every 2-3 weeks), mow quite a bit by detaching the mower basket. The cut grass will be evenly scattered over lawn and will serve as a natural fertilizer and mulching material that protects lawn from sunburn and excess moisture loss. The remains of the cut grass will soon disappear into the soil for lawn or be picked up by the lawnmower during the next lawn mowing.

Cut the lawn always better in dry weather. Beveled lawn grass can be added to the compost pit, interspersed with other ingredients, only if you have not used lawn herbicides for at least 2-3 weeks before lawn mowing. Too short lawn mowing contribute to the exposure of the roots, the drying of the soil and the general weakening of the grass. Too long lawn grass cuttings weaken the aerial part of the grass. General rule lawn grass cuttings: it is better to cut less, but cut more often. To achieve beautiful stripes or other natural "pattern" on lawn, change direction with the lawn mower.

After the main lawn mowing gently cut the grass at the borders with special lawn shears or lawn trimmer.

Lawn care in spring

In the spring, at the very beginning of the season, treat the lawn, which includes weed removal, scarification (cleaning, removing "felt" from dry grass and moss), aeration (piercing compacted soil), repairing bald spots, shaping the edges of the lawn, top dressing, leveling surfaces and mulching (earthing) of the lawn with a mixture of light garden soil and sand.

Lawn care: scarification

start spring lawn care with the removal of perennial rhizomatous weeds (dandelion, daisy, plantain, etc.) and mechanical cleaning. Gently dig rhizomatous weeds or pry with a chopper and pull out, trying to completely remove the root from the ground. For cleaning on small lawns, use a hard (metal) fan rake, with which you need to rake dry leaves and debris that have accumulated over the winter, as well as comb out moss and a layer of dry grass (“felt”) that forms on the surface of the soil lawn. All this will go into the compost. On big lawns use special scarifiers - lawn cleaning machines (see photo at the very top of the page) or a special scarifier attachment for a lawn mower. After scarification, moisture, air and fertilizer will more easily pass to the roots of the grass without lingering on the surface. lawn.

Lawn care: aeration and sanding

After scarification lawn carry out aeration - piercing the top layer of soil to a depth of 10-15 cm. Aeration provides air, water and fertilizer access to grass roots and is especially important on heavy and clay soils, in places of stagnant water or on lawns which are especially heavily used. On small lawns use garden forks or spiked boots to aerate. On big lawns and in especially advanced cases it may be necessary lawn aerator, which extracts the soil from the holes made to the surface. After aeration, apply to the surface lawn a layer of coarse sand, which will fill the holes and provide better water permeability of the soil. We usually rent lawn scarifier and aerator a couple of times a year for spring and autumn processing of our lawn.

Lawn care in spring: repair of bald spots and irregularities

Next stage spring lawn care- repair of bald spots. Bald spots are "bald" or sagging areas that are formed from intensive use lawn, in swampy areas, when lawn something stood for a long time (for example, a children's slide or a swing) or in areas where you removed an entire colony of rhizomatous weeds. Bald spots need to be sown with fresh grass (how to sow grass on the lawn, read our article Lawn with your own hands), and sprinkle on top with a mixture of garden soil or leaf humus with sand that you prepared for lawn mulching (see below), so, so that the level of the worn area is equal to the main level of the lawn.

At the same time, irregularities on the lawn are repaired: lowlands and tubercles. The tubercles should be leveled with the general level, sown and lightly sprinkled with mulch. The lowlands are filled with earth and sand, sown with grass, and then lightly sprinkled with a small layer of mulch.

Lawn care in spring: edging

If you have a formal lawn of the correct form, then blurry, worn and indistinct edges (borders) will completely ruin the impression and nullify all the hard work of lawn care. Therefore, be sure to take the time to level and restore the edges of the lawn. Draw straight border lines along a board or along a rope stretched over pegs driven into the ground (see photo above). Next, use a straight, sharp shovel to create a crisp edge. Curl the wavy edges of informal lawns with a hose laid out in the desired shape. After repairing the edges, touch up and update the grooves - small empty areas that separate the lawn from the built-up areas of the garden, such as garden paths or patio tiles (see before and after photo).

The collapsed and heavily blurred boundaries of formal lawns are quite difficult to restore. Although this "trick" greatly facilitates the work. Cut a rectangle or square of turf to a depth of 10 cm at the site of damage from the border to a healthy part of the lawn. Carefully cut the sod (grass with roots and soil) from below with a sharp, wide shovel, separate and lift it up. Now turn it 180 degrees and lay it in its original place. Now the edge of the lawn is sharp and beautiful again, and the problematic worn area has moved inward, where it is much easier to touch up. Treat the bald spot as above and sow with grass.

Lawn care in spring: mulching

If the grass on the lawn is sparse and weak, additional seeding can be done at this stage. After sowing the grass, it remains to mulch the lawn. The mulch will cover the grass seeds from the birds, which instantly flock in huge numbers, one has only to sow the lawn. For mulching, use a 2:1 mixture of coarse sand with light garden soil or leaf mulch, carefully leveling the compound over the lawn surface and correcting unevenness with the back of a rake or a long, stiff pile garden mop. Lawn mulching improves the structure of heavy soils, promotes better nutrition for grass roots, and corrects small irregularities in the lawn surface.

Lawn care: fertilizing, fertilizing

To keep lawn grass healthy, strong, and bright green, at least three seasons of lawn feeding are required: spring, summer, and fall. Top dressing helps to strengthen the grass and help it clog weeds, which are always present in one quantity or another on any lawn. Often grass fertilizer already contains herbicides (weed suppressants). Always apply fertilizer as recommended by the manufacturer. Too much fertilizer spoils the environment, can be dangerous to people, "burn" the grass and ruin the look of the lawn for a long time. Fertilizer should be applied through a special sieve, which can be bought at the garden center (see photo below).

Spring and summer fertilizer for lawn grass contains a large amount of nitrogen and causes an active growth of green mass. Feed the grass in the spring a couple of weeks after the completion of the autumn treatment of the lawn, and in the summer - in a not too hot and dry time. Try to fertilize your lawn before it rains. Autumn lawn grass fertilizer contains more phosphorus and potassium, which strengthen the roots of the grass and help it survive the winter without loss. Always use fertilizer according to the season.

Lawn care in autumn, preparation for winter

Autumn lawn care is very similar to spring lawn care. The difference lies in the fact that repair of bald spots, shaping the edges of the lawn and sowing grass are not necessary in the fall, especially if you live in a cold or snowy region and the lawn will not be used in the winter.

Additionally, in the fall, regular cleaning of the lawn from falling leaves will be required. Use garden vacuum cleaners or a lawn mower for this. The latter crushes the leaves and they can immediately be used for compost or mulching other areas of the garden. Remember that the colder the weather gets, the more grass height you need to keep.

Remember that during wet and frosty periods of the year, you should disturb the lawn as little as possible, try not to step on the grass, and carry out the necessary work while standing on the board, and not on the grass.

This article is an abbreviated version of my article. "Real English Lawn" for the magazine "The New Gardener and Farmer" (Nos. 5 and 6 for 2006).

The lawn on the site gives an unprecedented pleasure from the contemplation of a flawless, well-groomed and dense green carpet. But the impression of decorating the site and one of the most attractive objects in landscape design is produced only by well-groomed lawns. And it is the constant and tireless care of your favorite emerald sites that is the most difficult moment in their cultivation. The lawn requires not only regular, but also careful maintenance, which does not stop during the entire active season. And if a haircut is a separate component of care that requires an individual approach, then watering, fertilizing, and airing are needed for all lawns, without exception.

6 components of lawn care

You can't get a perfect lawn without perfect care. This truth is obvious to anyone who has encountered problems in the development of the lawn. The only way to keep the green carpet in perfect condition and avoid difficulties is to strictly adhere to the rules for creating a lawn and ensure tireless care from the very first procedures. Neither the elite type of grass mixture, nor even the services of professionals in creating a lawn will give results if at least one slip in care is made.

So, lawn care should be regular, systematic and complete. But the main difficulty is not even that all procedures must be carried out in a timely manner, but that lawn care is not limited to basic components. In addition to obvious and very important procedures such as mowing and watering, lawn care also includes a whole range of important measures, some of which are purely preventive. Basic lawn care is much the same as caring for any garden plant. It includes six components:

1. Shearing and maintaining edges.
2. Watering.
3. Top dressing.
4. ventilation or aeration.
5. Cleaning.

Additional troubleshooting steps:

• restoration of bald spots;
• moss control;
• weed control.

Mowing and caring for the edges of lawns can be safely equated with art and singled out as a separate "point" of care. It is the most important thing in lawn care. This very important procedure is crucial not only for the formation of a beautiful, but also a healthy lawn. Moreover, lawn mowing has many nuances, and here it is very important to choose an individual approach to the selection of the height and frequency of procedures. Both lawn cleaning and lawn repair claim status as a special component of care. These are measures to combat pollution, mosses, weeds and problems in the development of turf, which also require a special approach to themselves. But the three "P" - watering, weeding and airing - are the basic and simple components of caring for a green carpet, in which, if the process is properly organized, it is difficult to make a mistake.

Difficulties in lawn care do not need to be afraid. He needs care, like any really important object for you on the site. Modern technology and automatic irrigation systems solve most of the problems associated with taking care of green areas. If you love lawns, then any "little thing", even the most laborious procedures will bring pleasure. The living emerald carpet itself signals problems and gives considerable pleasure in the details of care. Moreover, each operation literally transforms the lawns and gives the feeling of watching the quick fruits of their efforts.

Active lawn care continues only during the active gardening season - from spring to autumn, and the entire two transitional seasons are not included in the period of lawn work. Winter is a time of good rest, when the main task is not to harm the emerald carpet. Consider the features of caring for green areas by season.

Lawn care in spring

The start of the season for caring for emerald carpets does not coincide with the start of the main gardening season. The first procedures for the lawn are carried out only in April, in the middle lane - traditionally not earlier than the third decade of the month. And even then, in the first works, care must be taken not to harm the turf with an excessive load.

In early spring it is better to avoid:

• walking on the lawn, especially on wet or frozen grass at night;
• irrigation and any prikatok.

Procedures in April come down to just removing dry grass and debris from the surface of the lawn with a light rake or by hand. Cleaning is carried out only when moisture leaves the soil and the turf is not in a waterlogged state.

Full lawn care actually begins only in May. After thawing and drying of the upper soil layer, the first serious procedures are started:

1. When a stable positive temperature is established, first of all, it is often recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizer for rapid growth and restoration of the turf. But for top dressing, a haircut is needed, and top dressing should be postponed until the first mowing procedures.
2. Mandatory scarification is carried out, removing debris, moss, dry grass.
3. If necessary, sanding, treatment of bald spots and overseeding of grass are carried out on the lawn. When laying a rolled lawn, damaged areas of turf are cut out and replaced.
4. With obvious signs of fungal infection, fungicide treatments are taken to prevent the problem from spreading to a large area. But since all spring procedures contribute to the improvement of the turf, they usually wait until the summer with serious measures and apply fungicides already in the case when the main measures did not help.
5. After the grass rises to a height of 8 cm, the first mowing is carried out to a height of at least 5-6 cm. It is undesirable to leave the mowed grass on the lawn in the spring.
6. After the first or second haircut, the first dressing is carried out. For spring, you need to use nitrogen mixtures, starter or complex fertilizers for lawns. Mixture is applied along with abundant watering and on cool days, avoiding any procedures in dry and hot weather.
7. After the second or third mowing, aeration is carried out by piercing the sod to a depth of about 5 cm over the entire surface of the lawn.
8. On the damaged areas continue overseeding and laying new turf.
9. They begin to fight weeds mechanically - by manual removal.

Lawn care in summer

The most traumatic season for lawns is associated not only with the need to provide regular watering and fertilizing, but also with a high risk of weeds and loss of decorative turf. At the beginning and end of summer, active robots are carried out with the lawn, but during the July heat, procedures are limited only to vital ones.

At the beginning of summer, the lawn will need the following measures:

1. Weed control, which is best done in the first half of June.
2. The first top dressing in the summer season, which is carried out using complex fertilizers. The optimal time is the second or third decade of June.
3. Regular watering, which is carried out by controlling the degree of drying of the soil and focusing on the abundance of precipitation.
4. Regular haircut with a frequency of 4-7 days (at the beginning of June it is still not advisable to allow haircuts below 5 cm).
5. Mulching during prolonged droughts (cut grass is left on the lawn for several days).

In the middle of summer, lawn care comes down to the following procedures:

1. Regular abundant watering.
2. Haircuts with a classic frequency.
3. Top dressing with complex fertilizer for lawns in the second decade of July.
4. Additional overseeding of grass on bald spots at the end of July.
5. Treatment with fungicides for signs of the spread of fungal infections.

Of all the summer months, the most active lawn care is needed in August. In anticipation of autumn, it is necessary to take care in advance that the lawn receives all the necessary care and is fully prepared for the cold. Mandatory procedures include:

1. Watering in dry weather with a gradual decrease in soil moisture and an increase in the interval between procedures.
2. Haircuts with a frequency of about 1 time per week.
3. In August, the first top dressing is carried out with autumn fertilizers (if the lawn is in a weakened state or there are signs of a lack of nutrients, top dressing can also be carried out with universal fertilizers, but only in the first half of the month).
4. Re-treatment for weeds.
5. Overseeding grass or replacing damaged sod.
6. Mandatory combing and scarification.
7. Re-treatment with fungicides for fungal infections.

Lawn care in autumn

The main task in the fall is to remove debris from the lawn. Raking up dead leaves is just the first step in winterizing and tidying up your lawn, but it's a very important one. Accumulating debris should be removed as quickly as possible: under the leaves of the turf it gets warm and there is a high risk of the spread of fungi.

Preparing a lawn for winter includes several important procedures:

1. Mowing is carried out less and less, only in September with a frequency of 1 time in 14-15 days, in October they are guided by the weather and the rate of grass growth. The last haircut is carried out at the end of October, with a warm autumn - at the beginning of November, leaving a herbage at least 5 cm high.
2. Aeration is carried out in the fall only if it is really necessary, there are signs of excessive compaction of the turf or its waterlogging due to heavy rainfall. But it must be done in early autumn, combined, if necessary, with sanding and liming.
3. Carry out a thorough scarification.
4. At the beginning of autumn, a special autumn fertilizer for lawns is applied, which will allow green carpets to prepare for winter.
5. Podzimnie crops are carried out at the end of October on bare areas and bald patches.
6. From mid-October, you should try not to walk on wet grass.

Lawn care in winter

In the cold season, the lawn must be protected from any outside interference and from any load. It is better not to walk on the lawn from the moment the grass stops growing - when the temperature drops below +5 degrees. Careful walks or careful steps can be afforded only when the lawn is covered with a thick layer of snow. And even then, in the absence of extreme necessity, it is better not to step on the surface of the lawn: it is at this time that the risk of inevitable damage to the turf is high.

It is usually recommended not to take any action with the cleaning or distribution of snow, pouring it onto the lawn. But one procedure in winter may still be needed: if, as a result of a strong thaw or a sharp temperature drop, weather anomalies, instead of snow, the lawn is covered with an ice crust, then it is advisable to destroy it - with a rake, pitchfork or any other tool.

But this is not very difficult, as it might seem at first glance. You need to know some rules and purchase special tools and equipment. Where to start? Decide on the choice of a place for a green carpet and buy seed.

Landing and care

Many at the word "lawn" represent even and short-cut grass. But that's just the classic version. Exists several types and styles of lawns: flowering (meadow and Moorish), garden and sports (resistant to abrasion). It depends on the variety which grass to choose, how to care for the lawn in spring, summer and autumn. Site preparation for all types is the same.

The lawn can be sown at any time from mid-May to early September. Work on site preparation, sowing and germination takes about 5 weeks.

Landing stages

Lawn seeding is carried out in two stages:

1. Site preparation. The first thing to do is markup. It is necessary to immediately determine the places for rabatki, flower beds, paths and paths.

To do this, it is better to use twine and pegs. For classic options, you need to clearly define the boundaries; for flowering lawns, this is not necessary. The site is cleared of debris and weeds, dug up and leveled, then treated with a herbicide. It will help to get rid of weeds and prevent their occurrence in the future.

The soil for the lawn must be fertile and loose, so that the grass seeds sprout together and quickly. Mineral fertilizers are applied before sowing. The last stage of preparation is leveling the soil. Please note that before sowing, the land must be aged for several days.

2. Grass selection and seeding. The stores sell special mixtures for lawns. When buying, immediately calculate the amount that is needed for your lawn.

Before sowing, divide the plot into several parts (mentally) and prepare seeds for each. No need to save, otherwise there will be "bald spots". You need to sow only on a calm day, first along the site, then across, so that the seeds are distributed evenly. When the work is finished, you need to level the ground with a rake, then pour from a watering can so that the soil becomes moderately wet.

After planting, you need to wait until all the seeds sprout, and you can start caring for the green carpet.

Video about sowing a lawn with your own hands.

Care

Planting lawn grass is only half the battle, you also need to properly care for it. For every season there are rules.

1. Lawn care in summer. During the summer, the lawn needs watering, mowing, mulching and weeding.

You can water the grass only in the evening, otherwise the sun's rays will burn the green spaces. This can be done in the morning, but the effect will be less. It is necessary to cut the grass as soon as it has reached 10 cm, in case of severe droughts - 6 cm.

For mowing and mulching, use a lawn mower without a grass box. The cut grass can be left on the lawn for no longer than 7 days. It is important to remember about the aeration of the soil, it is carried out as needed.

2. Fall care. After summer, the lawn needs to be prepared for winter rest. Gradually reduce the number of waterings and haircuts.

The restoration of the green canvas is also carried out if the lawn was damaged in the summer. In September, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied, which will help the grass to endure frost and resist diseases. Before frost, you need to make the last mowing of the lawn.

It is better to do this in late October or early November, but it is also important to focus on weather conditions. The mowing height should be more than 6 cm. At the same time, all fallen leaves must be removed, otherwise it will begin to rot under a layer of snow, and this will cause the grass to die.

3. . After winter, melt water is drained, grass is fertilized and the lawn is checked for diseases and pests. This is the most important stage for the gardener. The quality of work during this period depends on how the lawn will look in the summer.

Care tools and equipment

In recent years, lawn care has become much easier, because there are special tools and equipment which greatly facilitates the work of the gardener. The market presents inventory and equipment in various price categories. What should a gardener have?

1. bayonet shovel. Without it, it is impossible to take care of the lawn. With its help, the soil is prepared, the rolled lawn is trimmed.
2. Garden rakes. They are used for laying a rolled lawn, they level the soil before sowing seeds.
3. Pitchfork. Designed for lawn aeration.
4. Fan rake. They take out garden debris.
5. Gardening scissors. Necessary for mowing the lawn in hard-to-reach places where the lawn mower cannot work.
6. Lawn irrigation system. It is possible to water the grass by hand, but it is difficult and time consuming. It is enough to turn on the irrigation system.
7. Lawn mower. The most expensive lawn equipment, but you can not do without it. The lawn mower cuts the grass evenly and gives it a neat appearance.
8. Trimmer. If the lawn is small, then a trimmer can be used instead of a lawn mower.
9. Motor cultivator. With its help, the land is prepared for sowing grass. It can be purchased if you need to dig a large area.

This is the main equipment that a lawn owner needs to buy.

Lawn care

Rolled lawn is quite common. But in order for it to serve for several decades, you need to properly care for it. The grower must do three things: water, fertilize and mow.

1. Watering. In the summer, you need to water the lawn every day, otherwise the grass will turn yellow and burn out. By autumn, the amount of water is reduced, but experienced gardeners are advised to focus not only on the season, but also on weather conditions.
2. A haircut. The first haircut is carried out 7 days after styling, but not later. Next, you need to look at the height of the grass: as soon as it has reached 6 cm, you can get the lawn mower.
3. Fertilizer. To keep the grass constantly green and not depleted, fertilizers are constantly used. Specialized compounds are sold in stores, which must be used immediately after laying the lawn, during the growing season and under adverse weather conditions.

Disease and weed control

Another task of the gardener who strives to grow the perfect lawn is weed control and. Annual and perennial weeds can grow on the site. Some disappear after mowing the lawn, while others disappear only after treatment with pesticides. You can use these funds only from May to September.

In no case should such work be carried out in dry times, because the weeds are unlikely to disappear, and the risk of burning the grass increases.

One more problem - fusarium. Brown spots appear on a lawn affected by this disease. To get rid of them, the grass is treated with a liquid fungicide. If the green carpet is faced with this problem, nitrogen fertilizers should never be applied in the autumn.

Most lawn owners face a dangerous pest - moss. It appears if the lawn is not properly cared for (low fertilizer is applied, the grass is cut low, the soil is poorly drained). To combat this pest, special preparations are used, but first you need to establish the exact cause of the appearance of moss.

In order for the lawn to please with an even cover and rich green color, you need to choose the right place for planting and seed.

It is important to learn how to care for a green carpet, cut it regularly and fertilize it. All work and efforts will surely be justified, and the plot will be decorated with a smooth and thick carpet.

The lawn after the winter often looks pretty deplorable - bald spots, yellow spots appear, the grass can rot in places. However, if the correct care of the green lawn is carried out during the season, then many problems can be avoided: correct and timely feeding, cutting and watering give excellent results. If the winter was too harsh or, conversely, with thaws, then the grass cover may lose its magnificence. In this article, we will talk about how to restore the lawn after the winter in order to restore its healthy look and beauty.

Lawn care in autumn and winter

For a successful wintering of plants, it is enough to follow simple rules:

Removal of excess water

Spring lawn care begins with ensuring good runoff of melt water. During the period of snow melting, water can stagnate, which leads to dampness, the appearance of mold on the grass and yellow spots.

If the drainage system was properly made before laying the lawn, then such problems should not arise. What to do with the lawn if there is no drainage? In this case, the snow must be evenly distributed over the entire area, preventing the formation of large snowdrifts, then it will gradually melt. This is especially important for shady areas. Try to start this work as early as possible, while the ground has not yet thawed - otherwise dents and footprints will remain on the lawn, which will be difficult to remove.

In order for the drainage system to perform its functions well, it is necessary to clean all drains and wells.

rolling

In a young lawn, the turf has not yet had time to compact, so the thawed earth can rise in some places with ugly mounds. More often this happens if the area was not rolled before sowing the grass mixture. To remedy this situation, you need to roll the lawn in the spring. You can use a skating rink or self-made fixtures. We pass in one direction 1 time - this will be quite enough.

For old, perennial herbaceous plantations, rolling is not required.

Combing (scarification) of the lawn

After the snow melted, did your lawn look like a packed felt rug? Old dried grass, fallen leaves in autumn - all this delays the growth and vegetation of plants in spring, so lawn cleaning is necessary. For combing, you can use a fan rake - they also have a smaller distance between the teeth, and they will not hurt the young turf if the lawn is young. To do this work carefully, you will have to go through the entire area in two directions: along and across. Renovation of the lawn by combing is best done before the appearance of young shoots.

If this felt mat is thick and dense, it is better to mechanize combing and use a special unit - a scarifier, which not only removes the felt layer, but also makes small cuts in the soil, improving its ventilation. This procedure is called lawn scarification.

Aeration

Lawn aeration is the piercing of the lawn turf with sharp spikes. This technique is necessary to improve the supply of plant roots with oxygen, water and nutrients.

As you know, two types of bacteria live in the soil: aerobic and anaerobic. Aeration activates aerobic soil bacteria by delivering oxygen to them. As a result, the absorption of nutrients by plant roots is improved, as well as soil structure.

Aeration must be done once a year in the spring. With intensive use of the coating, as well as with severe drought or heavy rain, the procedure will have to be repeated.

Important: aeration is carried out before the introduction of spring top dressing.

To find out if the lawn needs aeration, you need to make a small vertical cut of the turf: if the rhizomes penetrate only five centimeters deep or less, then this procedure is vital for the plants, followed by intensive care (fertilizing and watering).

Aeration tools:

1. Special sandals with spikes.

Sandals with spikes are fixed on the shoes. Moving along the lawn with small steps, we pierce the soil, pressing with our weight on the turf. The more steps you take, the better the aeration. For 1 sq. meter it is necessary to make 200-300 punctures. Sandals are not used on a young lawn - the turf is still too weak and can be easily damaged. If you find it difficult to pierce the soil, try removing a few teeth, but you will have to step more often.

2. Aerator.

This garden tool is a roller with nozzles in the form of stars or spikes on a long handle. It can be mechanical or equipped with an engine (electric, gasoline). When choosing an aerator, first of all, it is necessary to be guided by the size of the area sown with grass, as well as its remoteness from the power source.

Mechanical aerators require a lot of physical effort to operate, so they are best used on a small lawn. Among the advantages of such a tool, one can note a low price, independence from energy sources, low weight, and no noise.

Electric aerators have a higher performance, but an extension cord will have to be extended to the place of their work. Such a tool will successfully process a medium-sized lawn and a woman can easily handle it.

Aerators with a gasoline engine are distinguished by maximum productivity and large loosening depth. They are designed for handling very large grass areas and long continuous operation.

When choosing an electric or gasoline aerator, evaluate the following tool parameters:

• engine power
• tool weight
• tillage depth (the best models are equipped with 3-5 modes)
• working width (the wider the grip, the faster you can process a large area)
• the presence of a grass catcher

In the absence of other tools, you can use ordinary garden pitchforks with sharp teeth. Pierce the sod without turning the bed as often as possible. To make the holes smooth and the forks easy to pull out, do this: stick them into the ground and shake a little back and forth or left and right.

How to properly aerate your lawn?

1. We carry out this event only in cloudy weather.
2. It is better if the soil is sufficiently moist: in a couple of days, in the absence of rain, we water the site well.
3. We pierce the sod in rows with an overlap of 3-4 cm. Increase the number of punctures if the sod is very dense (old lawn).
4. We leave the lawn for several days to dry the clods of earth pulled out by the thorns. Then we remove them with a rake.
5. We add fertilizer.
6. We water the lawn.

In the spring, nitrogen-containing mineral or organic fertilizers are applied to stimulate the growth of the aerial parts of plants. For information on how to choose and apply fertilizers, read our special article.

Overseeding lawn grass mixture

After the spring care activities, problem areas where the grass has rotted out or died become clearly visible. Repair of the lawn in the spring in such areas is carried out with the help of overseeding grass mixture. It is best to use the seeds that are left after laying the lawn. If they are not available, select the mixture of the same manufacturer that is as similar in composition as possible to the entire area.

We perform sowing as follows: in the place where there is no grass, we scatter the seeds evenly, scatter the earth from above, carefully leveling it with a rake. In the absence of rain, overseeding areas must be carefully watered.

Fighting problems

In the spring, unpleasant spots. This can be caused by various reasons:

1. Mold, fungus.

If the grass in the area of ​​​​the spot is dark and covered with a whitish coating, this area is affected by a fungal disease and must be treated with a fungicidal preparation. Measures of a radical struggle are also possible: cut a piece of sod and sow seeds in this place again.

2. Chemical burn.

If fertilizers were applied unevenly in autumn or there was no watering after they were applied, then the grass may burn out. The same burns remain from spilled gasoline or oil when using a lawn mower, as well as from waste products of animals - cats or dogs. To restore the damaged area, we perform all standard care measures: combing, aeration, watering, top dressing. If no changes occur, then the roots are damaged and only the removal of the sod in this place and the oversowing of seeds will help.

To clean the lawn from mushrooms, they must be removed along with the mycelium located in the soil. Carefully dig a trench as the mushrooms grow, fill it with new soil, compact and sow the seeds.

Fight against moles. The appearance of large heaps of earth on the lawn in spring signals that moles have been here. These animals feed on worms and various insect larvae. When digging passages, moles periodically throw the earth to the surface, which forms the so-called "molehills". It must be removed from the surface of the lawn, and the course to fall asleep. Numerous folk methods of dealing with moles often do not bring any results: the mole closes up the old tunnel and digs a new one.

The most effective remain: purchased ultrasonic repellers, mole traps and poisonous baits.

1. Repellers.

In order for the devices to help in the fight against moles, keep track of the number of repellers on the site. It should match the one recommended by the manufacturer, replace the batteries in them in time.

2. Mole catchers.

Mole catchers are installed in a passage dug by a mole, which can be found on slightly raised ground. Carefully open the passage with a shovel and put in it, moving as far as possible, two molehills, oriented with the entrance in different directions. We put one mole catcher to the right of the hole, the other to the left.

3. Poison baits.

To lay the bait, you need to pierce the ground along the tunnel with a pointed stick or pin. We lay the bait through the hole with a spoon, carefully close the hole with earth, trying to prevent shedding.

Conclusion. If you have completed the entire complex of lawn care in the spring, in a few weeks it will acquire its former healthy and beautiful appearance. It's time for regular trimming and watering. In our special article, we talk about how to properly lawn, as well as the tools necessary for this.