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Spring is coming and so is gardening time. But when is the right time to take care of the lawn?
lawn area
Manicured lawn, but how?
Most hobby gardeners know that scarifying, overseeding and fertilizing are part of the duties if a well-kept lawn is desired. But when is something due or does everything have to be done at the same time? We will help you through the chaos with step-by-step instructions and explain how you can make your lawn ready for summer in just a few steps.
In six steps to a well-groomed lawn:
- Expose the lawn and check its condition
- first use of the lawn mower
- scarify in warm weather
- Lime the lawn
- fertilize the lawn
- reseed at the end
Lawn height indicates when to mow
inventory
The first step is to get an overview
- the inventory and the exposure of the lawn area
In autumn and winter numerous leaves and branches fall from the trees. These must be removed before the lawn season begins. Old leaves in particular can become a problem because moisture forms on the lawn and it can no longer grow properly. For many hobby gardeners, existing molehills are also annoying. These can be easily removed and closed. Note that moles are a protected species and must not be killed.
mowing machine
- Time for the lawnmower
It's a never-ending debate about the right time to mow the lawn. Most hobby gardeners and experts agree that April is the best month for this. However, the cutting height when mowing for the first time should not be less than four centimetres, otherwise the sensitive grass roots are exposed and can freeze to death. Even in April there can still be cold nights.
If it is still very cold at night, it can be helpful to protect the lawn with a layer of mulch. The growth starts at least at 15 degrees anyway. This is also the reason why it makes no sense to scarify too early.
Mowing the lawn with a lawn mower
scarify
Scarifying - when is the time?
You should never scarify and mow the lawn at the same time, in April it is still far too cold for the scarifier. The best time is after the second mowing of the year. The use of the scarifier is a small art, because if you set the blades too low, the lawn can be damaged and irregular growth is the result. The scarifier blades should not penetrate the soil more than three millimeters. This depth is sufficient to reliably remove felt and moss.
Important tips at a glance:
- Do not use the scarifier until the lawn has started to grow
- the best time is after the second mowing
- do not set the knives deeper than three millimeters
- Quality instead of quantity - scarify a maximum of twice a year
Reaching for the scarifier is tempting, especially when the desired lawn is not growing as hoped. Instead of lush, green grass, there are weeds and annoying grasses. However, the more frequently the scarifier is used, the greater the risk of damage to the lawn. You should therefore use the device no more than twice a year.
apply lime
Even before you treat the lawn with fertilizer, you should regulate the pH value of the lawn. For this purpose, the floor is whitewashed and then left to rest for a few days. Once the lime is completely dissolved you can proceed to the next step.
lime the lawn
fertilizing the lawn
The right time for fertilizing is after mowing, scarifying and liming. Since the lawn plants have had a winter behind them, the additional nutrients are indispensable. There are special lawn fertilizers that are optimally tailored to the requirements of lawns. When fertilizing, make sure that the fertilizer is evenly distributed. This is important, otherwise you will provoke uneven growth.
There are special ones in specialist shops fertilizer spreader to buy, with which you can fertilize evenly. If you need to spread the fertilizer over a very large area, fertilizer spreaders can also be attached to mobile lawn tractors. To find the best day to fertilize, keep an eye on the weather. The best time is a day when the weather is overcast. It would be optimal if it rained heavily a short time later, as the fertilizer can then be easily distributed in the soil.
mending
Fix bare patches in the lawn
Despite all care measures, it can happen that you have to overseed the lawn. This is especially the case when the lawn is heavily overgrown with moss, a mole has been up to mischief or bushes have been removed. The best time to sow is between May and June. Under no circumstances should you overseed in the dry summer months, because then the sensitive young plants can burn.
Holes in the lawn have different causes
Important points to consider before sowing:
- buy the seed preferably from a specialist dealer
- When purchasing, consider the environmental conditions of your lawn
- use fresh seeds, because the germination capacity of stored seeds decreases quickly
- use the same type of seed as previously used if possible
It always makes sense to reseed bare spots with the same seed as before. If you only have to overseed a small area, you can work by hand. Alternatively and for large areas spreader for an even distribution of the lawn seeds. Scatter lawn seeds sufficiently and evenly on the bare areas and tread down the seeds. Now you have to pour it carefully, but you mustn't use too much water.
lawn seed
If you oversow in soil that is poor in humus, you should add the seed at the end potting soil cover to protect the seeds from drying out. Until germination occurs, you must keep the worked areas moist and must not be walked on.