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There is no question that a beautiful lawn requires a lot of maintenance. It also depends on the correct order in lawn care. Mistakes in the care measures can have fatal effects on the result.
In a nutshell
- Depending on the location, fertilize three to four times a year
- Soil test recommended before fertilization
- When mowing, pay attention to the optimum blade length
- Intervals dependent on seed and season
- Lime only as needed
Lawn care in spring
Lawn care runs through the entire garden year. In addition to sufficient watering and scarifying, the right time and the perfect amount of fertilizer, mowing and liming are crucial. Lawn care work begins in early spring.
First fertilization
Before you start fertilizing in spring, the lawn must be freed of leaves and other plant debris. If it is matted, subsequent scarifying makes sense. Then it is time for the first fertilization.
- from early to mid-April
- as long as no more frosts are to be expected
- Seeds germinate at outside temperatures of at least 15 degrees
- Soil temperature at least 10 degrees
- not in rainy weather and blazing sunshine
- Apply long-acting nitrogenous fertilizers
- allow the grass to sprout more vigorously
- promote broad growth, ensure green coloring of the grass
- Dosage according to the manufacturer's specifications
You can fertilize before or after mowing. If fertilizer is applied first, the fertilizer should have already soaked into the soil at the time of mowing and not lie on the lawn. Otherwise the fertilizer granules could get caught in the long blades of grass and stick to them when it is wet. This in turn can clog the lawnmower. If you want to avoid this, you should change the order and first grab the lawn mower and fertilize about three days later.
Tip: With a newly sown lawn, you should wait with the first fertilization until the grass sprout from the ground.
First mowing
Mowing is another important part of lawn care and a prerequisite for a beautiful, dense lawn. As soon as the lawn begins to grow, it must be mowed regularly. This is the only way to develop a dense turf. After fertilizing, you should give the lawn a rest. As soon as the grass has reached a height of about seven centimetres, it is time for the first cut.
- Remove leaves and plant debris from the lawn
- optimum cutting height at four to five centimetres
- don't cut too short
- Weeds and wild growth can spread
- Increased risk of brown spots
The frequency of mowing depends on the season, because the lawn grows much faster in spring than in autumn. The next cut should be made at the latest when the stalks are seven to eight centimeters long and the clippings should be removed from the lawn after mowing.
lime the floor
Liming only needs to be done if the pH value is well below 5.5. It is best to test the soil before applying lime. Hardware stores offer corresponding test sets. It is usually sufficient to add lime to the soil every three to four years.
- best time in spring
- Liming is also possible in autumn
- no later than October
- Soil should be dry, scarify beforehand
- Apply lime in the appropriate dosage
- with spreader or by hand (gloves)
- then water well
- then let it rest for four weeks
The sequence between liming and fertilizing is irrelevant as long as you take a break of at least two weeks from lawn care. So that the fertilizer granules can be released completely.
Tip: In general, lawns need a slightly acidic environment, that's whylb one should not lime too much.
Maintenance work in summer
In the hot season, when the sun shines on the green, it is important not to make any mistakes in the sequence of lawn care.
Second fertilization
The second fertilization follows at the beginning of summer in June, this is when the grass grows the strongest. The aim of this fertilization is to strengthen the resilience of the lawn grasses in order to protect them from damage caused by heat and drought.
- balance between nitrogen and potassium is important
- Long-term lawn fertilizer especially for fertilization in summer
- provide lawns with nutrients for several weeks
- regulate the water balance
- improve the resilience of the lawn grasses
- with heavy use, if necessary, another fertilization in August
Tip: If you use mulching mowers or robotic lawnmowers, you usually have to fertilize less. The chopped clippings remain on the surface and are used as fertiliser.
Regular cut
A lawn cut that is too short can also have devastating consequences for lawn care in summer. Persistent drought, especially in July and August, as well as intense sunlight would burn the lawn. Accordingly, the grasses should now be about one centimeter longer than in spring, i.e. about five centimeters. Mowing is done about once a week in summer, ideally in the cooler evening hours, so the grass can absorb the water better.
Tip: High-quality lawn seeds grow an average of 2.5 cm per week and so-called cheap seeds 3.6 cm.
Lawn care in the fall
Towards the end of the year, there are a number of things to consider when it comes to the sequence of lawn care measures to prepare the green for the winter.
Last fertilization
Now the last fertilization takes place. In contrast to spring, this should be high in potassium. Potassium strengthens the plant tissue and makes the grass more robust and resistant for the winter. This fertilization should not be done too late. Because as soon as the temperatures drop below new degrees and there is no more growth, the grasses can no longer absorb the fertilizer. It is best to fertilize between the end of August and October.
A spreader helps distribute the granules evenly.
Cut for the last time
The last cut in autumn should be done before the first frost, before the soil temperature drops below nine degrees. The ideal straw length is about five centimetres. If you cut shorter, the frost can penetrate the soil more easily and damage the roots of the grass. On the other hand, if they are too long, they can be pushed to the ground by snow, which increases the risk of fungal diseases.
Tip: If necessary, the soil can be whitewashed again in autumn.
frequently asked Questions
Should you fertilize organically or minerally?In general, you should only use special lawn fertilizers for lawn care, because they are tailored to the needs of the grass. Mineral fertilizers are directly available to the grasses, but should be dosed a little lower to avoid over-fertilization. Organic fertilizers are more recommended due to their natural long-term effect, over-fertilization is hardly possible here.
Can liming the lawn damage surrounding plants?This is quite possible, especially if these plants are dependent on an acidic soil such. B. blueberries or other ericaceous plants. It is best to find out before planting which plants could be affected and in what form.
What does the dosage when liming depend on?The amount of lime depends on the pH value and the type of soil. It can vary between 150-200 g/m² on sandy soils, 300-400 g/m² on loamy-sandy soils and 350-450 g/m² on loamy and clayey soils. In order to spread the right amount, it is important to have precise knowledge of the nature of the soil. Too much lime when caring for the lawn can cause serious damage.