Lawn care that is specifically designed for winter ideally needs to begin as soon as the summer is over and autumn’s leaves begin to fall. Shorter days with less light come in stark contrast to the light filled summer months. With temperatures being much cooler, and winter fast approaching to mark the end of yet another yearly lawn regeneration cycle, gardeners need make preparations before it starts again in the spring.
For lawn owners, lawn care is an extremely important part of giving all growing things the best chance of surviving the cold hard frosts and shorter, darker days of the winter. Lawn care cannot be underestimated and a few small jobs could really make a difference.
Clearing leaves and fallen branches or twigs is one of the most useful things that can be done. Windy conditions may increase throughout the autumn and this can lead to an increase tree debris. If they are not removed then it’s highly likely that damp, un-aerated patches will form below the fallen matter, which can do damage to a lawn.
Next, lawn care gardeners should give the lawn a good raking – often referred to as scarification, this should be done using the correct equipment designed specifically for this purpose. ’Thatch’, a layer of grass cuttings that forms on top of the soil following weeks of lawn mowing, is something that most lawns will build up. Unfortunately, thatch is not very good for garden lawns and can leave them unable to handle large amounts of rain properly. Lawn grass can also be stopped from developing correctly.
Lawn care can also be a useful drainage aid. When a lawn is used a lot, compaction can be caused which is a problem. Aeration is a way to return the lawn to a good condition through a method called spiking. Getting more air circulating and more water drainage, the lawn care gardener can use a garden fork to create holes some inches deep into the lawn. Although this seems quite a drastic measure, lawn care experts recommend this routinely and no damage will be done to the lawn.
Thank you for the post on autumn lawn care preparations for winter. Giving the lawn a good raking will loosen up the thatch layer for better aeration during the winter. Good post.