Whether mowing, fertilizing or scarifying: There are various measures that contribute to a healthy lawn. This article explains step by step what gardening work needs to be done in autumn and how best to carry it out so that your green spaces get through the winter healthy.
As it gets colder towards autumn, the blades of grass grow back more slowly – but they grow. The growth of the green areas only stops temporarily when temperatures fall below ten degrees. Until then, you should continue mowing the lawn. During the last mowing of the year, it is advisable to leave the grass three to a maximum of five centimeters high (otherwise it will break off in frosty temperatures) so that the blades can continue to absorb enough sunlight. However, do not leave the clippings lying on the lawn in autumn as they will only rot slowly as the temperatures drop.
Frost and snow can take a toll on green spaces in winter. To strengthen the lawn, it can be supplied with nutrients until November – ideally with a special autumn fertilizer that contains potassium and phosphate, but contains little nitrogen (so as not to stimulate growth): the potassium it contains increases it Salinity in the soil and thus lowers the freezing point in the soil so that the lawn is better protected from frost damage. The phosphate, on the other hand, strengthens the roots. Important: Only distribute the fertilizer over the entire green area after the last lawn has been cut.
Over the course of the summer, bare, burnt or dried-out areas of the lawn often appear. To prevent weeds from spreading unhindered, these holes should be “stuffed”. Before you sow the new lawn seeds, it is important to loosen the soil – for example with a rake. Then add the reseed to the soil, ideally between 15 and 30 grams per square meter, and press it down lightly (or cover it with a little soil). It is then important to water the affected areas well and keep them moist until the seeds germinate.
A scarifier can be useful to banish unwanted growth and moss from the lawn. This can be used until autumn (the outside temperature should be over ten degrees) to supply your green areas with oxygen and light. However, you should dispose of the plant residues professionally so that they cannot form new roots in the lawn and spread. When scarifying, make sure that the sharp blades do not penetrate too deeply into the soil and possibly damage the roots of the lawn. This makes them more susceptible to frost.
If you don’t want to buy a scarifier, you should still make sure to clear your green areas of lawn weeds before the onset of winter, which develop deep roots and are therefore extremely stubborn – such as dandelions. It is important not only to remove the wild growth superficially, but also along with the long taproots, which often reach deep into the earth. It is best to use a special weed wrench or a long kitchen knife. The more weeds you remove from your lawn in the fall, the healthier your green spaces will grow back next year.
When trees and bushes lose their leaves, they spread across the lawn, depriving the grass of the already sparse light. In addition, moss can grow faster under the autumn leaves – and mold or fungus infestation under the foliage is encouraged. But fallen fruit lying around is no good for the lawn either, as it slowly rots away and attracts pests. It is all the more important that you regularly sweep up the autumn leaves with a rake and collect the rotten fruit. Here you can use a practical roll collector for support.
Source: My Beautiful Garden
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