Gardens are dynamic, forever evolving and always-growing! They are a thoroughly essential part of a property’s overall aesthetic appearance. Hence how you care for your garden in summer and autumn are not the same as winter and spring. Each season has its own challenges in garden care and maintenance.
Through the year, gardeners who are experienced know that good planning and consistent work can keep the garden healthy and beautiful. Of course, the plan should also include lawn care of the surrounding area to make sure that poor lawn mowing does not detract from the overall appearance of the garden itself.
Experts at Kansas State University advise that mowing wet grass is preferable to letting the grass grow too tall and then cutting it when it is dry.
Mowing height has a major impact on a lawn’s appearance and health. It is wise to mow at a lower height of 2 inches or so just before the start of winter. Keeping the grass short like this over the winter will help reduce the chance of snow mould fungus if you live at a location in the colder months.
Raking fallen leaves and other debris away from the trees and garden beds and onto the lawn is a good way to start your Winter lawn maintenance and care. Once all the leaves and clippings are raked onto the lawn, mow over them along with the grass and this will chop them up and make it easy to collect them in the catcher. They are then suitable for composting.
After mowing the lawn, it’s also good to get a little bit of weeding done. Being winter, the ground is moist and they’ll be a lot easier to get out when damp.
The best time to aerate your lawn is in Winter. It stops soil compaction while allowing nutrients to get down into the roots. This also enables all-important winter moisture to get right down into the ground. Take a garden fork, push it into the ground and wobble it backwards and forwards at about 15-centimetre intervals until the whole lawn is finished.
When it comes to feeding a lawn, it’s important to make sure that the soil hasn’t become too acidic. Do a pH test on your lawn and choose a lawn fertiliser that has the right balance. It is good to do a test once every couple of years and aim to get the pH to around about 6 to 7 which is close to neutral. The lawn will love it.
Dolomite lime will sweeten the soil. Put down the dolomite lime at about one handful per square metre about two weeks before you fertilise.
For fertilising, one can use pelletised chicken manures because they are slow-acting, safe and organic.
With all this attention, your lawn will be lush and green in spring!
These tips, however, are not exhaustive. Successful gardeners always strive to learn more, get better results whether through research or observation. This will ensure that the garden can continue performing well and being productive without losing its attractiveness. Last but not the least, you can always rely on a friendly professional like Top Cut Lawn Mowing to take care of your garden whilst we head into Winter.
Don't forget, we at Top Cut are always here to assist with your gardening needs