Why prepare your lawn before winter?
With winter, temperatures can drop very low, which, after the scorching heat and episodes of drought, or even water restrictions, of summer will subject your lawn to new stress.
At the end of summer, under the effect of the cool night air and the higher humidity level, your lawn has undoubtedly regained its tone, but you should not rest on your laurels and forget that it will having to face the onslaught of winter. Preparation is therefore necessary to help him endure the harsh ordeal that awaits him.
Prepare your lawn before winter
This preparation involves the various actions described below which, before the winter rest, will allow you to make your lawn more robust and resistant.
Clean the surface
Firstly, it is recommended to clear your land of dead leaves that may cover it, especially if there are a lot of them. Two techniques are possible:
- If you want to kill two birds with one stone, you can collect them with a rake or lawn broomthen use them as mulch, placing them at the base of plants whose roots are less resistant to frost.
- If you don’t want to use them later, you can remove them by running the mower over them. They will be shredded and collected in the bin of your mower which you can then empty into your compost bin. If your mower has the “mulch” option, the leaf residue will be spread over your lawn in the form of a fine shredded material which will serve as nutrients during the winter period.
Mow before winter
From the first frost, it is no longer necessary to mow since your lawn will go dormant, but if you want to have a beautiful lawn in the spring, it is important to mow it before the arrival of the cold weather. But be careful not to cut it too short this season:
- For the various autumn mowings that are required, you can opt for a cutting height of 5 cm since during this period the grass grows back quite quickly.
- Just before the first frost, make a final cut at 7 cm. This height will protect the roots. It will then be important not to trample your lawn too much to avoid laying down or breaking the blades of grass.
Scarify your lawn
Over time, the earth settles and the grass ages. This implies the formation of a felt on the surface of the ground. This felt is, in fact, a carpet of plant waste and moss which have clumped together.
If you do not eliminate it regularly, it ends up smothering the grass. This elimination involves scarification which has the effect of incising the earth and disintegrating the felt. It is therefore recommended to scarify your lawn at the beginning of spring and before the arrival of winter to allow it to breathe better and promote its development.
This will allow the water to better penetrate the ground. This step is still not widespread, yet it is essential to benefit from a beautiful, well-maintained lawn.
Fertilize
Finally, you can fertilize your lawn one last time before winter to allow the grass to have sufficient energy to get through the winter. You will enjoy discovering a beautiful lawn when spring returns.
Liming
Lime can be used to reduce soil acidity and stimulate grass growth. This solution can be interesting if you notice the excessive appearance of moss or weeds. This step is rather at the beginning of autumn in October or November. Be sure to lime your lawn about 1 month before fertilizing to allow the product to act and promote the assimilation of the fertilizer.
Clean the mower
There you have it, your lawn is ready to face the cold weather of winter, but before storing your mower, it is best to carry out its maintenance. This will allow you to keep it longer and find it ready to resume its activity when the good weather returns. Here is how to proceed after equipping yourself with resistant gloves so as not to risk injury from the blades:
- Tip your mower over and start cleaning the underside making sure to remove all grass and soil residue. Be careful that the filter is positioned upwards to prevent the oil from leaking.
- Then go to top cleaning of your mower.
- If you own a thermal mower, there are mixtures to pour inside for the winter. It might be time to change the oil.