Preparing the lawn for winter and caring for the grass in the fall in different regions: inspection of the lawn mower and trimmer

Preparing the lawn for winter

The process of preparing lawn grass and soil for winter consists of several steps.

Step 1: watering

The closer the cold, the less often watering should be. In rainy autumn, you can completely do without it. If September is dry, once every 5–For 7 days it is desirable to irrigate the lawn by sprinkling, but in this case you need to make sure that there are no puddles.

In October, watering is stopped completely, regardless of the weather, otherwise the roots may rot.

Video: “Preparing the lawn for winter”

The video is dedicated to the important stages of preparing the lawn for winter and climatic hazards that can kill plants.

Step 2: top dressing

Autumn lawn care procedures must necessarily include top dressing, mainly the introduction of potassium and phosphorus. They strengthen the root system, increase its resistance to diseases and adverse conditions, improve the absorption of nutrients, help the plant survive the winter and grow faster in the spring.

It is best to purchase a ready-made complex fertilizer for the lawn, in which both substances are contained in the right proportion.

You can also use the following fertilizers per 1 m²:

• double superphosphate: 50–70 g;
• bone meal: 2–3 glass;
• potassium salt: 30–40 g;
• Kalimagnesia: 30–60 g;
• potassium sulfate: 20–November 30, XNUMX

If the soil is prone to acidification, dolomite flour or slaked lime is also added.

A controversial issue is the admissibility of the use of nitrogen supplements. Some prefer to apply a small amount to improve the color of the grass, others note that this provokes active plant growth, which is undesirable before winter: young shoots weaken the roots, drawing out a large amount of nutrients from them.

Top dressing is made in early September according to a special scheme. First, you should carefully water the lawn, it can even be poured a little until puddles form. A day later, when the soil is still wet, but the grass is already dry, fertilizers are applied using a spreader. In 1–2 days spend another watering.

Step 3: haircut

It is important that by the beginning of winter the length of the grass is 8–10 see. It is in this case that the lawn will survive the cold with minimal losses. If the grass is longer, it will lie under the snow, and in the spring it will begin to rot, and this will negatively affect the young growth. In addition, in this case, the risk of developing fungal diseases increases.

The timing of the last haircut varies by region. In Siberia and the Urals, this is most often done at the end of September, in the Moscow region and the middle lane as a whole. – at the beginning of October. In the south, for example КKrasnodar, the best time will be mid-October.

Lawn mower blades at the time of the last mowing must be sharply sharpened and raised to a height of 5–7 cm, so that the grass has time to grow to the required height before frost.

Do not mow for the winter only weakened lawns with thinned out–for disease or drought vegetation.

Step 4: cleaning

Fallen leaves, mowed grass and its matted remains, that is, the so-called. felt must be removed before snow appears to prevent rotting and the development of infectious diseases. In addition, under the weight of snowdrifts, the foliage will compact, and this will prevent the growth of young greenery in the spring.

Cleaning is carried out with a special fan rake with flexible teeth that do not damage the roots. To collect leaves, you can also use a garden panicle, such as chili or plastic. If you have a special “vacuum cleaner” for leaves, use it.

Another important procedure before wintering – aeration. It is carried out in dry weather.

To do this, you can use a branded aerator, and if it is not there, regular forks. With their help, you need сmake holes in the soil at a distance of 20–30 cm apart. Each time pierce the soil to a depth of about 20 cm, while slightly raising layer turfа. This procedure will saturate the soil with oxygen, in addition, allow water to flow inward, which will prevent the formation of an ice crust.

After aeration, it is advisable not to walk on the lawn for 3 days. Next, inspect the grass. If you find areas affected by fungal diseases, they must be treated with fungicides. The drug “Fundazol” has proven itself well.

If there are bald spots on the lawn, they need to be re-sown or new sod should be laid there.

Step 5: Mulching

Mulching protects the roots from overheating, prevents washing out, weathering and drying out of the soil, inhibits the growth of weeds. Organic mixtures serve as additional feeding.

For lawns, a peat-sand mixture, coarse-grained sand or peat mixed with earth and sand in equal parts is recommended as a mulch.

For the procedure, you can use a lawn mower with the appropriate function.

Equipment and inventory

In autumn, you need to take care of technology. First, let’s look at how to properly prepare a lawn mower for winter. Do the following:

1. Remove the remaining fuel from the tank, otherwise it will lose its ability to ignite during the winter and significantly impair the operation of the device. To do this, turn on the mower to idle and wait for it to turn off by itself. The battery of electric models needs to be recharged during the winter.
2. Check the oil level and change it if necessary.
3. Carefully remove grass residue from the body, deck and all components, clean the cooling fins and the exhaust area. Otherwise, corrosion processes may begin.
4. Check your knives. If there are cracks or chips, replace them with new ones. If there is no damage, remove and sharpen them or take them to a specialist for this.
5. Cover the prepared lawnmower with a cover and store it in a dry, clean place protected from extreme cold.

Now we will learn how to prepare the trimmer for winter. They do it like this:

1. As in the first case, get rid of the remaining fuel: some can be drained, the remaining – work out idle.
2. Using warm water and a brush, wash all parts on the handlebar and stem, as well as both trimmer guards. Remove the blade and clean the chuck. Inspect all parts for damage. Add lubricant to the gearbox, inspect the air filter and motor. Adjust the carburetor.
3. Lubricate the piston-cylinder group. To do this, unscrew the spark plug, then use the starter to bring the piston to the top point and pour about 20 g of engine oil into the spark plug hole, after which 3–Turn the crankshaft 4 times. Install the spark plug without tightening it.
4. In winter, remove the candle and make several turns of the crankshaft, preferably at least once a month.

The more thorough and conscientious the care of the lawn itself and the equipment will be in the fall, the easier and easier it will be for you in the spring!