Get ready for spring - rejuvenation tips

Spring!! When we think of spring, we think of the shining sun, the rising temperatures (which is a change from the cold winter days) spring cleans and being outside. If you are outside you want to have a beautiful garden to sit in, nice grass to feel under your feet while enjoying the spring sun.

So while the ladies think spring cleans for the houses, the men should be thinking spring lawn and garden care. Here are some basic tips to rejuvenate your winter garden for a good spring feel (nice and ready for summer)!!

• Aerating your lawn

Make sure your lawn has recently been cut to make the spring rejuvenation process more effective.

In high traffic arears on your lawn (where the dog runs, where the kids play) the soil becomes compacted under the lawn. Another reason for compacted lawn is if you mow the lawn too short allowing soil to become exposed. In spring (the growing season) it is a great opportunity for you to get outside with your plug or spike aerator.

If you are getting ready to aerate your lawn, make sure we have had some rain and the soil under your lawn is moist. Use your aerator to place small holes all over your lawn making sure your perforate the soil. The small holes created will allow air, water and nutrients to go down into the lawn root system.

• Top dress your lawn

After aerating, it’s time to top dress. You can use a top soil or sandy loam to do this. Evenly apply the top soil or sandy loam so that your blades of grass show through. Once you have done this all over your lawn, you then need to apply a lawn starter, seed and fertiliser evenly over the lawn (you can see fertilising your tired winter grass below). Make sure you finish off with a good water.

• Fertilising your tired winter Grass

For established well growing grass, it is now time to encourage the growth and discourage the weeds. This can be done by using fertiliser and weed killer (herbicides). If you want to buy a fertiliser it is recommended that a slow-release nitrogen fertiliser is used and it is important not to apply too much to the grass (this can be very damaging to your lawn causing it to burn). To determine how much fertiliser to use, the specific measurements will be found on the fertiliser that you buy. Fertiliser should be used early in the spring season.

You can either use a spot herbicide or a generalised weed and feed. A weed and feed is a product on the market that is designed to strengthen existing grass and kill off weeds in one application. You should only use a weed and feed when you can see weeds actively growing amongst the grass. It should be applied when you are not expecting rain. If you weed and feed before some rain, it will wash the herbicide away therefore losing its effectiveness. If you are going to use a feed and weed, don’t use the generalised application more than twice a year.

• Regular Mowing

Mowing height and frequency is important for green healthy grass.

If you cut your grass too short it will be harmful to your lawn (the grass loses nutrients held at the top of the blade of grass and could cause soil to be exposed).

Cutting your grass at a higher level strengthens your grass causing it to be more tolerant to heat, to create a larger root system and makes your grass more weed tolerant (stronger to fight off the weeds).Your soil will retain water longer, if you cut your grass at a taller height.

• Compost your Garden

Now that your lawn has been prepped and is ready for the growing season of spring, we need to get the gardens prepped and ready.

Top dress your gardens beds with a compost or well-seasoned manure. If you are top dressing your garden beds with compost, it is important to remember not to dig up the garden beds in preparation for the compost. Garden beds have a complex soil ecosystem which is best left undisturbed. Any nutrients from the compost will work its way down, once it has been placed into your garden bed.

And if this just all sounds too hard and too confusing….Call THE LAWN RANGERS and we will get your garden and lawn spring ready.