So much effort was spent on mowing the lawn, aerating, fighting weeds... It would be a shame if after winter our precious lawn turns out withered and with bald spots. Consultants and experienced users of our portal tell you what activities are necessary.

In this article we will cover:

• Is it necessary to do water-recharging irrigation?
• When is the last time to mow the lawn?
• How to fertilize the lawn on the eve of wintering.
• Is lawn cleaning required?
• What to do if the grass turns yellow.
• The main condition for successful overwintering of the lawn.

Should I do water-recharging irrigation?

Once upon a time in the Urals, where a member of our portal lives with the nickname Helen68 It was a dry autumn. The average daily temperature fluctuated for several weeks from minus at night to +6 during the day. It is difficult to make the right decision in such a situation: on the one hand, you want to properly charge the lawn with moisture so that it can withstand the winter well, but on the other hand, you are afraid of causing harm.

Consultant of our portal, agronomist with nickname Sodmaster, believes that excess water is harmful to the lawn.

Sodmaster

In my conditions, I would consider moisture-recharging irrigation completely unnecessary. I am very, very afraid of excess water, so I can also water it in the fall, when the lawn definitely doesn’t need it.

Usually, regular watering of the lawn stops in September, and in early October they stop watering altogether. Overmoistening of the soil is unacceptable, this leads to weakening and.

When is the last time to mow the lawn?

There is no calendar with the dates of the last lawn mowing depending on the region, and the FORUMHOUSE consultant Sodmaster recommends “mow while you mow,” while listening carefully to the lawn and to yourself. It gets cold and you don’t want to take the lawn mower, which means we cut less often and to a greater height.

Sodmaster

But I’m still inclined to do the last haircut (again, I don’t insist!) lower, so that there’s less fuss in the spring.

A member of our portal, a “lawn maniac” from Yerevan with the nickname Orchidika advises that for the last cutting, keep the grass height in the range of no lower than 4-5 cm and no higher than 7-8 cm.

How to pre-winter fertilize your lawn

Usually in the fall we stop fertilizing with nitrogen so as not to unnecessarily stimulate the growth of green mass and not to weaken the plant, which will already have a hard time in the coming winter months. But with nitrogen the situation is somewhat different. It has been proven that autumn fertilizing with nitrogen is absolutely safe for the lawn, the only thing is that you won’t see the results of these fertilizing in the near future.

In terms of timing: you can fertilize the lawn with nitrogen at the very end of autumn, the main thing is that the temperature does not fall below +5 degrees. Under these conditions, the roots of the lawn grass can still absorb nitrogen. Having accumulated in the roots, nitrogen will “work” in early spring, and the lawn will turn green earlier than usual.

On the other hand, this fertilizer can be used with equal success in the spring.

Orchidika

When fertilizing before winter, nitrogen accumulates in the roots, and in the spring the lawn begins to grow earlier. And only you have to decide whether you need to fertilize before winter or use the same fertilizer in the spring (my preferred option).

Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers have a beneficial effect on root formation, but it is better to apply them early, at the end of Indian summer, when the soil temperature is above +10. And for watering. But you can add potassium later; it will not disappear from the lawn over the winter, and the plants will also need it in the spring.

Sodmaster

It is not so important with the timing - potassium, which acts like antifreeze in the plant, does not allow the cell sap to freeze. Even if you apply potassium fertilizer now, the potassium will be in the soil, and the plant will take it when it sees fit.

Is lawn cleaning required?

Your lawn heading into winter should be healthy and clean. Using a special fan rake, we clear it of fallen leaves and remove the so-called felt from the grass (this procedure will reduce the risk of damping off) or use a scarifier.

Leaves should not be left on a lawn that is going into winter.

PapaTemi FORUMHOUSE Member

We have been doing maintenance on the same area for the eighth year, before winter we cut it by 5 cm and scarify it, everything was fine, but last year the client decided to save money in the fall, and the lawn was left, untreated and uncut, and unfed. In spring - snow mold on rotten rags and bald spots.

Cleaning the lawn cannot be neglected; this procedure improves the supply of oxygen to the roots of the plant and increases the chances of successful overwintering.

IgorOld FORUMHOUSE Member

On the lawn, in places where there were minor bald spots, young birch trees began to sprout. So when the earrings fall off, it would be appropriate to vacuum them once again.

In rainy autumn, it won’t hurt, thanks to which excess moisture will drain from the lawn into the soil. This event is always held in the spring, immediately after the snow has cleared from the lawn, but it will also be appropriate in October.

Autumn lawn repair

It is not advisable to send a lawn with bald spots and holes into the winter. In each hole you need to add grass (the one that makes up your lawn), cover it with fertile soil and compact it, or make “patches” of turf.

We comb out the withered grass from the bald spots, loosen the soil, sow the seeds, sprinkle with fertile soil, water and compact.

Lawn repairs will also have to be carried out in the spring; most likely, after the snow melts, you will still find bald spots. Therefore, stock up on seeds.

Ttt777ttt FORUMHOUSE Member

To reduce bald spots, at the end of winter - beginning of spring, pierce the crust with a pitchfork, sprinkle with ash - speed up the snow melting.

What to do if the lawn turns yellow on the eve of wintering

As he says Sodmaster, lawn grass is adapted to survive unfavorable conditions, and it is quite difficult to “kill” it. In autumn, nutrients flow from the leaves to the roots; Sensing the approach of winter, plants accumulate sugars in the rhizomes and tillering nodes - in those organs that need to overwinter and give rise to new growth. Therefore, we should not panic when the lawn turns yellow; this is a completely normal, natural process. There are studies that show that lawn grass varieties that turn yellow earlier overwinter better.

The most important condition for successful overwintering is to prevent the formation of paths and other compactions in the snow on top of the lawn. When clearing paths, you should not store snow on the edge near the path; you must scatter it evenly over the lawn. If this is not possible, and there is only a place to store snow piles on the lawn, then at least in the spring, when they begin to thaw, it is necessary to scatter them evenly, and thereby save the lawn from damping out.

The bulk of lawn care work occurs in the spring: repairing bald spots, reseeding grass, removing debris accumulated over the winter, decorating the edges of the lawn, etc. Caring for lawn grass in the fall will help you significantly reduce the hassle of spring, as well as protect your plants during the most unfavorable period for them.

How to care for your lawn in autumn: mowing, watering and fertilizing

Growing a lawn on your own without the help of specialists is a very responsible matter, because it depends only on you whether the sown grass will sprout, whether the turf will be thick, and whether it will be damaged. No less worrying is how lawn grass will survive the winter under a layer of snow. In order not to lose the beautiful lawn that you worked so hard on when the cold weather sets in, you need to provide proper fall lawn care and prepare it for winter.

Growing a lawn on your own without the help of specialists is a very responsible undertaking.

Autumn lawn care consists of the following procedures:

• watering,
• mowing grass,
• feeding,
• soil aeration.

The above work is carried out in September-October, before frost.

Video about autumn lawn care

Over the summer months, you have gained experience, learned a lot about how to care for your lawn, and have already gotten used to it almost every week. With the arrival of autumn, this procedure will be carried out less and less often, as the earth begins to cool and the plants slow down their growth. You should not give up cutting, otherwise the regrown grass will wither and fall to the ground with the onset of cold weather; in the spring, withered grass can become a serious obstacle to new green shoots. This is why the lawn must be mowed in winter.

How many times during the autumn period you will have time to mow the lawn depends on the vagaries of the weather. If you mow the grass in mid-September, the Indian summer will drag on, and the plants will have time to stretch out so much that you will have to cut them again. Or there may be early frosts that will catch the greenery, then it will be too late to mow the lawn. In general, it is recommended that the last cutting of lawn grass be done two weeks before frost, so that the plants have time to grow to the optimal height of 8 cm.

But due to the fact that even weather forecasters cannot correctly predict the weather, it is difficult to guess which haircut will be the last. Don't worry about this and simply mow the lawn as it grows, leaving the grass at least 5 cm high so that the plants do not spend too much energy on recovery, but save nutrients for the winter.

Preparing the lawn for winter necessarily includes fertilizing with mineral fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium.

The cut grass can be immediately sent to the beds, cleared of vegetables. This way, next season you won’t have to worry about where to get humus to fertilize the beds, and there will be no need to do extra work - first transporting the cut grass to the compost pit, and then transporting it to the beds from there.

Preparing the lawn for winter necessarily includes fertilizing with mineral fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium - they stimulate root formation of plants. Feed the lawn in the evening, remembering to water the grass after fertilizing. Nitrogen fertilizers should be stopped applied to the soil starting in August, since nitrogen enhances the growth of green mass, and this is completely useless now.

Lawn care in the fall does not require regular watering, because in September it rains more often. If the weather is dry, it will be enough to water the grass by sprinkling once every five days, trying to prevent the formation of puddles. In October, it is recommended to stop watering to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged, which will cause the plants to weaken and become sick.

Aeration and easy lawn repair

After mowing, thoroughly clean the lawn of fallen leaves and grass clippings. If you do not immediately take care of removing plant debris, the grass cover will noticeably fade under a dense carpet of uncollected grass and leaves. And after rains, increased humidity will lead to the development of lawn grass diseases. The most convenient way to remove plant debris is with a fan rake, which at the same time lifts the grass after cutting.

After mowing, thoroughly clean the lawn of fallen leaves and grass clippings.

An important autumn procedure is aeration or simply piercing the turf with a garden fork (you can use a walk-behind tractor with a special attachment, or an aerator). Aeration is necessary so that water after cold autumn showers freely penetrates into the deep layers of the soil, and does not freeze on the surface of the earth like a crust of ice. It is best to pierce the lawn in dry weather; you can do this as early as September.

Many people leave lawn repairs until the spring, but some preventative measures can be taken in the fall. Of course, it is not worth reseeding young grass because of the likelihood of frost - it is more convenient to hide thinned and burnt areas of the lawn in the spring. In the autumn months, you can level the surface of your lawn using sand mixed with leaf humus. Pour the mixture into small holes, leaving deep ruts for spring, and immediately compact the sand. The entire lawn area can be lightly sprinkled with a mixture of dry compost and peat to increase the fertility of the soil that has been depleted over the season.

Video about lawn care in autumn

It should also be noted a few basic rules on how to care for lawn grass with the onset of cold weather:

• in rainy or frosty weather, try to step on the lawn as little as possible; it is advisable to carry out all work by stepping on boards and not on plants;
• until the lawn is covered with at least 15 cm of snow, reduce any load on it as much as possible;
• do not flood the lawn with a roller;
• snow from the paths should not be thrown onto the lawn;
• Break the ice crust formed on the snow-covered lawn during the thaw with a garden rake so that oxygen reaches the plants.

It is best to pierce the lawn in dry weather; you can do this as early as September

In the tab to the article you will find a video that clearly shows how to care for your lawn in the fall. Don’t leave your lawn to the mercy of fate, pay attention to it, and fresh grass will turn green on your site every season!

In spring, you will be incredibly pleased with all the different grasses that reign in your lawn. However, if you want your green lawn to amaze with its emerald color next season, in other words, for the lawn to grow and develop well, in the fall you need to properly care for the grass and carry out mandatory measures to prepare it for winter. You will learn about what is included in the autumn activities for caring for and preparing the lawn for winter - watering, fertilizing, mowing, aeration, etc. from our material.

What is included in the autumn activities for caring for and preparing the lawn for winter?

The main autumn activities for caring for and preparing the lawn for winter are as follows:

• watering;
• feeding;
• a haircut;
• leveling the surface of the area (if necessary);
• aeration;
• cleaning up debris (leaves).

Note! All activities should be carried out only in dry and preferably clear weather. Walking on wet grass in autumn or spring is prohibited, just like walking on snow in winter.

Watering the lawn in autumn

If rains come along with autumn in your region, then the need for regular watering of the lawn practically disappears. But if the drought continues, then you need to water the grass at least once a week or even a little more often.

Naturally, the best and only correct method of watering lawn grass is sprinkling.

Watering the lawn, as a rule, stops when the temperature drops, somewhere along with the last mowing, because in no case is it recommended to provoke freezing of the moistened soil.

Important! If you notice that puddles are forming in certain places, and as you know, stagnant moisture is extremely detrimental to the lawn (leads to rotting), you should level the surface as soon as possible, which will be discussed below.

Autumn feeding

Note! Autumn lawn no need for nitrogen fertilizers, which promote the growth and expansion of green mass. They are necessary only in spring and summer, but not in the autumn.

Autumn fertilizing of the lawn is carried out with the aim of strengthening its root system so that the grass becomes more frost-resistant, because we are talking about preparing it for winter, and therefore for frost.

To stimulate root growth (phosphorus) and increase disease resistance (potassium) In autumn, lawn grass should be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Important! The lawn, like any other plants, should be fed only on moist soil, so it would seem necessary to water it first. However, in the case of a lawn, on the contrary, it is recommended to water after the fertilizer has been evenly distributed over the dry grass, which can be done using a special device.

It is optimal to use as phosphorus fertilizer double(30-40 grams per 1 square meter of area).

Potash fertilizers: potassium sulfate(20-30 grams per 1 square meter) or (100-200 grams per 1 square meter of area).

By the way! Exist ready-made complex fertilizers for feeding the lawn in the fall.

Important! If you decide to feed the lawn after mowing, then you should do it after 1-2 days, giving time for the wounds to heal.

Last lawn mowing before winter

The optimal height to which you need to mow the grass during the last autumn mowing is 6-8 centimeters.

So why mow the lawn before winter? If you leave tall grass (above 10 cm), it will certainly fall down during frosts and rot in the winter. If the grass is too low (below 6 cm), it may simply freeze.

As for the specific dates when you can mow the lawn for the last time before winter, you first need to monitor the weather forecast. It is recommended to carry out the last haircut no later than 2 weeks before frost. Thus, on average in the south - this is the end of October - early November, in the middle zone (Moscow region) - the second half of September - early October, in the Urals and Siberia - the first half of September.

Important! All grass clippings must be removed.

Video: when and how (how much) to mow the lawn before winter and other autumn care

Leveling the lawn surface

So that on the lawn in winter, during thaws, puddles do not form (in the lowlands), which then turn into an ice crust (due to which the grass will not be able to breathe, the roots will not receive oxygen, and as a result, in the spring there will be a bald spot in this place), In the fall it is necessary to carry out mandatory leveling.

How to level the area? For this you will need sand and leaf humus. Pour this mixture into the holes and other uneven areas and compact it.

By the way! If the surface of the grass is uneven, there is a relief, then in the lowlands the lawn may receive too much fertilizer, and on the hills, on the contrary, it will not receive enough, which is why, as a rule, the grass burns out (in the lowlands). Therefore, in order for nutrients to be evenly distributed throughout the area, it must be level.

Lawn aeration in autumn

One of the main measures to prepare a lawn for winter is its autumn aeration.

Let's remember! Aeration (ventilation) of the lawn is the saturation of the soil with oxygen by piercing the turf layer. Moreover, this procedure must be carried out at least 3 times per season: in the summer and, in fact, in the fall.

You can aerate lawn grass either using a special electric or gasoline aerator (scarifier), or you can use mechanical means, be it aerator sandals or garden forks. There is also a special aerator roller.

Aeration using a garden fork is carried out as follows: you must pierce the soil to a depth of 15-20 cm and every 15-20 cm, while you need to slightly lift the layer of turf, as if tilting it towards you (placing the forks at an angle).

What is the purpose of lawn aeration in the fall? This procedure will additionally protect your lawn from the formation of an ice crust on it in winter, since moisture will be able to freely penetrate into the soil (lower layers of soil), and the roots of the grass will be able to receive the necessary oxygen.

Important! If there is a mole net under your lawn (at a depth of 5-10 cm), then aeration for the winter still needs to be done, but it is better to pierce the ground more carefully with an ordinary garden fork.

Cleaning up leaves and other debris

After all the activities, it is necessary to carry out autumn sanitary cleaning of the lawn, during which all leaves and other debris (all sorts of sticks and the like) should be removed. The most convenient (easier to work) is to do this using a fan rake.

By the way! You can remove leaves from the lawn at the same time as the last mowing.

If this is not done and all the garbage is left on the site, then a crust of compacted leaves will be created, in which various microorganisms are formed, which will contribute to the appearance and proliferation of pathogenic flora (mold, bacteria, microbes). In addition, this will become a kind of natural barrier to the normal supply of oxygen to the roots. As a result, in the spring you will see serious bald spots, which means you will have to do lawn repairs and reseeding grass.

Advice! Avoid placing large piles of snow on your lawn in winter. It must be distributed evenly over the surface. Naturally, the grass will not feel comfortable under huge snowdrifts, which means that in the spring there is a high probability of seeing a bald spot in this place...

Thus, if you work a little harder in the fall and properly prepare your lawn for winter, then in the spring you won’t need to spend a lot of time and effort restoring your lawn grass after winter. No wonder they say: “Prepare the sleigh in the summer and the lawn in the fall!”

In contact with

Some summer residents, when planting a green lawn in the spring, do not even think about the fact that caring for the lawn in winter is one of the important stages in maintaining the beauty and health of the grass.

The procedures for maintaining the attractive appearance of your site after winter are not so difficult to implement. In this article you can learn how to prepare your lawn grass for winter and what to do to avoid unwanted hassle after a long winter.

How to prepare your lawn for winter?

To protect the lawn from adverse influences, as well as to preserve the turfy layer of soil as much as possible, preparing the lawn for winter should begin in September.

The most important procedure to ensure a comfortable microclimate under thick snow is aeration. Such care will ensure proper air exchange, and during the season of autumn and spring rains, as well as melting snow, it will create favorable moisture circulation. To prepare your lawn for winter care in this way, you will need an aerator or sharpened forks.

If you are just thinking about creating a beautiful green meadow, you can prepare the soil for the lawn in advance. To do this, clear and level the area, and then roll it tightly with a garden roller. After the snow melts, you can start planting grass almost immediately.

When is the last time to mow the lawn before winter?

Lawn grass goes through several stages of development before winter - from active growth on sunny autumn days to complete drying. The intensity of its growth depends on weather conditions and may vary depending on the region. Of course, leaving thick grass cover in the winter is not the wisest decision. But when to mow the lawn before winter, if the weather is so changeable?

• End of September – October (for the middle zone);
• October – November (for warm regions).

It is advisable to mow the grass before winter if the weather is stable and rainy or if there are night frosts. It is during this period that the cold actively affects the tender stems, gradually inhibiting their growth.

You can learn how to mow lawn grass in the fall in one of our articles.

Autumn fertilizer for the lawn

In order for your green lawn to continue to please you for a long time, you need to regularly use special fertilizers. Fertilizing the lawn in the fall is a mandatory procedure, allowing the soil to replenish its supply of useful microelements, minerals and humic acids.

Complex fertilizers for autumn application are different:

1. Organic;
2. Mineral;
3. Organo-mineral.

In our store you will find a special complex autumn fertilizer (“OMU autumn”) - this is a balanced complex of substances necessary to protect the soil and grass from winter cold. It contains the entire necessary list of substances that activate grass growth in early spring.

You can find out how and when to apply autumn fertilizers in one of our articles or in the instructions for fertilizing.

Lawn care in autumn - preparing for winter

In order for your area to recover faster from winter cold, rain and unstable spring weather, caring for your lawn grass in the fall should be especially thorough. The most necessary procedures that need to be performed:

• Removing decorative elements and debris from the surface;
• A haircut;
• Scarification and aeration;
• Fertilizing the lawn before winter.

As additional measures, procedures can be carried out to remove weeds, insect pests, as well as sowing new grass.

After fertilizing, you can also mulch. This procedure involves cutting the grass and then using it as a thermoregulating layer. This type of care is especially important for young surfaces whose roots have not yet formed a dense turf layer. In addition, finely ground shoots are an excellent plant fertilizer. Read more about this procedure in our special article.

In this section we have collected useful recommendations from experienced gardeners and landscape designers. Our advice will help you get answers to all frequently asked questions - when to apply fertilizer for lawn grass, how to carry out vegetation care procedures, what to do to protect your lawn from diseases and pests.

1. To prevent stains and bald spots from appearing on the site, you should not throw snow from the paths onto the lawn. Long melting of snow in the spring can significantly deteriorate the appearance of your coating.
2. When should you apply complex autumn fertilizer? We recommend fertilizing the soil only after all necessary procedures have been carried out. It is better if the fertilizer is in solid granular form.
3. Winter grass varieties will help speed up spring growth. If you want luxurious greenery as quickly as possible, plant some bluegrass or ryegrass. These varieties ripen the fastest.

By following these simple rules, you can not only protect your lawn from winter cold, but also provide it with proper nutrition and active growth in the spring.

Proper lawn care in the fall and its preparation for winter is the key to a beautiful emerald lawn in the spring and summer. The autumn work cycle includes a list of mandatory activities: watering, mowing, fertilizing, oxygenation, leaf removal and restoration. Each of the processes is carried out within a certain time frame and has its own nuances. The correct tactics for autumn work will help lawn grass to withstand the first frosts and endure winter hibernation.

Autumn lawn care

With the onset of cold weather, the ground part of the grass gradually damps out and freezes out, so lawn owners must direct their efforts to strengthening the root system. For this purpose, the watering regime is regulated, fertilizing and aeration are carried out in a timely manner.

Lawn in autumn

Proper watering of lawn plants

In summer, in dry weather, without additional moisture, lawn grass turns brown. To prevent this, the lawn is watered regularly. During the rainy season, the roots extract moisture naturally.

Determining whether your lawn needs watering in the fall should be done on an individual basis. It is important to take into account the type of soil, weather conditions and the time of previous watering. Plantings on loam and alumina are unpretentious to water - they need to be irrigated only during the dry period.

Irrigation system for grass cover

In dry weather, the grass cover is moistened once a week by sprinkling. Watering should be done in the first half of the day so that the soil has time to become saturated with water - during this period the formation of puddles is unacceptable.

The last watering of the lawn before winter is carried out no later than the first week of October. Next, irrigation is stopped to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged. Due to excessive watering, the root system may weaken or die with the onset of frost.

Feeding according to all rules

Constant cutting of lawn grass depletes the soil - the soil quickly loses potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. If you do not fertilize your lawn in the fall, it will gradually begin to fade and thin out.

For nutrition in the autumn, it is necessary to use only potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizers should be abandoned, as they accelerate plant growth and stimulate the development of shoots, which is undesirable on the eve of winter cold.

Distribution of granular fertilizer

How to feed the lawn in the fall? It is optimal to use complex fertilizers in care to prepare the grass for overwintering. Their main task is to reduce growth processes and enhance nutrition of the roots. Diammophosk N10P20K20 meets these requirements. The substance contains a minimum of nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium in equal proportions. In autumn, diammofoska is used at the rate of 2 kg per hundred square meters.

Autumn complex fertilizers for lawns also include:

1. Composition NPK 3-11-44. The product increases the resistance of grass to frost. Enrichment with potassium strengthens plants, increases resistance to diseases, and also helps reduce moisture. Thanks to its comprehensive action, the risk of damage to plant cells by ice microcrystals is reduced.
2. The long-acting EverrisProTurf 18-0-7+3CaO+3MgO complex releases nutrients into the soil and roots gradually over two to three months. Calcium strengthens greens, and magnesium improves their color. Application rate – 20-35 g/sq.m. m.

Diammofosk enriched with potassium and phosphorus

An alternative to complex fertilizers is to purchase superphosphate and potassium sulfate separately. Double superphosphate is a “long-lasting” top dressing, so it is used in autumn care. Consumption rate – 50-70 g/sq.m. m. A large number of nutrients are contained in bone meal and wood ash.

Fertilizing the lawn in the fall to strengthen the roots should be done no later than mid-October. Optimal conditions are slightly moist soil. During the dry period, the lawn must be irrigated after fertilizing.

Double superphosphate for plant nutrition

Aeration and its importance

The mandatory complex for caring for grass in the fall must include soil aeration. Piercing the turf during this period performs a number of tasks:

1. When watering, water will be able to penetrate into the deep layers of the soil, preventing stagnation of moisture, the formation of puddles and ice crusts on the surface.
2. After summer, the soil becomes compacted, and the supply of nutrients to the roots becomes more difficult. After aeration, the soil becomes loose, the root system is quickly enriched with oxygen and useful micro- and macroelements.
3. Aerating the lawn in the fall helps plants withstand the cold. Air has low thermal conductivity, therefore, the better the earth “breathes,” the longer it retains heat.

Soil aeration technology

“Ventilation” is performed in two ways:

1. Using a hollow tooth aerator. Small areas are removed from the soil, the diameter of which does not exceed 2 cm. The advantage of core aerators is the removal of the top turf and slight compaction of the soil.
2. Piercing with solid metal pins without displacing the soil layer. The advantage of the method is the simplicity of the aeration process.

Motorized Lawn Aerator

To organize such care, both high-tech equipment and homemade equipment are used.

Aerators with electric and gasoline engines. Motor units are easy to use and allow you to process large areas in a short time. Gasoline models are distinguished by high power, while electric ones are easy to maintain.

Homemade mechanical aerator

Mechanical aerators. You can make a gurney with rotating long spikes yourself.

Aerator sandals are affordable and great for cleaning a small area.

Aerator pads for shoes

Forks are the simplest device. The disadvantage is that the work is labor-intensive.

Nuances of autumn aeration:

• “ventilation” period is September-October;
• it is better to perform the procedure on slightly moist soil;
• It is better to do aeration before autumn fertilizing;
• After piercing, you cannot walk around the area for 2-3 days.

Piercing the soil with a pitchfork

Preparing your lawn for winter

The main set of care measures carried out on the eve of cold weather comes down to cleaning the lawn, mowing and restoring bald spots.

Do-it-yourself lawn mowing

In conditions of frosty winter, as well as stable snow cover, the question very often arises: whether to mow the lawn for the winter or not. Experienced gardeners and landscapers answer unequivocally - haircuts must be included in care for the following reasons:

1. Grass clippings consume few nutrients, so the stress on the roots is reduced. The roots have time to prepare for the arrival of the first frost.
2. Stems that are too long will disappear under the snow, forming a felt of dead vegetation. The flooring attracts rodents and prevents the growth of young greenery.

Important! For the health and future condition of plants, the decisive factor is the correct choice of when to mow the lawn before winter. If you cut it very early, the grass will have time to grow back before the onset of cold weather, preventing the roots from preparing for frost. Late mowing can cause the lawn to freeze.

Autumn grass cutting

The optimal time for the last mowing of the lawn before winter is two weeks before the onset of persistent frost. It is necessary to focus on statistical data on the average temperature in a certain area, and also take into account the long-term weather forecast.

In Siberia and in the northern zone, pre-winter mowing occurs in the second or third decade of September. In regions with a temperate climate - at the beginning of October, and in the south - at the end of October or beginning of November.

Rules for mowing the lawn in autumn:

1. It is not advisable to leave greenery 8 cm or more in height for the winter. It is optimal to mow the grass to a depth of 5 cm - this is enough for the leaves and stems to recover from mowing and become stronger a few days before frost. For parterre landscaping, cutting to a height of 4 cm is acceptable.
2. Before mowing the lawn for the winter, fallen leaves from trees and bushes must be removed from the area. If this requirement is neglected, then the foliage will wither under the snow cover - by spring, bald spots are guaranteed to appear on the site.
3. On clay soil, cutting should be accompanied by drainage measures.
4. All grass clippings must be removed from the area.

Lawn cutting height

Removing leaves from the area

With the arrival of autumn, many summer residents are wondering whether it is necessary to remove fallen leaves from the lawn. On the one hand, foliage is an excellent nutrient supply for soil microflora and a place for overwintering beneficial insects, and on the other hand, it is an environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms and the habitat of rodents.

Experienced gardeners are unanimous in their opinion - the foliage must be removed. Under a dense layer of leaves, the lawn grass gradually withers and completely rots during the winter. With the arrival of spring, you can find a rather sad picture on the site - bald spots in a once flat and well-groomed lawn.

Cleaning leaves with a fan rake

A reasonable solution is to rake leaves from the lawn to flower beds, berry beds, trunk circles of fruit trees and beds. The mulch layer will protect the soil from washing out and provide the plants with a supply of nutrients.

Before removing leaves from the lawn, it is necessary to clarify the technical details: when and with what to collect the leaves.

Cleaning time is easy to determine. If autumn is long and the leaves fall slowly, then it is advisable to rake them every week as they accumulate. If the first snow takes you by surprise, you will have to wait until it melts. Leaf removal should not be done on a slightly frozen lawn - the greenery becomes brittle and is easy to trample.

How to collect leaves from the lawn? There are several options for quick care here.

Rake with adjustable working width

Fan rakes are ideal for raking wet leaves. Models with plastic or metal teeth are suitable. For cleaning, it is better to use tools with flat teeth that do not injure the stems and root system. A convenient option is a fan rake with an adjustable working width.

Lawn mower with grass catcher

Lawn mower with grass catcher. Processing the area with machinery allows you to combine two processes at once: mowing lawn grass and collecting leaves. However, this option cannot be used two weeks before frost - excessive cutting can cause the cereals to freeze.

Garden vacuum cleaner-leaf blower. Allows you to quickly collect dry fallen leaves from the site. Not suitable for wet lawns.

Vacuum cleaner-blower

Lawn leveling

After summer, trampled areas and bald spots appear on the lawn. To make spring maintenance easier, it is advisable to sow grass in the fall. In order for the seeds to sprout and shoots to take root well, it is important to adhere to the following planting technology:

1. In empty areas, scratch the ground with a rake or stick - this will ensure good contact of the seeds with the soil.
2. Scatter the seeds. It is advisable to use special mixtures of herbs for autumn planting. The compositions are enriched with fertilizers that promote high seed germination.
3. Cover the repair areas with a light layer of compost up to the level of the lawn. Leaf humus retains moisture well, which is necessary for seed germination.

Important! When planting before winter, it is necessary to sow the seeds more densely than in the spring, with the expectation of possible partial freezing.

Overseeding the lawn in the fall

Along the edges of the lawn, it is necessary to remove overgrown greenery, remove mounds and level the surface to the main level. Sow seeds into the resulting bald spots and cover them with a leaf-earth mixture.

Covering the lawn for the winter

First of all, you need to decide whether you need to cover your lawn for the winter? Is this necessary? Proper preparation and compliance with winter lawn care requirements allow plants to easily withstand the cold without additional shelter.

There is no special care as such during the winter period. The following rules must be adhered to:

1. In winter, there is no need to remove snow from the lawn area. It is enough to limit yourself to cleaning certain areas: paths and garden paths.
2. Until a persistent layer of snow 30 cm thick or more has formed, it is extremely undesirable to walk on the lawn. Provided there is heavy snowfall, no thaw and no temperature changes, stable flooring appears by the end of December.
3. The dense crust of ice must be broken with a garden rake so that sufficient oxygen can reach the plants.

Lawn under snow cover

By taking simple steps to prepare your lawn for winter, you will be able to prevent it from damping out and freezing and keep the decoration of the area in good condition until spring.