Winter – Green Garden Tribe

After the long winter days, the spring season is the perfect time to switch your attention and start preparing your lawn. But why should you prepare your lawn for spring? The short answer is that the plants in your lawn go dormant during the whole winter season. That means they are hungry and weak and probably need some nutrients for them to bounce back in life. Preparing your lawn can help them recover from the effects of dormancy and help them get into perfect shape, which they probably need for the oncoming spring. As we all know, the spring season is when we feel that the earth has come to life once again. If you prepare your lawn, it will help the grass, flowers, and trees maximize the spring season's benefits fully. With that in mind, the next step is how to prepare your lawn for spring? If you worry about that question, then it is best to put an end to it because this article will help you solve that problem. Here are the steps on how to prepare your lawn for spring: 1. Clean Your Lawn Carefully Preparing your lawn requires some significant effort of cleaning. That is because some grass never survived the winter and dead leaves falling from the trees have also gathered all over your lawn during winter. Other things like litter and dog feces also need to be cleaned up. Take note; you cannot use a lawnmower when cleaning because some debris might get stuck inside the mower, causing it to break down. But there are devices to use like rakes and air blowers. If you have air blowers, then you can save a lot of time cleaning your lawn. They seem to do the job efficiently by blowing leaves and grass residue over your lawn. But rakes can also do the job if you do not have air blowers. Aside from rakes and air blowers, you might be needing some tarpaulin or anything that can carry the things you have taken out on your lawn. Using tarpaulin instead of rolling carts is more convenient since you can just lay the tarpaulin over the lawn and stack the pile of trash on it. After that, you can easily drag the tarpaulin off the lawn to remove its contents at your local duping grounds. Nevertheless, the goal is to clean the lawn, and both devices can do so perfectly. Always remember to use gloves when cleaning to protect yourself from infection of harmful bacteria. Ensure that the lawn has dried up before cleaning it to prevent tender grassroots from being damaged when using rakes. 2. Apply Fertilizer The next important thing to do when preparing your lawn is to treat your plants by fertilizing them. It is like their reward for being dormant during the winter season. After cleaning them, applying fertilizer can give them a healthy start for the spring season. Remember that fertilizers have the crucial task of restoring the grass's nutrients when they become dormant. Thus, never forget to apply fertilizers after cleaning them. For best results, use slow-release fertilizers because they contain nutrients that have more extended periods of breakdown. This means that they can be supplied with nutrients for an extended period of time without reapplying fertilizer. Using slow-release fertilizers gives you an interval of between six to eight weeks before applying for the next batch. You can always choose another type of fertilizer but make sure that it is the right type. The fertilizers that work well with lawns contain 20 per cent nitrogen, 5 per cent phosphate, and 10 per cent potassium. Choose any fertilizer that has this type of composition. It does not matter what brand you are using as long as the lawns receive the proper nutrients. 3. Mow Accordingly Once the fertilizers are completely absorbed, you can now start mowing your lawn early and frequently. Mowing is part of lawn preparation because it gives the grass a fresh cut so that when spring arrives, it will grow thicker and healthier. After that, you have to mow every five days for six weeks during winter. If you only trim when you see that the grass is tall, it will result in root shock, which renders the grass unproductive. The frequent mowing is appropriate since the spring season because each plant, including grass, grows abundantly. By mowing regularly, you can maintain that perfect lawn landscape without stunning the roots. Before mowing, here are some things you need to do: 1. Check if the blades are sharp 2. Check if the engine is not overheating 3. Replace the spark plug 4. Change the oil 5. Grease the fittings 6. Install new air filter 7. Clean the carburetor The reason for tuning up your lawnmower is to avoid some troubles when preparing your lawn for spring. It is very frustrating to work with a faulty lawnmower. So you might as well prepare the lawn mower beforehand. 4. Trim the Trees This is only optional for those homeowners with trees on their lawn. Some lawns do not have trees planted in them. But if you are growing trees on your property, then you need to know this. Trimming can help remove the dead branches of a tree. Usually, these dead branches are the reason for falling leaves all over your lawn. Seeing dead leaves over your lawn is quite disappointing because it affects the beautiful appearance of your lawn. If you have smaller trees, you can do it by yourself but make sure that you are well-equipped with the materials needed to trim branches. Cut the branch that has dried out or is slowly drying out, and where the leaves have started to die and fall. Moreover, larger trees might need expert hands to trim the branch. It is essential to trim dead branches from a big tree; otherwise, they can cause severe property damage and injury. The best option is to hire a tree trimmer in your locality and let them do the trimming for you. 5. Take the Weeds Out The next important thing you have to do is remove the weeds because they create competition in the lawn against the grass. The weeds and grass compete for nutrients. Why allow this competition when you can choose to remove the grass anyway? That way, the grass will get all the nutrients they need without the annoying weeds. The weeds destroy the appearance of the lawn and steal the nutrients that the grass should be getting. There are various ways to remove the weeds. You can do it manually by plucking them out with your bare hands. That method is tiring, but you could turn it into a bonding experience and get your family working with you. You could have your family performing weed plucking and lawn cleaning at the same time. However, if time is not on your side, then you can opt to use weed killer and apply it over your lawn. They will kill the weeds for you, and all you have to do is remove the dead weeds residue. To save you money and time, you can also use brands that are a combination of fertilizer and weed killer in one application. Perform Lawn Mulching Mulching is an excellent soil treatment, and it has a wide variety of purposes. One example is that it provides nutrients to the soil. If the soil is healthy, it can be the best growing medium for your lawn, especially during the spring season. When mulching, use a mulching mower to get better results. But first, you should know that lawn mulching is different from regular mulching, where you lay down a protective layer on the soil. Lawn mulching is different for it involves double-cutting of grass. The first is mowing, and the second is re-cutting the grass through small grass cuttings. The small grass cuttings are deposited in the lawn and act as a fertilizer to improve your turf's health for the spring season. The notable benefit of lawn mulching is it creates a greener and healthier-looking lawn. Lawn mulching is another organic fertiliser method that is quite favorable to those who believe in organic farming. One more reason why lawn mulching is necessary to include in your preparations for a healthy lawn in the spring season. Organic and harmless, although special equipment is needed - being the mulching mower. 7. Fill the Empty Spots There are several cases where winter has caused severe damage to your lawn by leaving empty spots. The grass over particular areas of your property has died, revealing the soil visible. This can be a big problem with the appearance of your lawn. But worry not because there are simple solutions to remedy this problem. • Clean the specific area This is because dead dried grass residue is still at the surface of the lawn. You can rake or use an air blower. You don't have to remove the dead grass. • Irrigate the area One reason that the area has become empty is that the grass might be getting fewer nutrients. Irrigating the area naturally with water cures the problem of the soil. • Aerate the area Aside from irrigation, it is also crucial that you aerate the area. It could be that the soil is too compacted, and the grassroots find it hard to penetrate deeply. You can use sharp devices to poke all over the area so that the air can flow. • Apply seed all over the area After all the previous steps, it is time to scatter the seeds all over the area so that they will grow into green and healthy grass during the spring season. Do not forget to apply a starter fertilizer to the seeds. By then, you can start seeing little grass sprouts in about two to three weeks. 8. Design Your Lawn After all the necessary lawn care essentials are done, it would be best to reveal the designer spirit in you. Do not simply rely on the grass and plants alone for the appearance of your lawn. Why settle for less when you can have more? Unlock your inner child and creativity. Go for something extraordinary when choosing something to place on your lawn. Perhaps a striking or pretty plant for extra attention, or maybe something whimsical that suits your personality and best combines with your lawn. It's also a great opportunity to teach your children about gardening while being simultaneously creative. Sure enough, it is a win-win situation for you! Start with something small like colorful gnomes and go towards bigger objects like a newly-painted vintage bicycle or a set of tables and chairs. You can start rearranging your flower plants and paint them beautiful colors. There are no limits when designing your lawn for as long as it makes you happy, and it pleases your heart to see your property with creative designs. Another thing to consider is a birdbath. Imagine all those cute little birds playing and having the best time of their lives. It would be an incredible sight to see, and this is all happening on your lawn. Final Thoughts Indeed, preparing for spring seems to be pretty hard because the lawns faced a hard time during winter. There is so much work you need to do and many things you need to have. But that's the only downside of it so far. Once you have accomplished the preparation of your lawn for spring, you will surely be able to see magnificent sights on show outside your house. You have to understand that the spring season is the time for regrowth, replenishment, renewal, and rebirth. If you prepare adequately for the spring season, you will have a new look and a lovely lawn with greener and healthier grass for summer. Jenny M Tribal Writer Patricia Godwin Editor at Large