Minter: Spring Lawn Care – Questions Answered

Based on all the questions I have been asked over the past few weeks, it is clear that there is some confusion about the various steps that should be taken each year to ensure healthy lawns.

The first step is moss control. Moss thrives in shady areas with acidic soil, poor drainage and low fertility.

There usually isn’t much you can do about the shade other than spreading lime, which does not eliminate the moss but rather corrects acidic soil conditions by raising the pH level, allowing grasses to absorb more existing nutrients in the soil. The easy-to-apply lime with ‘Dolopril’ coating also contains magnesium and is quickly released to increase the pH value in the spring. A 10kg. the bag covers approximately 200 square meters.

Poor drainage is the main reason moss thrives and is best remedied by proper aeration, which means using a hand- or power-operated aerator to remove plugs from the soil.

Follow aeration with an application of washed sand; about a quarter inch everywhere should be good. This is the most important thing you can do to improve drainage, allow oxygen into the soil and promote root growth.

Moss also prefers soils with few nutrients. An application of a nitrogen-rich, slow-release fertilizer will give lawn grasses a head start and help discourage further moss growth.

Once it is applied, be sure to water it, or apply it just before a rain shower. Follow this up within ten to twelve weeks with a new application to maintain the green.

The Environmental Protection Agency in the US approves slow-release fertilizers because the nitrates are retained in the roots of the turf. Slow release fertilizers usually won’t burn, but it’s always better to water them just in case.

To burn out existing moss, you can use liquid or granular moss control. The secret to success is to apply these products at a temperature above 12⁰C and knowing that you will probably have two dry days after application.

Check the bag: the higher the percentage of iron sulfate (usually ranges from six to 18 percent), the better the results.

Thatch is also a problem on older lawns that have been mowed continuously in one direction or allowed to grow for too long. Lawn experts are often against scarifying for fear of damaging the roots of the grass, but in most cases you can start with a good mowing to remove most of the existing grass.

The trick to getting ahead is to mow low and in a different direction each time, so the grass stays upright and isn’t continually pushed down in one direction. In wetter coastal areas this is especially important to prevent felting and felt problems.

Weeds are the next most pressing problem. You can stay 100% organic by pulling most weeds by hand, using a long or short handle weed puller, or by spot treating your lawn with new liquid organic weed control products. The weeds need to be actively growing when treated and this organic weed control needs heat to be effective, so a minimum temperature of 15⁰C is best, with two dry days afterwards – good luck with that!

Overseeding is another major lawn maintenance issue. The preferred lawn grass mix is ​​a blend of perennial ryegrasses that not only look great but also wear well and are more drought tolerant.

For best success, scrape away the bare spots with a hand rake, apply a layer of washed sand mixed with peat moss, and then spread your seed. Rake lightly and keep moist for ten to fourteen days. You will have to babysit your new grass until it gets up and grows well.

Today there are many alternatives, including the new micro clover, a derivative of ‘White Dutch Clover’, which grows like other grasses and still requires mowing, but has the advantage of being more drought resistant and retaining its green color retains better. and attracting pollinators such as bees.

With so many electric and battery-powered lawn mowers in use today, mowing is much less harmful to our environment.

With our local water restrictions, one inch of water per week can keep your lawn green in the summer and all our worms and soil organisms healthy.

It’s also important to remember that lawns are a huge asset to both the landscape and the environment: an average-sized lawn provides enough oxygen to properly supply a family of four, lawn grasses also store carbon, acting as collector of many pollutants, and help cool down our neighborhoods.