As winter approaches, autumn lawn care becomes singularly important as soon as the leaves begin to fall. This is a time of year when the days become a lot shorter quite quickly following the long, lighter days of the summer. The yearly cycle of gardens regenerating comes to an end as the temperatures get colder and the winter sets in before it all begins again.
The deep frosts and cold dark nights of winter make lawn care a vital element of gardening to ensure lawns survive through the toughest of conditions. A small lawn care jobs list will ensure that lawns will survive these tougher circumstances.
Clearing leaves and fallen branches or twigs is one of the most useful things that can be done. Windy conditions may increase throughout the autumn and this can lead to an increase tree debris. Wet areas will form below fallen tree debris if it’s not removed causing lawn damage.
The second thing a gardener responsible for lawn care should try to achieve is to make sure that the lawn has been raked (or scarified) using a lawn rake specifically designed for the purpose. The seemingly endless summer weeks of lawn mowing can leave most lawns with a layer of cut grass just above the soil known as ‘thatch’. The thatch is bad for lawns because it prevents rainwater soaking away into the soil, creating damp and wet areas prone to disease. It can also mean that the grass plant is prevented from spreading and developing.
Lawn care can also be a useful drainage aid. Regular use of a lawn and natural growth can cause compaction, a cause of drainage and growth problems. This form of lawn care is often called aeration and is usually achieved by the process of spiking. A garden fork can be used to drive holes a few inches deep in the autumn to improve drainage and air circulation. Although this seems quite a drastic measure, lawn care experts recommend this routinely and no damage will be done to the lawn.
