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Seasonal Tips
Spring
- Spread granular, slow-acting fertilizer. (This is optional if you fertilized in the fall or winter)
- Aerate the lawn to treat compacted soil
- Mulch with organic matter, if necessary
- Sharpen
your mower blades at the start of the season
Summer
- Learn the signs of bug infestation, and head them off before
they get settled in
- Water your lawn weekly if rain is scarce
or your soil is poor. Otherwise, water only when rainfall is delayed more than 10 days
- Treat weeds and bare spots as soon as you see them
- Sharpen
your mower blade again halfway through the season
Mowing
Tips
Here are some mowing tips and instructions that you will find useful, especially for
new homeowners:
Cut lawns when it reaches 2-3 inches in length.
Cut no more than 1/3 of
the grass blade length at a cutting.
Alternate cuttings, going horizontally and vertically across the lawn.
For a neat look, cut the lawn diagonally.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn to decompose. As they decompose,
they provide natural, organic nitrogen to the lawn, keep moisture in, and helps to minimize weeds.
Always
mow when the lawn is dry. This will save wear and tear on your mower,. It will also keep cut grass from clumping on the lawn,
and minimize the spread of disease.
Check the mower blade regularly to assure a sharp cut. Dull blades will
hack and chop the blade, leaving unattractive ragged, brown edges, and risking lawn damage.
Mowing your
lawn at a longer length provides a longer grass blade to absorb sunlight and photosynthesis, helping to create a healthier
lawn. High mowing, as it is called, also helps block out crabgrass and weeds.
Keep your lawnmower in good
operating condition.
Change the oil each year.
Change the spark plug as needed.
Clean out the underside of the mower of any grass buildup once a month.
Clean the air filter regularly.
Autumn
- Water trees and shrubs
thoroughly mulched before the first frost
- But don’t
over water! Plants and shrubs should be expected to look a little brown in September and October
- Mulch with organic material, or mow a layer of fallen leaves into the lawn
- Fertilize your lawn around Thanksgiving to promote strong root growth during winter
- Cutting the grass a bit shorter just before winter to prevent its matting under snow
Winter
- Put burlap windscreens
around less hardy plants if they’re in exposed areas
- Use
a broom to brush snow away from evergreen trees gently, to keep the weight from breaking the limbs
- If ice or snow does break tree limbs, have the limbs removed as soon as weather permits – damaged trees are
prone to disease
- Putting markers at the edge of your lawn
will help you avoid damaging it when you’re shoveling snow
- Avoid
walking on frosted or snow-covered lawns
- Use only non-salt
de-ices for sidewalks and driveways, so the runoff doesn’t harm plants
- Salt will damage grass, perennials, and shrubs, and will keep the plants from absorbing much-needed water
- Check any perennial plants during periods of thawing soil to see if roots popping
out of the ground. If they have, gently push them back into place, and add mulch
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