What Should I Do To My Lawn In Autumn?

When autumn arrives in the garden, there is once again a lot to do for the amateur gardener. Now is the time to give the lawn special care so that it can withstand the rigors of winter. This is urgently needed, because barbecues, children’s birthday parties and summer drought have left their mark. A comprehensive cure at the end of the garden year ensures that the lawn will thrive with health and vitality next spring. Learn about all the important factors of proper lawn care in the fall below.

Clear autumn leaves

What works excellently as a source of nutrients in the form of mulch between shrubs and flowers has a counterproductive effect on the lawn. If a blanket of autumn leaves accumulates here, light no longer reaches the blades of grass. Since a damp and cold climate develops at the same time, this process promotes the growth of moss. You can effectively prevent this shortcoming by sweeping up the autumn leaves with a rake at least once a week and disposing of them. This maintenance measure with autumn applies equally to fallen fruit. Pick up not only fruit to be eaten, but also all fruit mummies.

Tip: Even faster to remove autumn leaves from the lawn with the help of the lawn mower. Set the device as high as possible and drive over the green area.

Mowing the lawn properly in autumn

As the gardening year draws to a close, many amateur gardeners are unsure how much longer the lawn will need to be mowed. Temperatures drop, it rains frequently, and yet the blades of grass continue to grow. The lawn does not get completely dry now, so damp clippings will gum up the mower deck and catch basin. In addition, there is an increased risk that the wet soil will become visibly compacted due to repeated walking or driving on it during mowing, with all the negative consequences for further growth. How to mow your lawn properly in the fall:

• As long as the weather permits, mow in the proven rhythm.
• Pick up the grass cuttings meticulously and never leave them lying around.
• After the first frost, mow the lawn for the last time to a length of 4 centimeters

Do not stop mowing the lawn too early in the fall. As long as it is not yet freezing, the blades of grass will continue to grow. The negative consequences then reveal themselves in the spring, when snowfall pushed down the grasses that were too tall. Fungi and diseases could spread, causing bare patches, brown spots and other lawn problems.

Fertilizing strengthens winter hardiness

Optimal lawn care in the fall can not do without a good fertilizer. Since completely different weather influences act on the green area than during the summer, other nutrients now come into focus. Instead of growth-promoting nitrogen, your lawn requires potassium in the fall. Potassium serves to strengthen the metabolism, thus creating reserve material deposits in the plant organism and promoting its
resistance. At the same time, potassium in the cell sap lowers the freezing point, which prevents frostbite. The specialized trade offers a wealth of special autumn fertilizers for lawns, rich in potassium and low in nitrogen. Ideally, you should apply the fertilizer with a spreader in the dosage according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In this way, you safely prevent overdosing and mis-spreading. Then water the lawn thoroughly.

Tip: Special lime with magnesium, potassium and sulfur is cheaper, but just as effective for autumnal nutrient supply. Well-known products are Patentkali and Grünkalk.

Patentkali – the reliable lawn fertilizer in autumn.

Experienced amateur gardeners leave expensive special fertilizers for the lawn and favor the inexpensive patent potash. The preparation is not only inexpensive, but thanks to its composition is suitable for almost all plants of the garden. Rich in potassium, Patentkali strengthens the tissue in roses just as effectively as in berry bushes, strawberries or even in lawn grasses. In this interaction, magnesium takes over the task of giving the blades a rich green color. This is how Patentkali is applied to the lawn:

• Patentkali is available in liquid form and as granules.
• Ideally apply in September with a pressure sprayer or a spreader truck
• Then rain the granules into the lawn
• Do not mow again until no more granules are visible

It is important to note that Patentkali is not applied to parched soil. The lawn should be slightly damp to prevent burning.

Scarify older lawn – before the leaves fall

A lawn that is four years old and older has a greater tendency to grow moss and weeds. In this case, airing the green area in the spring is no longer enough. Therefore, take a close look at the lawn when the first leaves wilt. If there are any unsightly matted areas, add scarifying to the maintenance schedule.
care plan. This is how you proceed:

• The best conditions are dry weather and temperatures of 15-20 degrees Celsius.
• First mow the lawn to a length of 4 centimeters
• Then use the scarifier to work the area lengthwise and crosswise.
• Collect all plucked plant parts with the rake and dispose of them in the compost.

Finally, treat the scarified grass area with a special autumn fertilizer and water it extensively.

Repairing damaged areas before winter

Depending on the degree of stress during the summer, more or less large damaged spots appear in the lawn in the fall. In particular, after dethatching, bare patches stand out. Tackle their repair in time, you do not have to face an unsightly patchwork all winter. In late summer and early fall, the soil is still warm enough for fresh lawn roots to establish themselves well. The best conditions for good success exist following lawn aeration. Re-seeding is recommended as the most straightforward procedure. In preparation, the scarified area is swept completely free. Additionally loosen bare and damaged areas with a rake, because the blades of the scarifier do not reach deep enough. Sandy soil is enriched with clay powder, compacted soil is improved with a thin layer of sand. Then spread a thin layer of compost so that the seeds germinate more quickly. Now it pays to make an iron stock of the seed when you plant a new lawn. Knowledgeable amateur gardeners at least keep the packaging, so that there is no need to puzzle over the name of the variety. Following the preparatory work, proceed as follows:

• Apply a starting fertilizer on the unvegetated areas.
• Spread the seed evenly
• Sprinkle the light seedlings with peat to a maximum height of 0.5 centimeters
• Water all reseeded lawn areas with a fine spray.

Although lawn seeds need a certain amount of light for germination, a thin top layer makes sense. Otherwise, the seed is at the mercy of washouts and pecking birds. An even faster way to get your lawn in shape before fall is to use sod. The reseeding closes gaps before winter in a simple way; however, patience is required until the new lawn grows there. The waiting time until thinning passages close up in the lawn is significantly shortened with rolled turf. Lawn schools not only supply large rolls to create a complete lawn, but also offer ready-made pieces for repair.

The preparatory work is no different from that for reseeding. As a result, lay the pieces of sod, as fresh as possible, along a straight edge butt to butt. With a sharp knife, you then give the repaired lawn sections the final touch. Last but not least, the lawn roller smoothes the sod to give it a thorough watering. After an average of 8 to 14 days, the lawn can be mowed again.

How to get the lawn mower ready for winter

Besides the lawn itself, at the same time the most important utensil for its care should get through the winter well. Therefore, prudent amateur gardeners pay special attention to the lawn mower after the last cut.

• Thoroughly clean the mower
• Sharpen the cutting blades
• Empty the gasoline tank of the motor mower
• Check spark plugs and replace if necessary
• Remove any batteries and store them separately at 10-15 degrees Celsius

Removal of stuck lawn debris from the exhaust and cylinder cooling fins is of utmost importance, as there is a risk of fire here. Use a spatula or a brush to get to grips with the dirt. If you use the water hose for cleaning work, the jet must not damage the seals or bearings. Do not tilt the mower to the side to clean the underside. In this case, oil threatens to get into the air filter or exhaust, which will cause serious engine damage. It is more advantageous to tilt the unit backward, pointing the spark plug upward. If the fuel cannot be easily tipped out of the tank, turn the engine on and let it run until it shuts itself off.

Tip: The lawn mower spends its hibernation in dry quarters that are free of dust and debris.

Conclusion

In the fall, it becomes clear what toll the lawn has to pay for the stresses and strains of the summer. No green area should be released into the winter so stressed. Experienced amateur gardeners therefore carry out special lawn care in autumn. They pay attention to correct mowing, apply a potassium-based fertilizer, do not leave leaves on the lawn and dethatch again if necessary. If you are serious about proper lawn care in the fall, you can repair thinning lawns now by reseeding or using sod. Carefully prepared in this way, even the harshest winter can’t harm the gardener’s green calling card. The course is thus set for a healthy, vital start to the next gardening season.