As we push through the last week of January going into February you may want to start thinking about what you are going to need to do in March. One thing that should be at the top of the list is lawn care.
You may not recognize it. They don’t make any noise or stretch out their blades. But it’s happening anyway. Your grass is waking up from its winter slumber. Now it’s time to jump right in and get more engaged with your lawn.
Raking And Mowing
Your lawn wakes up from its winter slumber in March.
First on the list should be a raking and a mowing. Rake your lawn vigorously scratching it with a rake in different directions. This activity will help to remove any accumulated dead leaves and moss. Once done, take a stiff yard brush to scatter any worm casts and direct the blades of the grass upright to prepare them for mowing. Since the grass has only just started to grow again, lawn care experts suggest that you set the blade of your mower fairly high at about 2.5cm (1-in). You will have to lower the blades later when growth is more rapid.
This is also a good time to get the trimmer out and edge your lawn. Make sure that the tool is sharp. Place a plank of wood alongside the edge and use it as a guide as you cut the edge so that you achieve a more precise, straight cut.
Fertilize
Closer to the end of the month, feed your lawn a special compound of fertilizer that includes a high amount of nitrogen. This will help to produce a nice dark green color that should be able to stand up against drought that may occur later. Spread the fertilizer on a warm day, after a rain so the soil is moist, but the grass itself is dry. If more rain is forecasted, hold off on this activity. Spread the fertilizer evenly. This might better be achieved with a hand distributor. Some fertilizers are colored so that you can see where you’ve spread them.
If you have dug over an area of your lawn so that you can lay new turf or seed during the spring, now is the time to finish preparing the soil. Perform this work when the soil is fairly dry. It is important that you break up clods and remove rubbish, stones, and weeds. Even out the surface with a rake and lay a compound of fertilizer, then rake again.
Scarify
As your lawn starts to wake up after its slumber through the winter, there may be some build up of moss and debris. Now is a good time to get rid of it. Scarify the lawn to pull out all the old, dead grass, moss and waste. If you allow this debris to remain, it will form a waterproof layer on top of the soil and prevent rainwater from getting to the roots. Use a wire rake or, if you have a large lawn, use a scarifying machine.
Spike the lawn after scarifying if it has become compacted to permit water to drain properly and let air get to the roots. An ordinary garden fork can perform the job. However, if the land is badly compacted, then use a hollow-tine fork.
Once the spiking has been done, apply a top covering of sifted soil at the rate of 2-pounds for every square yard and brush it in.
Finally, apply a combination moss killer and fertilizer if necessary.
If you have made plans to lay a new lawn, then March is a great month to do it. You can either lay turf or sow seed.
If it is sowing seed that you plan, you will need to do some soil preparation in the winter including deep digging to give the land some time to naturally settle. In March you can do light fork overwork and tread down the surface, then lightly rake to create a nice surface for the seed.
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