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The winter season is coming. The temperature is cooling down. This means it’s time for you to prepare your lawn for the colder months ahead to ensure that it stays healthy throughout the season.
In this article, we covered the basics of keeping your lawn healthy for the winter months. We also included some tips to resolve your lawn’s dry patches.
How Do You Prepare Your Lawn For Winter In Australia?
Winter is just around the corner. The temperature’s cooling down, which means it’s time to prepare your lawn for the cold months ahead. If you’re unsure about how to keep your lawn at its healthiest for the winter months, we’ve listed down a few pointers below.
Fertilise your lawn
Autumn is an excellent season for homeowners to fertilise the lawn. Doing so before the winter season hits gives the yard a boost of strength. Experts recommended applying a quality, slow-release fertiliser with a good Nitrogen Phosphorus-Potassium ratio to ensure that your lawn is fortified in the months to come.
Some also use foliar liquid fertilisers during winter. Several tests have shown that foliar feeding can be up to 10 times more effective than soil feeding.
Fix bare patches in your lawn
Autumn is the perfect time to fix the bare patches on your lawn. Several factors cause bare and patchy lawns, including frequent use, wear and tear, pet urine, and excess shade. Before fixing the patches, you have first to determine what may have caused it.
If you’re unsure how to identify the cause of your patchy lawn, we made a brief guide.
- Dry patches
Lawns in Western Australia often see dry patches because of the sandy soil in the region. When the soil dries out, it can be challenging to get it wet again. During the summer season, the sandy soil produces wax that coats the topmost layer. This prevents water from seeping down to the roots.
You can resolve this problem by aerating the soil. This will allow water or a wetting agent to penetrate the soil.
- African black beetle infestation
Many homeowners mistake patchy lawns for an African black beetle infestation. One simple way to confirm this insect’s presence is by pouring a bucket of soapy water on problem areas. The water flushes out the beetles and their larvae.
Experts recommend using chemical products only when your lawn shows signs of severe infestation. You can replace chemicals with a piece of moistened carpet to attract the beetles. You can also install and turn on garden lights at night to allow beetles to converge on these spots. This makes it easier for you to collect the pests the following morning.
- Dollar spots
Generally, dollar spots are seen on grasses that require a high amount of water. These spots are actually a type of fungal disease caused by humidity and lack of nitrogen. Dollar spots do not grow bigger. However, some areas can merge to form larger bare patches. The fungus causing the problem can also cause more damage to the turf.
Some of the best preventive measures include thatch control, using the right amount of fertiliser, and irrigation early in the morning.
- Bare patches
Several factors cause bare patches. If the patches are found along the edges of decks and pavings, they may be caused by heavy foot traffic. Patches near the edges of garden beds are caused by a lack of sunlight. Bare patches in various locations on the lawn are caused by dog urine, especially from female puppies.
Collect leaf litter and debris
During autumn, trees shed leaves, which means more leaf litter and debris on your lawn. The accumulation of leaves and debris blocks your lawn from getting much-needed sunlight.
The leaf litter and debris can also become damp. This can lead to bare patches caused by fungal diseases. If you notice the leaves building up, rake them into a pile and add them to your compost bin.
Mow the lawn higher
List most plants, grass thrives on sunlight for photosynthesis. The longer the grass blade, the more sun the plant catches. Raising the mower blades before winter gives your lawn a more generous cut. This allows the grass to collect more sunlight, keeping it healthy throughout the colder months.
The winter season doesn’t have to mean an unhealthy lawn. Here at The Mower Place, we carry a wide range of outdoor equipment to help you prepare your lawn for the colder months. View our catalogue of push mowers or zero-turn mowers and get your product today by calling us at 1800-558-400.
