In March comes the time to care for the lawn after the winter. Two important garden tasks: scarifying and liming, should best be done this month. This gives the lawn enough time to recover before the active growth phase begins.
Scarifying the lawn after winter: when is the right time?
The best time to scarify the lawn is in March, after the end of the permanent frosts. This care step is important because:
- so that the soil surface is loosened and the crusted soil can absorb water better. A very dry soil will have difficulty absorbing the heavy rain in spring and the water will collect on the surface. Ultimately, the grass will die because the roots cannot absorb the water, but the blades are in the water.
- By scarifying weeds can be eliminated before they spread extensively on the lawn. Scarifying alone helps, but can only permanently displace the weeds in combination with other measures such as liming.
- it improves air circulation and ensures that all blades of grass receive sufficient light. Two important requirements for onehealthy lawn.
Of course, success depends primarily on the weather. Temperatures and weather conditions such as rain, snow, frost or sunny days can vary greatly in March. That's why we take a closer look at the different cases and explain how you should proceed.
Scarifying when it rains and wet ground
An important prerequisite for the best possible results is that the soil is moist. But it shouldn't be completely wet. It is also important that it did not rain the day before scarifying. Otherwise there is a risk of damaging the roots of the grass or pulling the plants and their roots out of the ground. If it rains particularly heavily in March, wait until a short dry period begins.
Caring for the lawn after winter: scarifying when there is frost
You cannot scarify in frost. Basically, the daily average temperature should be at least 6 degrees Celsius and the frosty nights should also be over. If the temperatures occasionally drop below 0 degrees, it's not a problem. In this case, it is better to scarify the grass in March so that it can recover by May. By the way, you can scarify after a drizzle.
Scarifying in dry conditions and strong sunlight
Less common, but still possible: If there was hardly any rain in the winter and then it is dry in the spring and there are many sunny days, then you can still scarify the lawn. Provided that you water the lawn 3-4 days beforehand so that the soil is moderately moist. The sun doesn't shine as strongly in spring as in spring, so you canthe cut easilyon a sunny day in March.
You should do this immediately before and after scarifying!
1. If the lawn is heavily overgrown with moss, you should treat the area first and only then scarify it. Moss has no roots and can spread when cut in spring.
2. Make sure the soil is moderately moist. If necessary, water the area 2-3 days before scarifying.
3. Reseed the lawn immediately after scarifying.
4. Lawns on slopes should not be raked too deeply.
5. Mow the lawn a week before scarifying.
6. For small areas you can use a hand scarifier, medium and large areas it is better to use an electric device.
Why is it important to lime the lawn after winter?
Immediately after scarifying in spring is the best time to lime the lawn. This allows you to regulate the pH of the soil and create favorable conditions for lawn growth. Have you noticed moss in your lawn? Then you should lime the area and increase the pH value. Moss requires acidic soil to thrive, so will not thrive and die in alkaline soil.
The best time to do this is in spring, a few days after scarifying. Ideally, it will rain immediately after liming. However, if that doesn't happen, you should water the lawn so that the lime can penetrate deep into the ground and have a better effect.
At theLiming the lawnYou should also proceed very carefully - shrubs and flowers that actually prefer acidic soil are often planted on the edge of the lawn. This is the case with azaleas or blueberries, for example.
When it comes to liming, you have to be patient. It will take some time for the positive effects to become apparent. So you can't expect the moss to die in the next week. However, the lawn should look healthy in two months.
