Christmas is now an almost distant memory and some of those New Year’s resolutions have been made and possibly already fallen by the wayside. If one of them was to pay more attention to the garden this year or hiring on that Toronto lawn care company to start that project you’ve been meaning to do, now is the time to begin.
What You Can Do Now for Your Lawn
Winter is the time for plants in the garden to rest and prepare for growth as the weather warms in the spring. Generally, all the normal tasks, such as lawn care prep, mowing, etc., are put on hold at this time. However, there are some things you can do in readiness for spring as well. Take a good look at the mower and if you are not able to do so yourself, take it to a local ironmongers or lawn mower establishment for a service and to have the blades sharpened. If the mower has seen better days, consider replacing it and look out for a model that might suit you better. Check your garden tools as well; poorly maintained tools will not do a good job and will make your tasks harder than they need to be.
If you do not use a lawn care company that will take care of everything for you, it may be prudent to try to save some money by planning what you will need in the run up to spring. Visit garden centres to see what they have on offer in the way of fertilisers, weed killers and seed to repair the inevitable patches that will become more obvious as the grass begins to grow again.
The Lawn
For the lawn itself, use a rake or brush to remove the remaining leaves of autumn and any debris that may have accumulated. Be sure to do this on the days that have not been preceded by a frost as this makes the leaves brittle and subject to damage. There may be worm casts on the lawn; leave these until they have dried, making them easier to brush away. Remember worms are good for the lawn and the soil it grows in.
You’ll also want to be on the lookout for those piles of snow that hang around whilst the rest melts and disappears. The snow will keep the soil beneath them cold as the remainder thaws and can lead to snow mould, a disease that can affect lawns, particularly in the spring because not enough oxygen has been available for the growing grass. This can be prevented by making sure that the lawn is raked before it is likely to snow to remove any debris and dead vegetation that will smother new shoots. Make sure that any piles of snow are spread evenly over the ground, allowing it to melt away easily.
Another vital task, if you want a perfect lawn for the summer is to improve the drainage of the soil under the lawn, which becomes compacted over the months of use in the previous year. The area most prone to this will be pathways, but you will know where these areas are as water will not drain well and the ground will be hard. Improving drainage can be done with a fork or if the lawn is large, a spiking machine can be hired from garden centres or the local lawn mower shop. Once you have taken care of these problems, you are on the way to having a beautiful lawn this summer.
Guest author Jamie is writing on behalf of Green Thumb lawn care company. Green Thumb are Toronto lawn care specialists from the UK helping people maintain and care for their lawns here in Toronto.
Do you have a landscaping project that you want to start? Then you should check out the landscapers on EiEiHome.com.
