Property Clean Up (Rake or de-thatch)
When spring arrives, it's time to begin preparing your lawn for another growing season. Allow your lawn to dry completely or you risk compacting soggy soil, which will make your lawn uneven, or you risk damaging new grass shoots. Shovel snowbanks to areas of your property that receive more sunlight to avoid snow mold. Begin your spring cleaning after your lawn has dried. If you didn't clean up fallen leaves and dead vegetation last fall, now is the time. As a bonus, hand raking the leaves will gently de-thatch your lawn and separate the grass shoots, promoting early growth at this critical time in the growing cycle. It is critical to emphasize that using a machine to power rake is not required every year. Before you rent a power rake or hire a lawn care company to do this for you, you must first determine the amount of thatch on your lawn. This is easily determined by scratching the surface of your grass to determine how much material needs to be removed until you reach soil. A half-inch clearance is considered excessive and should be removed with a power rake. Most lawns, however, that are regularly hand raked will only require just that.
Study your Soil (Soil Testing)
You'll have a blank canvas to work with once your lawn has been cleared of debris and de-thatched. Spring is an excellent time to conduct a pH test on your soil. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to spend a significant amount of money on lawn fertilization each year with little to no improvement. This is usually due to acidic soil. Evergreen trees are common on properties in Edmonton, particularly in older neighbourhoods. The needles that fall from these trees cause acidic soil over time. When the soil is too acidic (pH readings below 6) the grass will not use the fertilizer, making it a pointless endeavour. Remove the guesswork by manually conducting soil tests in multiple locations throughout your lawn. If your soil is too acidic, lime treatments can help to restore the pH balance. Lime takes time to break down in the soil and isn't a quick fix, but with yearly treatments and a little patience, results can be obtained. This service is also provided by local businesses.
Aeration
Compact soil caused by winter snow accumulation or high traffic areas can deprive your lawn of oxygen, limiting growth. Aeration will solve this problem, and it is mostly done with a machine that pulls tiny plugs out of your lawn. Aeration is most effective during your lawn's prime growing season, which is usually late spring. Make sure you've mowed the lawn a few times, so you know it's growing fast enough to recover from the aeration process, which does strain the lawn. Aeration boosts your lawn's growth by allowing air to reach the root system, promoting vigorous new growth. Because of the machinery required for aeration, it is best to hire this service; however, if you have a means of transporting the aeration machine and a neighbour or two to assist, this isn't a bad option either.
Lawn Mowing
Lawn mowing appears to be a simple task, and it is in most cases if some basic rules are followed. A lawn's ideal height is 2.5-3 inches long. When mowing, no more than one-third of the lawn should be cut at once to avoid overstressing the lawn and stunting growth. Regular mowing promotes growth and a healthy lawn, so plan your lawn mowing accordingly. In general, due to the cooler evenings in Edmonton, grass does not grow as quickly in early spring and may only require bi-weekly mowing. Because the temperature remains warmer throughout the summer, the grass grows faster and requires weekly mowing. If you aren't seeing the expected growth, it could be due to one of the reasons mentioned in this blog. However, it isn't always that complicated; sometimes it's just a matter of sunshine and water. Grass loves the sun, which is why south and west facing lawns look so good, if there aren't too many shade-casting trees on the property. Pruning trees and bushes to allow as much sunlight as possible to fall on your lawn is a good idea. Water is also extremely important. One inch of water per week is required for lawns. If it does not rain enough, it is recommended that a lawn sprinkler be used to provide the necessary water. The most important variables that contribute to a healthy green lawn are sun and water.
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