Anyone Can Use My Lawn Mover At Any Time… Provide That They Don’t Leave My Yard!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. It’s been unseasonably cold so far this year and although we aren’t suffering through a blizzard and three feet of snow like Manitoba there has been frost on the ground every morning this last week. I’ve even had a touch of frost in the greenhouse. Night time temperatures should remain above freezing for the rest of the month but one shouldn’t be fooled into getting too far along in the yard work or planting. I have gently raked part of my lawn to remove fir cones and twigs and limbs that have come down over the winter. I’m amazed how much debris there was and how nice it looks. The lawn looks like it had a easy time of it over the winter and I will be treating it to a nitrogen rich but balanced fertilizer very soon as the spring feed (one of four) is probably the most important feed you can give it.
There is a bit of moss growing which means it will need a dusting of lime soon as well. May will be the time to treat your lawn to a pre emergent like corn gluten meal that will prevent seeds from weeds like crab grass from being able to put down roots. It is too early to aerate the lawn, that should be done in early June and then followed with a treatment of 2- 4D which is a hormone treatment that will rid your lawn of broadleaf weeds. Results from this treatment will be evident in about 10 to 14 days.
Both these treatments need to be applied under strict wet and dry conditions so weather watching will be required to be successful. It is still too early to plant grass seed in any bare spots and do not do this before you use a pre emergent. Lawns absorb carbon dioxide CO2 through photosynthesis and give off oxygen so it is good for the environment however lawns also require a fair amount of work and water so a balance should be considered. When watering your lawn do water deep, to a depth of 6 inches and only once a week unless it gets extremely hot. This should be done early to mid day allowing for the grass to dry before nightfall to prevent fungal and mildew issues. A good measure of watering depth can be obtained by putting a coffee can out in the area being watered and when it is filled to a depth of 4 inches you have watered deep enough.
Mowing the lawn will not be too far away and it is better to mow more often leaving the clippings on the lawn that to allow it to grow too tall and have to take too much off to be able to leave it on the lawn. This will only smother the lawn in spots and the rest will be tracked into the house. Be sure to sharpen the blades on the mower to make a nice clean cut and be sure to change directions to the way you mowed your lawn the previous cut to prevent furrowing.
Happy Gardening
Samantha Nason
BS Ranch & Greenhouses
250 547 6567 • samanthanason@hotmail.com
