In March comes the time to take care of the lawn after the winter. Two important garden jobs: scarifying and liming should ideally be done this month. This gives the lawn enough time to recover before the start of the active growth phase.
Scarifying the lawn after winter: when is the right time?
March, after the end of the permanent frosts, is the best time to scarify the lawn. This maintenance step is important because:
- so the soil surface is loosened and the crusted soil can absorb water better. A very dry soil cannot absorb the heavy rains in spring and the water will collect on the surface. In the end, the grass will die because the roots cannot absorb the water, but the stalks are in the water.
- by scarifying weeds can be eliminated before they spread too much 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 get enough light. Two important requirements for a healthy lawn.
Of course, success depends primarily on the weather. Temperatures and weather conditions such as rainfall, snowfall, frost or sunny days can vary greatly in March. That’s why we take a close look at the different cases and explain how you should proceed.
Scarify in rain and wet soil
An important prerequisite for the best possible results is that the soil is moist. However, it should not 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. So if it rains particularly heavily in March, then wait until a short dry period begins.
Caring for the lawn after the winter: Scarify when there is frost
You can’t 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 fall below the 0 degree mark, this is certainly not a problem. In this case, it is better to scarify the grasses in March so that they can recover by May. By the way, you can scarify after a drizzle.
Scarifying in drought and strong sunlight
Less common, but still possible: If it has hardly rained in winter and is then also dry in spring and there are many sunny days, you can still scarify the lawn. Provided that you water the lawn 3-4 days before so that the soil is moderately moist. The sun doesn’t shine as much in spring as in spring, so you can easily make the cut on a sunny day in March.
You should do this directly 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 the spring.
2. Make sure the soil is moderately moist. If necessary, water the area 2-3 days before scarifying.
3. Overseed 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, for medium and large areas it is better to use an electric device.
Why is it important to whitewash the lawn after winter?
Immediately after scarifying in spring is the best time to whitewash the lawn. This allows you to regulate the pH of the soil and create favorable conditions for lawn growth. Have you noticed moss in the lawn? Then you should lime the area and increase the pH value. Moss needs 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 this does not happen, you should water the lawn so that the lime can penetrate deep into the soil and develop its effect better.
When liming the lawn, you should also be very careful – shrubs and flowers are often planted at the edge of the lawn, which actually prefer acidic soil. This is the case with azaleas or blueberries, for example.
When liming, it says – be patient. It will take some time for the positive effects to show. So you can’t expect the moss to die off in the next week. However, the lawn should look healthy in two months.