Fertilizers
Like all other plants, your lawn needs water, light, minerals and oxygen. Fertilizers provide nutrients your lawn requires to stay healthy, such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, which are not found in soil naturally in sufficient quantities. Done at the right time, fertilizing makes a valuable contribution to the health and growth of your plants. A good fertilizing programme will take growing conditions and soil requirements into account.
Benefits
- Ensures quick development at the start of the season
- Encourages uniform and dense growth
- Strengthens resistance to difficult conditions
- Stimulates root development
- Boosts winter survival rates
Take a look at BOTANIX Four-Step Lawn Fertilizer Program
Mowing
The importance of responsible mowing is often overlooked. It is the activity that impacts the health of the lawn the most. Done properly, mowing can eliminate many problems and ensure vigorous growth. Good lawn mower maintenance is essential, so check your mower thoroughly before the season begins. Make sure the blades are sharp! And always refrain from mowing when the grass or soil is damp, or during a heat wave.
Blade height
Never mow more than one third of the grass blade at a single mowing. Ideally, grass should mowed to between 6 cm and 10 cm, depending on the season.
- Spring and Fall: 5 cm
- Summer: 6 cm to 8 cm
- Dry periods: do not mow, or otherwise not shorter than 8 cm.
What is grass recycling?
Grasscycling is a natural approach to lawn care that involves leaving the grass clippings on the lawn. When clippings decompose, they release nutrients to fertilize the lawn.
Never...
- Spread grass clippings when damp
- Leave a layer that exceeds 0.5 cm
- Leave weeds in the clippings you spread
Watering
Irrigation will allow you to maintain sufficient humidity when rain is scarce. In Quebec, watering is necessary when a dry period extends over several weeks. On average, 2.5 cm of water is needed per week. If you want to measure water amounts, place a container on the lawn when you water.
Watering needs vary according to:
- Grass variety
- Soil type (sandy soil, clay soil)
- Temperature, sun and wind conditions
You need to water when
- The grass has stopped growing
- Footprints remain when you walk on the lawn
- Certain sections change colour, either darker, or shaded grey or blue
Ideally, you should water
- Early in the morning (between 4 am and 10 am) or in early evening (between 6 pm and 8 pm)
- Once a week if the soil absorbs well, or twice a week if the capacity to absorb is weak
