Things Your Lawn Needs in the Winter
Things Your Lawn Needs in the Winter
The temperatures are becoming cooler and the daylight ends much earlier in the day now that winter is upon us. Some property owners believe that there is little that can be done in terms of lawn care maintenance during the winter months; however, there are actually a few things that can be done in order to maintain your lawn and prepare the grass for warmer days and a vibrant growing season.
Even though you will need to mow much less, if any, than you do in the spring, summer, or fall, you may still wish to mow your grass if there are a lot of leaves laying on top of the lawn’s service. By mulching the leaves into small bits, you allow the leaves to decompose easier, thus providing valuable nutrients to the grass blades. Mulching leaves also helps keep them from smothering the grass that lies underneath.
Weed growth can also be a challenging thing to deal with even in the cooler winter months. Winter is a great time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn in order to prevent vibrant weeds from growing once the warmer weather returns to your area. If significant weeds are present during the winter, you can also apply a post-emergent herbicide in order to rid your lawn of weeds that are currently visible.
Depending on the local climate and temperatures in your area, you may be able to water your lawn throughout the winter. Grass that is dormant does not need to be watered, but grass that continues to stay green and grow, throughout the winter may benefit from an occasional watering treatment.
Once you notice that your lawn remains a healthy green color and the grass begins to grow again, you may want to fertilize your lawn. Fertilizing the grass, especially in the mid-spring to very early summer time frame, will provide the full-range of nutrients that your grass needs to grow healthy and strong. Healthy grass blades also help to smother any weeds that may try to sprout throughout your lawn as well.
Lastly, wintertime is a great time to attend to your mower, weed eater, edger, and any other lawn-maintenance equipment that you use on a regular basis. Maintaining your lawn equipment will enable you to be ready when the spring lawn care season truly begins, and will help you have a smoother and more prepared lawn caretaking season as well.