7 Winter Lawn Care Tips for the Cold Season
Your lawn needs to be cared for all year round, not just in the summer. Although you will have to give it extra special attention in the summer, you can’t afford to neglect it in the winter.
There are some things that you will need to do in order to have a wonderfully healthy lawn in the spring.
To ensure that you have the best lawn on your street after winter you will need to know exactly what to do over the summer. We have compiled some winter lawn care tips below.
1. Aerate
This is something that you should be doing in summer spring and fall too. But the timing around winter is essential. You need to aerate the lawn before the first frost. You want your lawn to be able to breathe, even when the grass is dormant over the winter.
2. Fertilize
Even though your lawn won’t be growing a great deal during the winter, you still need to feed the roots. The grass roots absorb and store the nutrients during the winter months. Then, in the spring, your lawn taps into those stored nutrients giving it a head start, making it green and lush. By having a properly cared-for lawn, you’ll also help prevent weeds, pests, and diseases from moving in once it warms up. If you are unsure of how and when to fertilize your lawn then it is best to contact an expert.
3. Clean your yard
If you have anything on top of your lawn it can damage the grass. This is true at any time of year. Leaves that are left on the lawn could also become too wet, which can invite disease. If the leaves are not too thick or wet, mulch the leaves with your mower into much smaller pieces. This will allow the nutrients to be absorbed back into the lawn. If the leaves are too thick, wet, or matted down, rake them up and remove them. If you have anything else lying around in your lawn, it is a good idea to remove it.
4. Don’t walk on it too much
This can sometimes be unavoidable. During the winter it is best to keep any foot traffic to a minimum. When your lawn is frosted or dormant, it can be very susceptible to damage. Even strong grass can become weak if the same path is walked over too many times.
5. Make tip number 4 easy
When your driveway looks dangerous to walk on because of ice, where are you going to walk? Your lawn is an inviting slip free path to your front door. You should make sure that your driveway is always salted and protected during the winter. Walking on the grass may seem like a shortcut now, but come the spring you will have an unsightly line of dead grass caused by your twice daily walk across it.
6. Preparation is key
Before the first frost, you need to make sure that you have done everything you can to prepare your lawn for the winter. Make sure that your lawn is as healthy and strong as possible during the summer and this will carry it through the winter. If your lawn is unhealthy when there is rain and sun in abundance the winter will kill it for good.
7. Ask the professionals
Lawn care can be a real challenge. This is especially true if you are looking for that perfectly even bright green lawn. The best way to achieve this is to get in touch with an expert. They have many years of experience and the right equipment to get the job done.