Once you put away your mower for the winter, you might think you've finished your yard work until the spring. However, you can take a few steps to keep your grass healthy throughout the cold weather. Follow these tips to make sure your lawn is ready when the warm weather comes back around.
Prepare in the Fall
If you took good care of your lawn before the weather turned chilly, you shouldn't have too much to worry about when winter comes. Aerate the soil and mow the grass down an inch or two lower than you would during spring and summer. Rake away any fallen leaves so they don't mold in your yard, which will infect your grass — especially if you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow in the winter.
Fertilizer is most effective at keeping your lawn alive if you apply it in the late fall, shortly before a freeze. Look at the recommended amounts on the package to make sure you don't use too much, but if you do it correctly, the nutrients will keep the grass alive and healthy throughout its dormant season. If it's too late to fertilize in your area, make sure to give the lawn a healthy dose in the spring to save what you can.
Keep It Clear
When you don't have to mow and weed your lawn regularly, you might forget to clear sticks, branches, toys, lawn furniture, or other debris from your yard. However, if you allow these random items to stay where they are, they can crush the dormant grass beneath them and kill it, leaving misshapen dead or stunted spots on your lawn when spring comes around.
To avoid damaging your lawn in this way, rake it regularly until the snow comes and make sure everyone brings in their toys, chairs, or any other personal belongings before the snow starts to fall. When you first notice freezing temperatures on the thermometer or snow on the forecast, do one last check to make sure you won't have any surprises when the spring thaws come.
Discourage Traffic
Just like the weight of stationary objects can damage your dormant grass, repeated traffic across it can wear down its resilient capabilities. Encourage people to stick to the sidewalks and driveways to avoid wearing a path across your yard, and keep the paved portions clear of ice and snow to help people remember where to walk and where to avoid.
Don't use your lawn as a parking lot, either, for the same reasons. The weight of a car is significantly higher than a person or any furniture you might leave out, and even parking on the grass one time could do a lot of damage to the dormant roots and blades. The more traffic you allow across your yard, the more likely you'll have a lot of repair work to do in the spring.
Watch Out for Poisons
If your area gets snow, you'll likely have to use snowmelt and salt throughout the season to give traction to your vehicles and make it safe to drive. Those granules of snowmelt can cause damage to your yard, particularly if you use one with a sodium chloride base, so never scatter your salt on the grass and try not to use too much near it. If you have to melt snow close to your yard, use a calcium chloride base instead.
If your grass still has some problems over the winter and you need to give your lawn a facelift in the spring, not to worry. Contact
Novasack Turf Farm when you need top-quality sod to add to your yard or lawn care advice from the experts.
