Just because the months are colder doesn’t mean your lawn care is over and you can just wait for spring to come along. Here are eight things you can do to keep your lawn healthy during the coldest months of the year.
Fertilize
Use a spreader for this task, moving the machine back and forth over your grass and gripping the handle to release the pellets. When applying fertilizer on your lawn, make sure to follow the instructions indicated in the packaging, and be careful not to over-fertilize your lawn. Otherwise, you’ll run the risk of burning your grass.
Aerate your lawn
Doing this will help keep your grassroots healthy and allow you to plant seeds across your lawn. You can aerate your lawn either by using a spade to make planting holes on the ground or by using a motorized or a manual aerator.
Choose the right grass seed
Certain grass seeds thrive best during the colder seasons, so purchase grass seed labeled “cool season” or “cool weather” on the package. Using the same spreader you used for fertilizing your lawn, spread the grass seeds evenly all over the area. While you can definitely do this manually without the use of a spreader, it’s best not to so as to prevent grass clumps later on.
Rake and water the lawn
Once you’re done planting the grass seeds, it’s time for you to rake over the lawn and partially cover these seeds. Take note that you don’t want to ‘suffocate’ the seed by completely covering it with soil. Afterward, sprinkle water over the lawn, and make sure to keep the ground moist so your seeds can grow into healthy grass.
Clean up the lawn
Reduce the likelihood of having pests on your lawn by ensuring that it’s always kept free from any debris, including toys and leaves. Left unchecked, this debris can smother the grass beneath it, making it more likely for disease to develop in your grass and also encouraging pests to make your lawn their home.
Mow at the right height
When mowing your lawn during the colder weather, see to it that you mow at the right height. By ‘right’, we mean a notch or two lower than the usual height of your mower. Be careful though! While you don’t want to leave your grass too long during the winter and run the risk of incurring damage, you also shouldn’t cut your grass too short. Otherwise, you’ll be exposing the crown of your grass to the cold, harsh environment, causing damage to your lawn.
Keep off the grass
It’s okay to walk on your dormant lawn from time to time but do so with moderation. Frequent foot traffic can wear the lawn down and cause your soil to be compact, slowing the green-up process of your grass during the spring.
Always monitor the weather
Cold-weather grass can tolerate even the harshest winters, but not for long. So if a winter storm or a deep freeze is approaching, take the time to at least chip away a bit of ice at the lowest parts of your lawn.
In general, there’s no need for you to worry too much about your lawn during the winter time as long as you’ve prepared everything correctly.
Need help?
Stoney Acres is accepting bookings for Fall and Winter maintenance services. Call Stoney Acres today at 925-6286 and we’d be happy to give you a free estimate.