The winter can be a welcome period of rest from all the necessary tasks that go with maintaining your lawn in top condition. But if you fail to prepare for the colder months, spring may greet you not with a carpet of lush, green grass, but with unappealing bare patches.
These simple steps will help you get your lawn winter-ready.
Clearing
Anything left resting on grass for a prolonged period, can leave a dead or worn area beneath it. Although the grass may regrow in spring, it is likely to be sparser and shorter than elsewhere, giving an unattractive patchy look to the lawn as a whole.
So, the first task is to ensure that your lawn is clear of all objects, both natural and man-made, including logs, lawn furniture, items of sports equipment and, as far as possible, fallen leaves.
Occasional clearing can also be carried out if necessary during the winter months themselves, but ideally the lawn should be left as undisturbed as possible during this period.
Aerating
Once its surface is clear, aerating the lawn is vital to break up compacted soil and allow water and nutrients to reach the plant roots.
Seeding, Fertilizing and Weed-killing
If your lawn is composed of a cool season grass variety, such as bluegrass or rye, fall is the ideal time of year for over-seeding or re-seeding, but this should take place no later than 6-7 weeks before the expected first freeze.
Once aerated, the lawn should be prepared for re-seeding and over-seeding by fertilizing, a vital process to replace soil nutrients lost during the heat and heavy use of summer.
You can spread a natural compost, if you have it, or use a commercial product , paying particular attention to bare or thinly covered patches.
Make sure newly seeded areas receive ample water, and once new growth is established, use a proprietary product from a specialist supplier to get rid of weeds, fungi and disease-causing pests.
Mowing
It’s important to keep cutting your grass during the weeks before winter so that it is as short as possible at the end of the growing season. Shorter grass acts as a protector for fragile new growth and also discourages nesting by mice and other animals which may damage large areas of your lawn.
Gradually reducing the length of your grass with a series of cuts will be less traumatic for the plants than one severe cut at the end of the season.
Contact Us
Keeping your lawn in great condition all year round can be a laborious process. But getting professional advice on the exact combinations of fertilizers and weed-killers you need, and when to apply them, can significantly improve your results without involving any extra work.
W P Law of Lexington SC has been in the business since 1970. Contact us today for details on how we can help you.