If having a healthy, green grass lawn is one of your goals, now is the time to start thinking about winterizing your lawn. After all the time and effort you have put into seeding your lawn and developing beautiful grass, don’t be fooled into thinking there is nothing you need to do to care for your yard during the cold months of the year. A healthy green lawn needs to be cared for and maintained year round. To protect your investment of time and money, its important to winterize a lawn correctly.
If your area is particularly cold and snow regularly blankets the grass, it is particularly important to winterize correctly. During the cold months, grass will go into a state of hibernation and needs appropriate nutrients and what not to make it through the winter at peak health.
During the fall months it is important to keep your lawn clear of any leaves, pine cones, and other debris that may fall onto your lawn. If you have a pool in your yard, adding winter swimming pool covers will also keep your pool maintenance down to a minimum – especially if you have many deciduous trees in the area. Keeping the lawn raked and clean will help the grass absorb as much light as it can before going into a state of hibernation before winter begins to hit hard.Raking your lawn in the fall will also help prevent mold and rot in your grass. In addition, this process also helps to keep your lawn aerated throughout the season. Its important to keep up with your weeding in the fall as well, or weeds may take over your lawn while the grass is lying dormant.
Adding compost to your lawn during the winter will help to protect the grass and provide vital nutrients for a quick rebound during the early spring months. Check the pH levels of your lawn before deciding on the optimal fertilizer as pH levels can fluctuate during the year. If your lawn needs any pH corrections, now is the optimal time to perform them.
The key to properly winterizing a lawn is to aerate and fertilize appropriately. Keep the grass clear of decaying leaves and other materials and use the appropriate compost and fertilizer to maintain the perfect pH balance. If you follow these simple tips, you will continue to have a beautiful lawn come spring time.
photo credit: akeg
