Many of us look forward to the quiet of winter, when we trade in the weekly chores of mowing, trimming and blowing to retreat indoors and relax fireside. While your lawn will require much less work in the next few months, a few tasks are still necessary to keep your grass healthy throughout the winter. A little effort now will help ensure a more beautiful lawn in spring.
Winter Lawn Care Tasks:
Cleanup
Start by cleaning up any fallen debris. Regularly remove sticks and twigs along with any remaining fall leaves or pine needles. Your grass will benefit from the improved exposure to sunlight, air and water.
Watering
Now that the summer heat has passed, it is time to adjust your sprinklers. Even grasses that go dormant need water throughout the winter, but too much may invite rot or blight. An inch of water from rain or irrigation every two weeks will keep most grasses alive without water logging during the winter.
Mowing
Your grass probably won’t need mowing, but if you do mow, don’t cut the grass too short. Exact mowing heights vary by grass type, and the higher end of the recommended range is best for winter and early spring. If you don’t know your grass variety, two inches is a good rule of thumb. Scalping the grass may kill it, and leaving it too long could lead to disease or rot.
Traffic
Growing grasses are hardy and can spring back from regular use, but winter’s dormant grasses and spring’s early growth are weaker and therefore more susceptible to damage. Avoid heavy foot traffic on your lawn during the winter and early spring.
No Fertilizer
You may be tempted to get a head start by fertilizing your lawn now, especially if you didn’t get around to it this fall, but don’t do it. It’s best to wait until your grass fully greens up in the spring to avoid doing more harm than good.
Weed Control
You can treat existing weeds now with post-emergent herbicide formulated for annual and perennial winter weeds. For best results, apply during warmer days when temperatures rise above 50°F. To get ahead of spring weeds, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in February or March before soil temperatures reach 55°F.
Sodding
If your grass is in bad shape, you don’t have to wait until spring to enjoy a beautiful lawn. Our painted sod arrives green and stays green for two to three months, when Mother Nature takes over in the spring.
Painted sod installs like any other Bermuda or Zoyzia, with all the convenience of a dormant sod, but with no overseeding necessary.
Questions?
If you have winter lawn care questions or are interested in laying sod this winter, contact our Certified Turfgrass Professionals at 770.832.8608 or info@NGTurf.com.
