Winter is right around the corner and with the falling temperatures, lawns are entering their dormant period of rest and regeneration.
Even though the grass does not grow during the winter months, professional landscaping contractors know that this is the best time to revitalize a lawn for the spring season ahead.
Follow these winter lawn care tips that landscape contractors recommend and provide a dormant lawn with everything it needs to rest easy during the colder months.
- Do Winter Lawn Preps - After doing a final mowing, landscaping contractors recommend dethatching lawns with a rake or dethatching machine to remove dead grass close to the ground, aerating to allow the ground and roots to breathe and then overseeding the lawn. Seeds will gradually work their way into the soil and aeration holds, taking root and then waiting for the warmer weather to sprout. Overseeing in the winter creates a thicker, healthier lawn in the spring once the weather warms up again.
- Winter Fertilization - Since lawns are not actively growing in winter, landscaping services recommend only one application of fertilizer shortly after the last mow and other preparations, watering it in well. This application will reach the roots and feed them throughout the cooler months, helping them grow thicker and deeper in preparation for the spring bloom.
- Treat Resting Lawns With Care - Throughout the rest of the season, landscaping contractors recommend minimizing lawn traffic to avoid damaging grass that cannot repair itself until spring. Additionally, an occasional watering every few weeks if conditions have been especially dry is helpful, but only on days that the temperature is above freezing so the soil has a chance to soak up that water and utilize it.
- Winterize Equipment - After the last mow and before the first frost, landscape contractors recommend winterizing underground sprinkler systems to protect them and prevent freezing, which can lead to pipe bursting. This is also the time to winterize lawnmowers and other personally owned landscaping power equipment so they can be put away in a shed or garage until spring.
Just because it is wintertime and the grass is not actively growing does not mean that lawns can be ignored.
These few, but important suggestions from professional landscaping services will ensure that existing lawns are able to restore over the winter so they can return lush and green at the first sign of warmer weather.
Roots that can breathe, feed, and rest will bounce back beautifully once spring arrives again!
Contact a local landscape contractor to arrange these services today!