I know; you must think me mad! I understand that much of the country may be under ice and snow right now and I’m publishing a blog about lawn care? Well, I haven’t taken leave of my senses! Even in places where you’ve put your mower away, there are lawn-related tasks to be done. You may be ready “for a long winter’s nap” but things you do now can help get your lawn off to the right start in the spring.
Hopefully, you’ve already given your lawn its fall feeding but if you didn’t get around to it, fear not; if the weather permits early winter is still an acceptable time to fertilize cool weather grasses like Bermuda Grass and Bluegrass. The majority of lawns in the United States have these types of grasses so it is a good bet that yours does too and as long as the ground isn’t frozen you can apply the fertilizer now. This is an important feeding as it gives the lawn sustenance after a long hot summer and it will remain in the soil through the winter and help it to be ready for lush growth in the spring.
As I mentioned previously many of us have already parked the lawn mower in the garage for the winter but it you live in Southern areas of the country you may need to keep mowing the grass. Letting your grass grow too tall at this time of year can encourage mice and other burrowing animals to hunker down for the winter in your yard. If they are allowed to take up residence in your yard their nests can become widespread and can lead to serious damage to your lawn.
While it is sometimes unavoidable you should try not to walk on your lawn too frequently during the winter. Your lawn is at its most vulnerable at this time of year and grass that is frozen can be easily damaged by foot traffic. While it will likely survive the damage your grass will take that much longer to recover from this injury in the spring. It’s equally important however to keep debris off of your grass as well.
Toys, lawn furniture, branches, and leaves can easily be left on the lawn as we don’t spend as much time outdoors at this time of year or the weather deteriorates before we are able to remove them. If these objects aren’t removed they can cause the grass to be stunted or thin out and it can even kill the grass in those areas. If you can remember it is a good idea to look around your yard every few weeks and clear these items if necessary.
Once you take care of these items you’ll be ready to enjoy some time indoors relaxing so you’re ready to get to work next spring!
For additional information on Fall Lawn Care please check out Yard Day's Fall Lawn Care Tips.
