We know that winter is near. The sweaters are out instead of your summer clothes; the thick blanket has replaced the thin sheets. If we are preparing for the season, why not make our lawns ready too. Below are 7 easy steps to guide you through the process and make your lawn winter-ready.
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Importance of winterizing lawn
During the winter season, the grass becomes dormant and dull. When winterizing the lawn, you are paving the way to a lush green turf for spring.
Know The grass
There are different types of grasses. The types of grass used in lawns are divided into two categories: Warm Season Grasses and Cool Season Grasses. The former are the ones that grow in areas that have a warmer climate like the southern, gulf coast, and the southeast regions of the U.S.The latter includes the upper midwest, Pacific Northwest, and the states located in the north and northeast.
The Warm Season grasses are Bermuda Grass, Centipede Grass, St.Augustine Grass, Zoysia Grass, and Dichondra. The Cool Season Grasses involve Fine Fescue Grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, and Tall Fescue.
7 Easy Steps To Winterize Your Lawn
Soil Test
Before starting with all the preparation for the winter, test your soil’s PH level. There are many soil test kits available in the market. Follow the instructions on the equipment. After you get the results, if the reading is lower than 7, it means that the soil is acidic, and if it is higher than 7, then the soul is Alkaline. Either way, it is not suitable for your lawn. The ideal PH level should be between 6.2 and 7. The grass grows best when the soil is slightly acidic to neutral.
Remove Weeds
While preparing your lawn for the winter, you only want to keep the plants that are required; others should be removed. Weeds suck up nutrition from the soil, which causes the plant to either as they don’t get enough nutrients. Weeds can cover the entire lawn as it occupies space. Therefore, they can threaten the growth of the grass, and if the plants do not get their required potassium, nitrogen, they are likely to be infected by insects and disease.
Use Fertilizer
There are many fertilizers available that are formulated for winterizing lawns.
While looking for fertilizers, one must know whether they have Warm-season grass or Cool-season grass as they are treated differently. By fertilizing your lawn, you are feeding the roots with nutrients and giving them ample extra to store for the winter. Use a spreader to apply the fertilizer evenly on the grass; this will help strengthen them if they are under stress. Do not try to overfeed as it can burn the lawn.
Aerate
This method is required to keep the lawn healthy as it ensures that air, nutrients, and moisture can reach the roots. There are two ways to do the job.
Spike Aeration
This method is for the ones who have a small lawn because it needs manual labor. You can buy a spike aerator from anywhere. Before going through this process, remember to water the land as it will become an easier task.
Plug Aeration
For homeowners who have a large-sized lawn, this method is the most suitable for you. This machine can be readily available at your local market. This method is essential for lawns that have thatch buildup.
Spread Seeds
For those who stay in northern regions, this is the time to spread the cold -weather grass seeds. Planting seeds in winters is known as Dormant Seeding. The seeds remain in the soil until it gets warm in spring. This, in turn, will save you time while seeding in spring. The best time to sow seeds is in September when the daytime temperature is 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cover the plant beds
If you have any flowers and vegetable beds, you have to winterize them too. You can do this by covering the ground with burlap or planting any cover crop on that. By doing this, it will prevent the soil from freezing in winter.
Remove leaves
This does not sound like an interesting task, but after completing all the other 6 steps, this one is undoubtedly the most necessary. Removal of leaves regularly will help remove thatch. If one does not remove the debris, then it prevents nutrients and water from reaching the roots.
Conclusion:
The responsibility of taking care of the lawn does not end in winter; you have to make it winter-ready. Getting your turf ready for winters does not take much time and money. These 7 steps will help your lawn to look vibrant when the spring comes.
