Three Winter Lawn Care Tips

When the lawn mower gets traded for shovels and snow blowers, you may think your lawn care routine has come to an end for the year. The truth is, your lawn needs to be cared for year round. Below are three ways you can protect your lawn during the harsh winter months.

Fertilize Before the First Freeze

Fertilizing your lawn in the spring seems to be a no-brainer, but did you know that failing to fertilize in the fall before the big freeze can result in dead, diseased grass?

As the hot summer months wind down, your lawn needs replenishing, and plenty of it. The fertilizer you spread in the spring is long gone and your lawn's soil is craving all the nutrients lost from the sun, heat, and activity. Fertilizing your lawn before the ground freezes is a great way to ensure it gets the nutrients it needs all winter long.

Use the Fall Leaves to Your Advantage

Prepare your lawn for the cold months ahead by giving it a blanket of freshly fallen leaves. Leaves are a great natural fertilizer that can be put to work, even if covered by ice and snow. With 50-80% of air and soil nutrients that a tree extracts, leaves are packed full of the exact things your lawn will need.

To get the most from your leaves, use a mulcher or lawnmower to shred them into fine pieces. This will best extract the nutrients inside of them, giving your lawn a fighting chance during the winter. And, as an added bonus, you can save some of the shredded leaves for spring when your lawn will need a quick pick-me-up.

Keep Foot Traffic to a Minimum

During the winter, your lawn becomes brittle, making even the smallest of impressions a big deal. If a well-worn path develops during the winter, you can bet that once the ground thaws, you'll be left with a path of brown, dead grass.

This worn path will be a great place for weeds to sneak into your lawn and threaten the rest of your yard. The best way to avoid this is to properly shovel and de-ice your walkways and sidewalks so that your lawn doesn't become the best option for pedestrians.

Above are three expert lawn care tips on keeping your lawn healthy through the cold, winter months. By fertilizing and mulching your lawn before the first freeze, you're ensuring your lawn has all of the nutrients it will need to survive the cold months. And, when you protect your lawn from foot traffic, you're ensuring an all-around healthy yard when the springtime rolls around.  

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