Preparing Your Lawn for the Winter Ahead
vPreparing your lawn for the winter can be a daunting task for homeowners, particularly those who are especially attached to their gardens and yards. Days of basking in the sun on your perfectly manicured lawn, proud of how your grass is greener than any of the other lawns on the street, are over. Pretty soon it'll look like any other lawn, wet, soggy and covered in fresh snow.
But don't think your plot of green is done for. The best you can do is ensure your turf will be in for the long haul, and survive even the coldest winter. By taking a couple of easy steps, you can assure yourself that your lawn will be back in all its green glory.
Rake It Up
Leaving your grass with a heavy layer autumn's leafy leftovers is a bad idea. This will leave your turf struggling for air and lacking of much needed nutrients once the snow sets in. So don't just leave them there, pick up that rake and start doing some work.
Make sure not to leave any other debris such as garbage, toys, tools, and the like hanging around. This can damage your grass once it is lying dormant under a sheath of snow.
Mow and Aerate
Get ready to do one last mowing before you store your lawnmower away for the season. Cut away the latest growth or shorten it more than you normally would, leaving only the base. Young grass tends to be weaker and more prone to winter diseases. Also, growing the grass too long for the cold may cause it to be smothered.
Once you've mowed back the lawn to a healthy height, it's now time to aerate. This means breaking up the soil, particularly in areas that have become compacted. This action will ensure that air, nutrients and moisture will get down to the roots.
Scarify and Fertilize
Diseases and other issues like to crop up when the soil is constantly damp during the colder months. Remove moss and any other weeds that hinder your grass from springing up once the cold melts away.
If you have lacking or bald patches on your turf, now's a good time to put in some grass seeds. The cooler weather will be ideal for germination as the growth of weeds would be at bay this season.
Don't let winter be a dreary time for you. Consider this season as a break from all the backbreaking yard chores and a chance for your lawn to hibernate as it prepares to greet you with a lush and green spring.
But don't think your plot of green is done for. The best you can do is ensure your turf will be in for the long haul, and survive even the coldest winter. By taking a couple of easy steps, you can assure yourself that your lawn will be back in all its green glory.
Rake It Up
Leaving your grass with a heavy layer autumn's leafy leftovers is a bad idea. This will leave your turf struggling for air and lacking of much needed nutrients once the snow sets in. So don't just leave them there, pick up that rake and start doing some work.
Make sure not to leave any other debris such as garbage, toys, tools, and the like hanging around. This can damage your grass once it is lying dormant under a sheath of snow.
Mow and Aerate
Get ready to do one last mowing before you store your lawnmower away for the season. Cut away the latest growth or shorten it more than you normally would, leaving only the base. Young grass tends to be weaker and more prone to winter diseases. Also, growing the grass too long for the cold may cause it to be smothered.
Once you've mowed back the lawn to a healthy height, it's now time to aerate. This means breaking up the soil, particularly in areas that have become compacted. This action will ensure that air, nutrients and moisture will get down to the roots.
Scarify and Fertilize
Diseases and other issues like to crop up when the soil is constantly damp during the colder months. Remove moss and any other weeds that hinder your grass from springing up once the cold melts away.
If you have lacking or bald patches on your turf, now's a good time to put in some grass seeds. The cooler weather will be ideal for germination as the growth of weeds would be at bay this season.
Don't let winter be a dreary time for you. Consider this season as a break from all the backbreaking yard chores and a chance for your lawn to hibernate as it prepares to greet you with a lush and green spring.
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