Your lawn enters an important phase of its yearly cycle when the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp. It seems that the grass is slowing down, but actually, it’s storing energy for the upcoming winter. Therefore, you need to prepare properly to minimize damage and prevent disease. This gives you a lush, vibrant garden for next spring.
Thinking about how to go about it? No worries, this blog is here with suggestions you can use to set your lawn for cold weather.
Mow and Adjust The Height
Your current mowing style in the fall is crucial. Continue doing so as long as the grass is actively growing. But you also need to gradually adjust the height of your blades until your final cut is between 1.5 and 2 inches.
Why Does It Matter?
Taller grass mats down under the snow. It creates an ideal environment for snow mold’s growth, a destructive fungal disease. A shorter final cut allows sunlight and air to enter, discouraging rodent activity and the spread of diseases.
Clean Deeply
Never leave a heavy blanket of fallen leaves and debris sitting on your lawn for hours. Always deep-clean, using a rake, leaf blower, or your lawnmower. Don’t forget to attach a bag to remove the debris.
Why Does It Matter?
The heap of wet leaves suffocates the grass blades. This blocks the necessary sunlight and traps moisture. Again, contributing to fungal diseases such as snow mold and turf rot.
Do Core Aeration
Are you noticing pooling water after rain? Or the soil being heavily impacted? Enact lawn aeration services. Fall is the best time for it. Aeration involves pulling small soil plugs from the ground.
Why Does It Matter?
Aeration loosens the soil. This allows water, nutrients, and oxygen to reach the grass roots. Giving it a better chance to grow deep and strong before the ground freezes.
Apply a Winterizer Fertilizer
Apply a winterizer fertilizer. Do so around six to eight weeks before the ground typically freezes in your region. The fertilizer must be a formulated one for the best results. Plus, these blends are usually rich in potassium and include nitrogen’s slow-release form.
Why Does it Matter?
The winterizer fertilizer doesn’t motivate top growth. Instead, it focuses on strengthening the root system, letting the grass plant store maximum energy. In this way, your lawn becomes more resilient to cold stress and ready to take off. Search for a blend with a high potassium percentage.
Control Fall Weed
During the fall, dandelions and clover weeds are busy pulling nutrients into their roots. So, apply a broadleaf herbicide. It’s quite effective.
Expert Landscape Care All Year Long With Dave’s Landscape
Dave’s Landscape can ensure that your landscape is properly cared for through the hottest of summers and coldest of winters. We can ensure that your lawn and landscape have everything they need to survive through the winter without any setbacks for the following spring. Don’t let your landscape fall into disarray during the frost! Contact us today for expert care all year long!