Winter lawn care is all about preparation, adequate lawn preparation during the fall will mean that during the winter your lawn will almost take care of itself - almost!
During the winter months the lawn grass lies dormant in most areas of the country - it's far too cold for grass to grow during the winter in the north, the grass is often beneath a blanket of snow and to the south the ryegrass which grows in the cooler season may be seeded over to maintain a nice, green lawn.
Before winter arrives you should take heed of a few fall lawn care tips;
" As the fall leaves fall you should start to mulch and rake them from the lawn to prepare your lawn for the winter.
" As the temperatures drop and growth slows down you should not need to mow the lawn quite so frequently - just because it's your Sunday morning job during the summer months you don't need to do it if the lawn hasn't grown much.
" Reduce the frequency that you water the lawn - during the long, dry summer lawns need plenty of water to keep them green and fresh but during fall and as winter approaches you don't need to do that - first of all the rate of growth considerably slows and second of all mother nature is quite likely to give you a helping hand in the watering department.
" During the late summer or early fall is the best time to apply fertilizer to your lawn.
" Any weak or dead areas of lawn should not be re-seeded ready for the spring time.
" It may be necessary to de-thatch and aerate your lawn before winter sets in.
" Remember to prepare your gardening tools for the winter too - that includes your mower, trimmers and any hand tools which you use in the garden. Clean them, grease them if necessary and store away until the spring - don't forget to drain and store your sprinklers and hoses too.
Here are one or two winter lawn care tips to ensure that come spring time your lawn is fresh, green and beautiful.
" Make sure that your lawn is clean and tidy - don't leave toys, leaves or debris on the lawn over the winter time. The grass can be smothered by debris as well as encouraging mice, insects and other pests to visit and damage your lawn. It can also help to create disease like conditions which can damage your lawn further through the winter.
" On your last couple of mows before winter sets in lower your mower blades at little - you don't want to leave the grass too long which can also cause diseases and even smother it. Be sure however not to completely scalp the grass which will expose bare patches and the most vulnerable part of the grass to the harsh weather conditions.
" Try not to walk over your lawn too much in the winter time - and tell the rest of the household the same thing.
Dormant grass can tolerate a small amount of traffic whilst it is under snow but too much will make it too compacted to come back nice and green in the springtime and you will notice bare paths across the lawn.
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