Lawn Care Tips – How to protect your lawn in the winter

November 30, 2024

Don’t ignore your lawn just because it’s cold outside. Precipitation, freezing temperatures, and other elements can affect your lawn’s health during the season of dormancy.

Mow Low Before the Snow Hits – it’s not too late, this snow will melt!

Try to have your grass as short as possible by late fall to protect any fragile new growth that emerges before dormancy. Tall grass in the winter can attract rodents that like to burrow in cold weather. They create nests and tunnels that can cause damage to your turf once spring arrives.

Proper Maintenance Throughout the Year Prevents Winter Kill

Winter kill can happen to any lawn, but it is less likely to happen to healthier lawns. Proper maintenance all year long makes grass stronger and harder to kill. The best way to prevent a reoccurrence of winter kill is to try to narrow down the main cause of weakening. Thick blankets of ice weigh down your turf, causing damage the longer it lasts.

Avoid Heavy Lawn Traffic Through the Winter Months

When the grass is brown and short, people easily forget that it shouldn’t be walked on. Try to prevent very much foot traffic on your winter lawn. The grass is relatively resilient, but it will have a difficult time recovering if a path becomes well-worn across the lawn. Your soil is also most vulnerable to compaction during the winter months.

Ice Melters Can Damage Your Lawn

Whether ice melt products are new territory for you or something you use regularly – you’ll want to watch for potential damage to the lawn. Turf damage often appears in late winter or early spring in grass plots between the sidewalk and the street. There are melting products on the market, but they should be used carefully.

Fertilize Before the First Freeze

Before the first freeze, give your lawn a thorough fertilizing to replace all of the nutrients that can be lost from the soil during the hot summer months. Once the weather turns cold, the fertilizer will remain in the soil and feed your lawn’s roots all winter. Fertilization during the winter replaces the nutrients your soil loses in the dry summer heat.