Many people only think about their lawn during the spring and summer months. However, if you want your yard to look good and remain healthy year round, you will need to establish a winter lawn care regimen. That means knowing what you need to do for your lawn and when you need to implement your winter lawn care strategy to achieve a pristine landscape. And the first step begins with learning exactly what it is you need to do to succeed.
When Should I Begin My Winter Lawn Care Regimen?
Even though you are implementing a winter lawn care regimen, the work you need to do will actually need to be performed in the fall. There are several things you will need to do before the winter season arrives.
Aeration. You can add aeration to your lawn using one of the many lawn aeration tools found on Amazon.com or at your local home improvement store. Aerating your yard will help break up any compacted soil while allowing oxygen, water and other vital nutrients to get down into the roots.
Pre-Emergent Herbicides. Pre-emergent herbicides are used to keep crabgrass and other weeds from germinating in the spring and should be added to your lawn before the first frost. Additionally, fertilizing your yard in the fall will also help your grass survive the long harsh winter and encourages it to grow lush and green in the spring. Fall is also a great time to add some fertilization to your lawn, shrubs and trees as well
Seeding. If you want to re-seed your lawn, you can do so once the soil temperature has reached about 55 degrees. It sounds rather counterintuitive to seed right before winter; however, turf roots grow vigorously in the fall and winter and doing so will give you a lush green lawn come spring. Your best bet is to not skimp on the seed though. Find a quality grass that grows well in your area and one that is drought resistant and resists disease and insects as well.
Mulching. Instead of raking up and disposing of all those leaves, many people go over them several times with their lawnmower to grind them into a mulch for their lawn. Leaf mulch will help protect your grass during the winter and they will decompose and turn into a organic matter that will feed the roots. You can also purchase a mulching blade that attaches to your mower if you want to achieve a finer grind.
What About Planting Winter Rye Grass?
Winter rye grass is great if you want a nice green lawn during the cold months of the year, but remember that it will also need to be mowed as well. There are plenty of benefits that come with planting winter rye besides having a green lawn during the winter. Planting winter rye will also help provide your lawn with some erosion control, it helps increase percolation and reduces compaction. The planting schedule and care of your rye grass will depend on the type of grass you purchased and the climate where you live. So make sure you take the time to learn how to care for it before you begin. If you chose annual winter rye grass, it will die off in the spring and will need to be replanted each year. Additionally, it will not harm your permanent lawn, if you followed the planting and care instructions properly.
How Often Should I Mow and Water My Lawn During the Winter?
Beginning in the last month of the summer, you should start lowering the cutting base of your lawn mower each time you mow. This will help prevent it from shocking your lawn’s roots due to cutting it all at one time. After that you should only mow your lawn when and if needed, at least until the spring rolls around again.
Watering your lawn in the winter, is a whole different story and the answer will depend on where you live, if you planted winter rye grass and how much precipitation you have received. However, with that being said, your lawn will need to be watered even during the winter. A lawn needs at least one to two inches of water per week and depending on how much rain you’ve had, you might need to water it once and sometimes twice a week. You will be able to tell if your lawn is getting enough water by inserting a six inch screwdriver into the ground, and if the screwdriver can’t be easily pressed into the ground, then your lawn isn’t getting enough water.
How Do I Winterize My Lawn Mower?
If you want to keep your lawn mower in good shape, you will need to winterize it prior to storing it for the winter. There are several steps you will need to take, if you don’t want to be left with some repairs in the spring.
Stabilize the Fuel. If you store your lawn mower in the basement, you should run the engine until the gas runs out; otherwise, it could clog the carburetor. If you store your lawn mower in the garage, you should fill up the tank to help prevent condensation and add some fuel stabilizer to it, which can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Then you will need to operate your mower for approximately five minutes to ensure the stabilizer reaches the carburetor.
Change the Oil. Before storing your lawn mower for the winter, you should change the oil, if you want to extend the life of the engine.
Battery Maintenance. It’s a good idea to charge the battery before you store your mower for the winter. Additionally, you should also periodically charge the battery throughout the winter as well. If you don’t, it’s likely to give you problems much sooner than it would otherwise and come spring it might not hold a charge.
Deck Cleaning. You should clean the deck of your mower before storing it for the winter to help keep it from rusting. This can be done with your garden hose and a scrub brush. Once finished, you should spray it with a silicone spray to help prevent any future build-up.
Optional Maintenance. You might also need to replace the spark plugs if they have more than 100 hours on them. Sharpening the blades is also a good idea as it will be ready to go when spring arrives. And a sharp mower blade will help prevent damaging your grass. Additionally, you might also need to replace the air filter and the fuel filter (if your mower has one). However, you will need to refer to the owner’s manual for your mower’s specific instructions for more details.
2 Point Highlight
1. If you want your yard to look good and remain healthy year round, you will need to establish a winter lawn care regimen.
2. Even though you are implementing a winter lawn care regimen, the work you need to do will actually need to be performed in the fall.
