As the cold winter weather approaches, it’s important to know which winter lawn care mistakes to avoid. Many people believe that there isn’t much to be done for your lawn and garden during winter, but that’s not exactly the case. Proper preparation before winter hits and special care during the colder months will help your lawn come back greener and healthier in the spring.
Winter lawn care mistakes to avoid:
Mowing with a dull blade
You won’t be mowing your lawn throughout winter, but you will need to keep it mowed up until winter truly hits. We’ve already discussed the “mow low strategy” but it won’t do you much good if you’re using an old, dull blade. Mowing with a dull blade will actually tear your grass instead of leaving a clean cut. Torn grass leads to a brown lawn.
Neglecting to water plants
Your plants still need water throughout the winter! Proper watering is an important part of winter lawn care. Your lawn and all of your trees, hedges, and shrubs still need water throughout cold weather. Make sure you are giving your plants the water they need to survive the harsh winter so you can avoid dehydration and disease problems later on.
Using the wrong fertilizer
Not all fertilizer is created equally! There are specific uses for different fertilizer, so when you’re giving your lawn one last boost before the cold season it’s important to use the correct fertilizer and apply it properly. You’ll want to use fertilizer that is specifically designed for the fall season because these fertilizers stimulate deep root growth, which will help your lawn stay healthy throughout the winter. Many fertilizers will only result in top growth, which will cause visible growth for the grass blades but do little for the roots below the surface. When in doubt, work with a lawn care professional.
Leaving things on the lawn
This is relevant all year long, but it’s worth mentioning for winter lawn care as well. Whenever you leave something on your lawn for an extended period of time, you prevent the grass beneath it from getting sunlight and air, which essentially starves it of nutrients. During the winter it may not seem like a big deal to leave holiday decorations out on the same spot for a month and a half, but you might be sorely disappointed to find brown spots come spring. If you are going to put up any seasonal decorations, try moving them around every so often so that every part of your lawn gets a chance to soak up some sun and air.
Using low-quality mulch
Mulching is a great way to lock moisture into the soil around plants. Placing mulch around trees and shrubs can also moderate the temperate of the soil during cold weather and prevent weed seed germinations. This is all great news for winter lawn care, but only if you’re using high quality mulch! It may be tempting to skimp on mulch, but cheap, low quality mulch can actually infest your healthy plants with pests or fungus. The cheaper route will likely cause more harm than good, so it’s best to get high-quality mulch and work with a professional who is knowledgeable in mulch cultivation.
Winter lawn care is all about being prepared! If you have any questions or are interested in working with our team of experts, do not hesitate to contact us for all of your St Louis snow removal and lawn care needs!
