While you’re busy whipping your home into shape, don’t forget to prepare your yard, too. Follow these steps to ensure a lush lawn next spring!
I know, summer was too short. Sadly, it appears autumn is in full swing and winter will be here before we know it. Right on cue with the State Fair, as usual.
While you’re busy whipping your home into shape—tuning up the furnace, checking the insulation, bringing out the storm windows, and cleaning the ducts—don’t forget to prepare your yard, too. Follow these steps to ensure a lush lawn next spring.
Here are a few tips to help your lawn get through winter’s icy blast and emerge in spring looking better than ever:
- Weed.
Pull the dandelions and other broad leaf weeds to prevent them from stealing all of the available nutrients and water from your lawn. Eradicate weeds that are forming seed heads so that they don’t reseed themselves in your turf.
- Minimize the thatch layer.
Thatch is composed of organic matter that is slow to decay. If the thatch layer is too thick, it will affect grass health. Raking will help control thatch. You can also aerate your lawn in autumn (or in spring) to reduce the thatch layer, improve drainage and air circulation, and minimize soil compaction. Aeration will also assist in the uptake of nutrients.
- Deal with the fallen leaves.
You can either remove the leaves altogether and compost them (or utilize them as mulch in your garden beds), or you can use the mulching blade on your lawn mower and chip them into small pieces that can remain on the lawn. A heavy leaf layer can be detrimental to lawn health.
- Sow seeds.
It may seem strange to plant grass just before freeze-up, but broadcasting grass seed over your lawn is one of the most important things you can do to give your turf a leg up in the spring. Use a spreader to distribute the seed evenly.
- Water.
If there is no rain in the forecast around the time you plant your grass seeds, a deep watering will be necessary. You can water right up until the ground freezes.
- Feed.
At this time of year, use a fertilizer high in potassium (the third number on the fertilizer bag). Potassium increases the cold tolerance of cool-weather grasses. If you do not wish to use synthetic fertilizers, a spray of compost will do the trick. Always apply fertilizer according to the rates listed on the package; never use more than recommended, as it may burn the leaves of your plants.
- Mind your mowing.
Cropping your lawn too short in autumn may stress the plants. Long grass can also be a problem: matted lengths of wet grass can promote molds and other diseases in spring, and it may provide winter habitation to unwanted animal pests such as voles and mice. Raise your mower blades slightly higher than your usual summer height — the extra leaf length helps with production of the food stores grass needs to survive the winter. If you have a mower capable of mulching, you can leave the grass clippings on the lawn for added cold-weather protection and nutrition. Contact us at Be Happy Property Services and let us handle the job!
Remember, the easiest way to prevent lawn problems once freeze-up and snowfall occur is to not walk or park on your frozen lawn. This helps greatly to reduce the chance of winter kill. Keep in mind that ice melting salts can do extensive damage to your lawn. Be careful when applying salts to your driveway and sidewalk so that the chemicals do not leach onto your turf, or use a more environmentally-friendly product such as coarse sand.
As we approach the snow shoveling and snow removing season, make sure to give us a call here at Be Happy Property Services. Be Happy Property Services provides residential and commercial properties in Anchorage and our surrounding areas with dependable, licensed, insured, and bonded services. One call, we do it all! 907-336-7434.