Winter, the time of snow and ice, seems like the last time of the year when you want to care for your lawn. However, there are a few things you can do in the winter months to help keep your lawn up to par after the last frost of the season. Add these winter lawn care tips to your to-do list for a solid winter season to ensure a greener growing season as the first daffodils peak in spring.

Mow No More

Mowing will be forgotten by the New Year, but in the meantime take these steps to clipping off your cutting chore. Ideally you should begin cutting your grass shorter in August, to help it adjust to a short trim during winter. However, if you are starting this process in fall, simply lower your lawnmower’s cutting base every time you cut your lawn. By the time the first snow flies, your grass will be short enough to protect it throughout the season. If you try to cut it off all at one whack, the grass can be shocked, thereby killing it and leaving you with brown patches by March.

  • The main reason you want short grass is to prevent pests including mice from building nests in your lawn throughout the cold months. These nests could damage your lawn due to dead spots, pulling grass for nesting, and due to mice droppings.

Aeration

While aeration should not be done during the dormant months of winter, you should aerate your lawn prior to the deep freeze of the season. According to This Old House, choose a day in the end of fall when the ground is moist, but not soggy. Start with the perimeter of your lawn and use an aerator to comb the surface area of your lawn. Using steel springs, an aerator digs into the soil without going too deeply. In the process, lawn thatch and moss is removed, while grass roots get better accessibility to nutrients, water and sunlight. Aerating also helps grass roots to develop securer into the soil. You should aerate before winter to give your grass a starting shoot for the spring months, as the dormant period can be damaging to weak grass roots.

Watering

Winter may be a dormant period, but grass will still need to have some water to survive. If you live in an area with a wet climate, you have less to worry about in terms of moisture for your lawn. However, if you are in a windy or dry climate, your lawn can suffer from a lack of watering. Consult with the experts at (NAME OF LANDSCAPING CO. CLIENT) landscaping to determine how often you need to water your lawn in your area. We can provide you with the information you need to ensure that your grass will not go thirsty even in the dead of winter. By improving the winter care that your lawn receives, you can look forward to a healthy and hardy grass in the springtime.