As seen in the Tried & True Fall 2021 issue
Although lawns do not require as much care in cooler months as they do in spring, summer and fall, winter weather doesn’t mean completely ignoring your yard. For grass that’s spring-time ready, here are a few steps you can take now to have the envy of the neighborhood yard later.
DRAINAGE
Now is the perfect time to move water away from poorly draining areas and house foundations. Fratco’s plastic corrugated pipe is easy to install and an investment worth every penny. Placing a system in your backyard and around the perimeter of your house means fewer water-woes now and more worry-free summer days later.
AERATE
Lawn aeration means removing cores––or plugs––of soil from your lawn. This process gives grass a chance to breathe before it goes dormant over the winter. Compacted soil inhibits air, water and nutrients from reaching the root system impacting grass health. Late fall is the perfect time to aerate before the first snow flies and can take place every two-to-three years.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Leaves left on the lawn can mean grass suffocating during winter. Although it’s strange to think of grass as a living, breathing entity, that’s exactly what it is. Wet leaves invite disease and rot, so mulch them into small pieces with your mower, allowing the nutrients to recycle into the lawn.
AVOID SALT DAMAGE
The sand used to make icy driveways and sidewalks less slippery can cause damage to nearby grass. Not only can salt create bare spots, but it also impedes nutrient absorption. Choose products that avoid sodium chloride and contain calcium chloride instead. If salt and runoff from melting snow make turf contact, water your lawn well when temperatures are above freezing.
MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT
Now that your mower and edger are taking a well-deserved break, it’s a perfect time to clean, repair and replace worn equipment. Sharpen mower blades. Check the height adjustment gear. Perform maintenance now, so you’ll be ready to fire it up on that first sunny day.
