Dropping temperature gives relief from the heat, and the turn of the season provides excitement for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many things change in the fall and winter. The trees shed their leaves and the grass turns yellow: easy lawn care, right? While not as taxing as summer lawn care, winter lawn care involves work, too.
- Mowing. In the fall, mow your lawn as usual. Long grass through the winter can provide places for rodents and other pests to shelter. When mowing for the last two times over the fall, drop the blade to its lowest setting for a clean, close cut that will allow less grass to brown.
- Aerate. Another winter lawn care tip is aeration, which helps water, air, and fertilizer to seep into the roots. You can purchase or rent an aerator that will punch holes in the dirt as you pass over.
- Fertilize. The fall is also a good time to apply fertilizer over your lawn to promote growth for the spring. The visible surface level of grass may be growing slower, but the roots are still alive. Around mid-fall, scatter dry fertilizer over the grass.
- Clean. This winter lawn care tip is pretty simple: keep logs, sticks, vehicles, etc. off your lawn before winter’s arrival. If it snows, unnecessary items on the lawn are less likely to get buried, and you’ll save the grass from death or accumulating nasty damp spots under large items left on the grass.
- Rake. The well-known characteristic of autumn is falling leaves, which will cover and cling together in piles against the fence and other lawn furniture if left alone. Rake these leaves, put them in bags, and set out by your trash bin so your turf gets plenty of sun.
- Fill. If any spots in your lawn are bald, rake the dirt to loosen it, then a lawn repair mixture found at most garden shops and apply to needed areas.
- Control. Weeds don’t pack their bags and leave during the winter. Go ahead and apply safe herbicide to your lawn over the fall to get rid of lawn-damaging weeds that can set back your winter lawn care.
Give your lawn a little tender loving care this fall and winter to prepare for a lush yard come spring!
Meadows Farm Equipment is proud to serve Wedowee and the surrounding community for its small engines and power equipment needs. Come see us today on County Road 811 in Wedowee, or visit us at www.meadowsfarmequipment.com.