This weekend’s frost was just a taste of what’s soon to come — which is good news for those of you who haven’t winterized your lawns yet. If you act fast, there should be just enough time to get your yard prepped to stay healthy over the winter. Here are some helpful tips:
Get Rid of Leaves
Contrary to popular belief, a layer of dead leaves doesn’t protect your lawn from the snow — it can actually trap moisture and smother it.
Don’t Stop Mowing
Leaving your grass too long over the winter can also cause damage. Continue mowing your lawn at regular mowing levels until the grass goes dormant (or stops growing) for the season, usually in late November.
Mulch Up
Laying down mulch around the base of trees and other plants will help keep their roots from freezing.
Wrap Your Tree Trunks
If you have a south or west-facing tree, it could be at risk for sunscald — that’s when the sun thaws the trunk during the day, but then nighttime temps freeze it again, causing cracks and other serious damage. Wrap your tree to keep it safe and warm.
Stick to the Sidewalk
Walking too frequently on dormant grass can cause damage that will prevent those trodden areas from greening up in the spring and could promote snow mold.
Keep Melting Salts Away
Be extremely careful to avoid getting melting salts and other snow-melting agents on your lawn — they can cause serious damage.
Try Winter Watering
Your lawn still gets thirsty in the winter. Consider watering it with a hose on days over 40 degrees (do NOT turn on your irrigation system). Winter watering also helps avoid mites.
