Preparing your lawn for winter is essential as cold weather begins to take over the typically hot and humid state of Florida and transitions to lower temperatures. You wonder how these changes can affect your yard and how to best take care of it. No need to worry—our experts at RLC Landscaping have the perfect tips for maintaining a beautiful lawn throughout the changing seasons.
Preparing the yard for winter benefits your plants by protecting them from cold temperatures, preserving the soil, and preventing diseases and weeds from taking over. Essential steps to ensure a healthy lawn during the season are aerating before winter sets in, applying balanced fertilizers to strengthen the roots, and continuing regular mowing. Keep reading to learn more tips on winter lawn prep.
If you want maximum results, winter yard maintenance should begin before the winter season. One of the best methods for preparing your lawn for winter is to aerate your soil. While aeration can be completed in the Spring or Fall, a Fall aeration can help promote stronger roots and better nutrient absorption before the lawn goes into winter dormancy.
Wet leaves can also suffocate your lawn. While raking and bagging leaves is important when there are a significant amount of leaves on the grass, mulching the leaves is also beneficial. Simply mulch the leaves into small, dime-sized pieces, and your yard will benefit from the nutrients they provide during the dormant winter season. It’s important to know when to rake and bag vs. mulching. Too much mulching of certain types of leaves can change the soils pH and potentially create issues with your turf.
If you don’t have the proper tools to aerate and mulch or you aren’t sure which is better, don’t fret! Let our lawn care experts at RLC Landscaping take care of your winter lawn prep for you! We have all the expertise and proper tools to ensure the health of your lawn is stable all year round.
Fertilizer is a great way to give your lawn the essential nutrients it needs to survive and thrive during the cold winter months. Nutrients provided in the soil will be stored in the roots of your grass and provide an initial growth spurt once warmer weather returns. After spreading the fertilizer, the lawn should be watered lightly to wash the fertilizer off of the blades of grass and into the soil.
When choosing a fertilizer, remember that every lawn is different, and not all fertilizers are created equal. Talk to a quality landscaping specialist to learn more about your specific grass type and soil conditions, as well as your local fertilizer restrictions and ordinances.
While many people believe that you can stop mowing your grass once the weather gets colder, your grass actually continues to grow slowly up until the first frost. Letting grass grow too long in the colder months when evaporation is slower can leave your yard susceptible to mold and other diseases.
Leaves and twigs can create a damp environment that promotes fungal growth, leading to potential diseases that can harm the grass. They also provide shelter for pests such as lawn insects and rodents. Removing leaves and twigs from the lawn when preparing it for winter, on the other hand, allows the grass to receive adequate sunlight, nutrients, and water, which are crucial for a healthy lawn all year long.
At RLC Landscaping, through our grounds maintenance service, our team provides consistent mowing and care for your lawn and regular edging and trimming for your shrubs, trees, and other plants. In addition to these standard grounds maintenance services, we also provide arbor care, horticulture services, annuals, seasonal clean-ups, and bush hogging.
If you’re looking for a reliable yard maintenance partner, call us today at 407-366-5629 or click here to request a quote and learn more about our lawn weed control and lawn pest control services.
