Protect your grass from winter damage with these ut and don’ts from lawn precaution expert .
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A once - inviting lawn occupy on a straw chocolate-brown chromaticity and abrittle crispy texturewhen winter arrives in cold regions . The new appearance is turf ’s healthy response to cold temperatures and limited daytime as the grass industrial plant move into dormancy to preserve their root system . add together a bed of coke and the lawn may disappear for months at a time .
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With some TLC in fall and winter , brave recurrent lawn grasses like Kentucky bluegrass , meadow fescue , and perennial ryegrass , will send up bright green shoot when days lengthen and temperature moderate in spring . Here are seven must - know tips from experts that will help protect your lawn from harm this wintertime so your grass will come back strong in the spring .
1. Mow Until the Grass Is Dormant
Don’tput your mower awaytoo betimes . “ Continue tomow the lawn until grass stops growingin fall , ” aver Richard Jauron , former filename extension plantsman at Iowa State University . Set the mower pack of cards height at about 2 inches for the last cut of the season .
to a fault long grassinvites voles and other rodentsto take up residence , tunneling under the snow as they feed on grass blade and roots while protect from predators . If vole damage does occur , lawns will usually fill in as temperatures increase in spring but someoverseeding might be necessary .
2. Remove Excessive Leaf Debris
lashings of food - richleaves are welcome on landscape beds , but a thick layer of folio cover is detrimental on turf grass . “ Excessive leaf detritus left on the lawn during winter can block the utilization of luminosity and the exchange of gasses during winter months , ” says John Orick , Purdue Master Gardener State coordinator .
If the folio bed is more than 2 inches dense , remove it by rake or using a lawn mower with a bagging attachment . Add the collected leaves to acompost pileor garden bottom . Thin bed of leaves can be recycled back into the lawn . Use amulching mowerto veer parting into tiny while , which will quickly moulder , releasing nutrients in the grass ’s root zone .
3. Don’t Fertilize Dormant Turf
“ Once the turfgrass plants have entered wintertime dormancy ( or the dirt is frozen ) , the plant are not able-bodied to utilize nutrients from fertilizer applications for plant increase , ” says Orick . The fertilizer will sit on the foliage leaf blade or on top of the territory surface for weeks in wintertime , which can damage plant . implement fertiliser when the grass is actively produce , no later than former November and no earlier than other April in most dusty weather condition regions .
4. Don’t Apply Herbicide to a Dormant Lawn
Herbicide , just like fertilizer , is ineffectual on a sleeping lawn . The weeds will not take up the product until they are actively growing . “ Apply herbicides when the air temperature is between 50 and 85 ° F , ” says Orick .
5. Don’t Aerate or Dethatch After September
Bothaerationand dethatching goad grass to acquire Modern roots and shoots . Lawn renovation strategies like these after September will produce a lawn full of tender fresh root and shoots that are well damaged by winter conditions . If time is scant before block temperature , delay lawn refurbishment until spring . Jauron recommends aerating anddethatchingin September or April when the lawn will quickly recover in more favorable growing conditions .
6. Choose Ice Melt Carefully
When ice melt commonwealth on turf grass it can burn leafage blade and damage roots . “ Use mellow lineament frosting melt such as magnesium chloride , which is gentler on the lawn and still does a proficient line of work of melting methamphetamine , ” state Lou Manfredini , Ace Hardware ’s house expert . Protect your lawnand surround ecosystem by onlyusing as much deoxyephedrine thaw productas necessary in critical area . Avoid piling ice - melt - laden snow on turf grass ( or any plant for that matter ) .
7. Don’t Pile Snow on the Lawn
Large pile of snow that linger into spring increment the chance oflawn diseaseslike snow mold developing on turf sens . “ Avoid large piles of Charles Percy Snow on the lawn that can take calendar month to melt away , ” says Manfredini . If large piles are inevitable , strike hard down the pile as temperatures rise to boost quicker melting .
