If you live in the North, it’s likely that once your grass is blanketed with snow, you stop caring about it. Snow is an uncommon occurrence in southern places like Louisiana, therefore it’s important to prepare your yard for winter to assure its stability and protection throughout the colder months.
How should my grass be prepared for the winter?
When winter comes, don’t let your yard get out of control. You may get your yard ready if you don’t have a residential landscaping service in Baton Rouge by:
- Rake/Mulch Leaves – Make careful to rake or mulch any leaves and other debris that may obstruct or even choke healthy yard growth.
- Aerate – Aerate your lawn to encourage healthier lawns by decomposing hardened soil patches and introducing more oxygen and nutrients deeper into the soil.
- Lawn Mowing – Mow your lawn from time to time to keep it clean and to prevent thatch buildup. It can be routinely chopped to keep the leaves neat, but after a lot of rain, proceed with caution because the ground is less likely to dry out fast due to the chilly weather.
For the winter, should I fertilize my lawn?
While some sources may advise against fertilizing your lawn in the winter, the truth is that your lawn needs a certain kind of fertilizer. Your grass will actively grow roots if you use a fertilizer that is high in potassium and low in nitrogen (such as a Winterizer fertilizer), which will help it protect itself from freezing conditions and come back to life sooner when the temperature rises. Fertilizers like “Weed & Feed” are not advised until spring because they can encourage growth if you choose one with a high nitrogen content (the first number on the bag), making your grass vulnerable to cold weather damage. Preemergent weed control is often included in winterizer fertilizers, which helps stop the emergence and growth of winter weeds in your lawn.
Can I skip the winter watering of my lawn?
Watering your lawn gets less and less necessary when it goes dormant. As the winter months get colder, you can cut back on and finally stop watering your grass until spring arrives and the temperature starts to rise. Typically, from mid-December through February, you can winterize your irrigation system and shut it off.
Baton Rogue Landscape Pros is happy to serve as your go-to source for lawn care advice for homes in the Baton Rouge region. We are always here to assist you to take the best possible care of your yard and landscaping, whether it be through advice, instruction, or service. Give us a call for an estimate or quote on having us take care of your lawn all year long!
