Time to get ready for Winter

Lawns need a little help preparing for winter. Although they are hardy and can usually survive until spring, they will green up much sooner if appropriate steps are taken before fall ends. VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City wants to make sure you are able to enjoy a lush green lawn as soon as possible when warm weather hits. Here are a few hints to help your lawn survive the winter in the best shape.

Cut back on water usage. The amount of water required to keep a lawn thriving in 90 degree weather is much more than a lawn requires at 60 degrees. Overwatering is not only wasteful but can also facilitate mold or disease growth.

Aerating your lawn is one of the best things you can do to help it through winter. It decreases compaction and provides a protective top dressing for the lawn if the plugs are left to decompose. Air, light, fertilizer and water are all able to filter to the roots which increases their growth and ability to store up for winter.

Leaving grass just a bit longer in the fall will also help stimulate root growth.  However, for the final mowing, mow at or just shorter than regular mow height and leave the clippings on the lawn as extra protection for the crowns from the coming frosts. This will also provide fertilization as the clippings decompose over the winter.

In order to help fix dead or thin areas, fertilizer should be applied at this time of year. A slow release fertilizer high in nitrogen will provide nutrients that will allow the lawn to recover from the heat of summer and grow stronger roots to help it last through winter better. Reseeding may also be necessary for some bare areas and fall is a great time to do this but it needs to be done so the seeds have time to germinate. Early fall seeding allows the seeds to begin growing without freezing first.

We want you to have the healthiest lawn you can. Call us today to let us help you prepare your landscaping for winter.