Before winter hits in Indianapolis, IN, you’ll want to make sure you’ve winterized your lawn. There’s more to winterizing your lawn then just putting away the lawn mower and picking up toys. For a yard that will be beautiful and lush in the spring, there are some chores to winterize it to survive even the harshest winter.
Covering the basics of winterizing your lawn includes mowing, fertilizing, cleaning up debris, and aerating. Here is how to do so accordingly to your lawn in Indianapolis, to ensure a healthy spring growth following winter.
Mowing
When you are mowing during the last few weeks of summer, you need to lower the cutting base of your mower gradually whenever you cut your grass. By slowly cutting the grass shorter, it won’t shock it. If you mow your grass short all at once will not allow it to winter well.
Plus, if you don’t give your grass a good shortcut before winter and let it tall, then field mice and other pests will find it a perfect place to sleep. When mice build nests in your lawn, it can destroy a large part of it. When your grass is cut short, it will also protect any new growth which is sprouting near the end of the growing season.
Fertilize
When you are growing cool season grasses, like in the Indianapolis area, late fall or early winter is the best time to fertilize. Being that most of the lawns in North America grow these type of grasses, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, your yard probably is made from a cool season blend.
Before the first freeze shows up, thoroughly fertilize your lawn to replace the nutrients which had been lost in the soil from the hot summer. When the weather becomes cold, then the fertilizer will be in the soil and will feed the roots of your lawn all winter. Then when spring finally comes, your lawn which has been feeding all winter will develop lush green grass.
Clean up
If you don’t pick up items which have been left on your lawn before winter hits, then large dead spots where items have laid will be there in the spring. You need to pick up tree branches, toys, lawn furniture and even make sure the lid on the sandbox is secure. Even after the snow hits, doing a sweep of the lawn every few weeks is recommended.
When something is left on the lawn, not only will there be a brown patch but the grass in that area will be thinner and stunted than the rest of the lawn.
Aeration
Another tip for winterizing your lawn is to aerate. This can be done with a machine aerator or even a garden fork to make holes throughout the surface of the yard. Some parts of Indianapolis have a high concentration of soil which is clay. When this type of soil, especially, is aerated it will encourage water and nutrients to sustain your grass through the winter months.
You should also brush horticultural-grade sand into the holes, so they don’t close. When the sand you use is rocky, it will allow air and water to seep into the root zone.
Avoid traffic
Some other useful tips are not to allow foot traffic on your lawn in the winter. If a path becomes established, your grass will have a difficult time in recovering. Also, never allow anyone to park on your lawn, especially in the winter. When using your lawn as a parking lot, it will kill your grass and make it a free for all for crabgrass and other pesky weeds.
Winterizing your lawn before snowfall is crucial if you want a healthy green lawn to come springtime. Follow these basic tips or reach out to your local lawn care professional in Indianapolis for additional help.
Main Photo Credit: Ken Ratcliff / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
