Winter lawn fertilizers are essential. You have worked so hard to keep a crisp, green lawn during the fall and now you can make sure that this same lawn will be back next year. This is where winter lawn fertilizers come into play. The following are a few tips and tricks when it comes to preparing your lawn for the long winter haul.

What will winter lawn fertilizer do for my lawn?

Winter lawn fertilizer will keep your grass healthy. It will allow the grass the strength and health to bounce back when spring comes around. Instead of spending all spring working on bringing your lawn back to life, you will have a great head start if you prepare your lawn for the winter.

How does winter fertilizer strengthen my lawn?

The winter fertilizer will increase the nitrogen storage capacity of your grass for later in the spring. In addition, the grass’s roots will be strengthened from all the nutrients provided by the fertilizer.

Now that I know the benefits of winter fertilizer, what steps do I need to take to prepare my lawn?

One of the first steps is to clear away the debris from your lawn. This is very beneficial for maintaining a healthy lawn. The debris that you need to clear away is called “thatch.” If the thatch is not removed, it will make it more difficult for the thatch to reach the grass. In addition, your grass will be burned. To keep thatch from building up, maintain your lawn regularly and keep it trimmed to an appropriate length.

As winter nears, keep trimming your grass. Ideally when winter comes around and you do your last mow, trim the grass to a length of two to three inches. This is the optimal length of grass during the winter months.

Now that your lawn is groomed to the perfect condition, apply your winter fertilizer as the instructions indicate on the bag or container.

Additional help

Not sure if you have done everything appropriately? Would you like professional help to keep your lawn pristine? Check out TalkLocal, where you will be connected directly to local, high-quality professionals that will help you at the time that is most convenient for your schedule. Give it a try!

Mowing and fertilizing regularly are not the only tasks necessary for maintaining a beautiful lawn. The process of aerating once or twice a year can make the prized difference of a healthy yard. Aeration is extremely beneficial in that the holes created through the process allow for additional oxygen, water, and critical nutrients to seep into the soil, improving its root health and development. When soil is compacted and dry, roots are not able to thrive as well as when soil is looser and hydrated – something that aeration can create.

There are two main methods of lawn aeration – either using spikes, which compacts the soil as it presses down and creates holes, or coring, which penetrates down into the soil and removes a “core” cylinder-shaped pack of dirt. You can perform aeration either manually, such as with spiked shoes or coring tools, or through motorized methods, such as having aerators attached to lawn tractors.

Either of these choices is easily available, but coring is generally the more effective method, as it actually pulls out plugs of dirt as opposed to compacting more of it down like spikes would do. Though, the method you choose simply relies on your particular preferences, lawn size, budget, time constraints, and needs.  For example, using a manual coring tool is probably a better choice if you have a small lawn. The larger lawns will require motorized aeration tools to get the job done quickly.

Lawn Aeration Tips:

– The best time of year to aerate is in early spring or late summer/early fall.
– Aerate twice a year if you live in arid/dry climates.
– Water your lawn a day or so before aerating so the soil becomes soft, making it easier to penetrate and remove soil cores.
– Aerate the more trafficked areas of your lawn often. The reason for aeration is because your soil is very compacted and probably oxygen-deficient, so opening up the soil in these areas is necessary.
– After aerating, remove the coils or mow over them to break them up.

If you are having trouble aerating your lawn or would simply prefer professional help, try using TalkLocal to locate a landscaper near you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable companies in your neighborhood, within minutes. Just enter in your problem, location, and availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple landscapers, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help.