If you think that all of the major work of keeping your lawn healthy and safe is done because the growing season is coming to an end, think again. There’s actually plenty in the winter that could cause damage to your lawn, and part of the duty of maintaining your lawn means caring for it all year long, not just in the summer when you’re thinking about it every day. Luckily, the winter maintenance that you need to do is typically pretty minimal. One of the biggest things in winter that you have to do is to protect your lawn from the potentially damaging impact of snow.

Pause Mowing

Generally speaking, lawns typically stop growing once the weather turns cold. This means for most of the fall and all of the winter your lawn won’t be getting any taller, so you really don’t need to mow. This point typically arrives at the end of October or the beginning of November, so around then should be the latest that your final mow happens. Mowing your lawn after this point can actually cause additional stress and damage, even if you haven’t had any snowfall yet.

Clean Before And After Snowfall

Another way to protect your lawn during snowfall season is to make sure that you’re cleaning it off. Prior to the first snowfall of the year, it’s important to take the assorted stuff off of your lawn that could potentially cause damage, including things like lawn chairs and equipment, toys, and tools, as well as natural debris, such as large branches. The main reason to clear these off is because if they are trapped under the snow, the weight of the snow on top of them could cause damage to the grass. Then, once the growing season starts in the spring, that damaged grass will be more susceptible to disease. In addition to cleaning before the first snowfall of the year, you should also clean between snowfalls during the winter. Snowstorms can often bring down things like large branches and leaves, and then crush them into the grass under the weight of additional snow.

Limit Traffic and Stress

Finally, you want to limit the amount of stress you’re placing on your lawn during this cold, snowy period. Generally, your lawn will be healthier if you keep people from walking, sitting, and playing on it. This is certainly easier during the winter than during the summer when most of your family probably wants to be out and playing on the lawn. However, during the winter it is even more important because the grass is already under stress from the weather, and walking on it adds more stress. You should likewise limit the amount of heavy machinery or equipment that you leave out on the lawn, especially over the winter, so make sure you’re getting that put away in a shed or stored on your patio.

Contact Sposato Landscape

For over 25 years, Sposato Landscape has been beautifying and nurturing countless landscapes throughout the Delmarva area. We offer many services, including landscape design, installations, residential maintenance, hardscape, commercial maintenance, and turf nutrient management.

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