Keeping your lawn looking nice can be a challenge. The amount of shade that your lawn has dictates the amount of maintenance that is required. Here are some steps to help you care for your grass.
Continue to Mow
Grass continues to grow until its cold enough outside to stunt the growth. In preparation for winter, cut your grass down a little lower. Use a mower, like those from Cox Mowers, that can give you different length options. This will allow for more sunlight to warm the soil and protect the roots. The only caution with this is to not cut the grass down too much. Make sure to only cut a third on the total blade length each time you mow. If you cut more than that, the grass may die off. This will leave unsightly bald spots in your lawn.
Remove Leaf Debris
Many people think that the leaves will protect the grass from a cold snap. The leaves decompose on top of your lawn. This smoothers the grass and will eventually kill it off. Remove the leaves as quickly as possible. Your grass is just like any other plant. It needs air in order to continue to thrive. The leaves can also serve to stimulate fungal growth. This causes your lawn to become diseased. In some cases, moss will start to take over your grass.
Practice Weed Control
Weeds are very good at outcompeting other types of plants. This is true for grass as well. Weeds breed more weeds. As this cycle continues, you end up with a lawn that is nothing but these noxious weeds. A healthy lawn will prevent weeds from taking over. You can use an herbicide that is safe for grass to kill them. Another method is to pull the weeds out by the root in order to prevent their spread. You can also use a fertilizer that will prevent the weeds from growing in the first place.
Fertilize Yearly
The best time of year to fertilize is in the fall. Even though the grass is growing slowly on the surface, the roots continue to grow throughout the winter. The fertilizer will be stored in the roots during the cold season. This will stimulate a rapid rebirth during the spring. The new grass will be greener and healthier as soon as it warms up. You can fertilize during other times of the year to keep your grass healthy. Make sure to read the package so that you don’t scorch your lawn.
A big yard can mean a lot of grass to maintain. You can have a great looking lawn all year by following these tips.
