Hey guys, YES, I do actually have some winter lawn tips for you. Just because it’s cold and probably snowy out doesn’t mean we can neglect that little patch of green love. Everything you do (or don’t do) over the winter will have some lasting effect on the condition the grass starts out with next Spring. Here are three quick ones for ya…
Don’t Walk On Frozen Turf
I know it’s tempting to play football on the first fallen snow, or to build that big fat snowman on the front lawn, but DON’T! When you walk on frozen grass you end up crushing the grass crowns which ends up killing the plant and leaves dead spots in the spring.
When you think of a grass crown, think of it in relationship to the hair on your head. Your hair grows out of the crown of your head. It’s perfectly natural to cut your hair (just like you do your grass) and everything works fine. But if you get a hard knock to the crown of your head, that is bad… and if that hard knock was to actually break your crown (skull) you are in some serious trouble!! Grass works the same say… the blades grow up from out of the crown. When the crown is frozen it is brittle and breaks under foot. Got it?
Use “Lawn Safe” Driveway Ice Melter
You are going to have to salt down your driveway to melt the ice at some point. When you do, make sure to get a product that is labeled “safe for properly cured concrete and turf and shrubs.”
These products normally contain calcium chloride rather than salt. Calcium chloride won’t harm the grass when used according the labeling. Of course, “according to the labeling” means use smaller amounts rather than larger. Ice melter is NOT “snow shovel in a bag” so keep that in mind.
Mark Your Driveway Edges Before Snow
Many times the turf gets damaged during winter because you can’t see where the driveway or sidewalk ends and the lawn begins. In this regard, you may end up driving onto the lawn, or taking up chunks of turf with your snow blower.
Get some orange sticks and mark all the edges now. This will keep you on track. In addition, don’t park your car on the driveway in a manner that forces you to step onto the lawn when you get out of the drivers side.
Keep these three simple, yet super important tips in mind this winter guys! It will save you some repairs in the spring for sure.
