During the colder months, keeping your lawn looking good can be a challenge. Frost, snow, and soil compaction can damage your lawn, leaving you with unexpected issues in spring.
Proper care during winter can set your lawn up for success in the future. In this blog, we will give you five winter lawn care chores you can do that will give you a healthier lawn this spring.
1. Prune Tree and Shrubs
During winter, many plants and foliage become dormant. Pruning plants during this time allows for an easier recovery when the weather warms up.
Some of the types of plants that are best to be pruned in late winter are select fruit trees, shade trees, and blooming shrubs. Examples of these foliage types include apple trees, azaleas, dogwood trees, and hydrangeas.
By pruning trees and shrubbery in winter, it allows plants to focus its energy on new growth for optimal growth in spring.
2. Maintain Your Spring Equipment
With less lawn-care chores needing to be done in the winter, you have plenty of time to get your lawn equipment ready for the spring season. Depending on the weather in your region during winter, you could prepare your lawn care equipment for spring or winterize it for the best use in cold weather.
Some of the steps you can take to prepare your lawn care equipment during winter revolve around ensuring your equipment is clean and maintained such as:
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Sharpening mower blades
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Charge and remove all batteries not being used
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Change oil and filters
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Clean lawn sprayer tanks and nozzles
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aInspect all equipment for damage including hardware, tires, belts, and more
3. Remove Weeds and Debris
Removing weeds and debris during winter can be just as effective as removing them in spring; the biggest difference is that weeds grow slower during the winter months. Some species of weeds continue to germinate in cold weather, making this the perfect cold-season lawn and garden chore.
Weeds and lawn debris can be removed manually by hand or by using lawn hand tools. Pairing your hand tools with a Brinly dump cart allows you to easily transport piles of weeds, dead leaves, and fallen branches without multiple trips across the yard.
If you are more concerned about weeds in your garden growing out of control by spring, it may be a better choice to remove weeds by hand, then applying mulch can reduce the effects of weeds in spring. When mulching, it is best to wait until after the first frost.
4. Water Your Lawn
Even when grass and plants grow dormant during the cold-season months, it can be beneficial to water your lawn. During winter there are less chances for rainfall which can cause lawns to become dry and cold. Lawn Sprayers can allow for an even application of water to your lawn without flooding the dormant grass.
It is important to check temperatures before watering and not to water if the temperature is below freezing.
5. Keep off the frozen or wet grass
Once your lawn is clean with weeds and debris and any cold-weather maintenance is done, it is best to stay off your lawn. Cold weather, frost, snow, and dormancy can make your lawn fragile. Reducing traffic on your lawn will give it a chance to rest during the cold season and come back stronger in spring.
Winter doesn’t mean your lawn has to be neglected. By tackling winter chores like pruning, equipment maintenance, weed and debris removal, and more, you’ll give your lawn the head start it needs for a healthier spring. Tools like a Brinly dump cart make cleanup faster, easier, and less of a workout, so you can spend less time hauling and more time enjoying your yard.
When spring arrives, don’t forget to check out our full assortment of lawn and garden attachments to tackle your spring lawn chores. If you have questions about our lawn care attachments, contact our customer service team!
Sources:
Almanac.com, Winter Pruning Guide for Trees and Shrubs
Gilmour.com, Winter Gardening Tips to Tackle in the Off Season
Gardenerspath.com, Winter Lawn Care: 11 Essential Tips for Healthy Grass
Spyker.com, Winterize Your Lawn Care Equipment to Save This Spring