You probably already removed the holiday decorations from your front yard, but what else should you be doing to prepare your lawn for the spring? Your lawn may have stopped growing when the cold weather set in, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still need to be taken care of to remain healthy during the colder months. Here are six tips to help protect your lawn during the winter and to begin preparing for spring.
1. Your grass still needs water during the winter.
The weather has been cooperating so far this fall and winter, providing an irregular but significant amount of rain. However, if we don’t receive rain for several weeks, it’s important to water your lawn to keep it from dying.
If the temperature is above freezing and the soil isn’t frozen, water every two or three weeks for 15 to 20 minutes when there has been no adequate rainfall. This provides moisture to the roots of your grass and counteracts any drying done in the winter air. Water during the day to prevent your grass from staying wet overnight to avoid possible fungus.
2. Add a bio-stimulant with micro-nutrients to your soil.
The colder months when the grass is dormant is the best time to take care of the soil to prepare it for spring. Consider adding a bio-stimulant with micro-nutrients to your soil. This can help build healthier soil so that your grass grows healthy and green come spring. You’ll receive similar results as using compost without risking adding weed seeds or insects to your yard.
3. Keep coverings for shrubbery and flower bushes readily available.
The weather in Central Texas can change in a blink. If freezing weather is in the forecast, use tarps and old sheets to cover delicate plants when the temperature might dip below freezing. This will minimize the freeze damage that occurs and keeps your plants healthy.
4. Test your sprinklers and repair any leaks or broken heads
Since you don’t need to water as regularly during the winter, now is the perfect time to check your sprinkler system and make any changes that need to be made. Don’t have a sprinkler system? Now is the time to install one and don’t waste one minute this spring hand watering your yard!
5. Invest in corn gluten so you’re prepared at the first sign of spring.
Corn gluten is an organic way to prevent and kill weeds while also acting as a spring fertilizer. Apply it to your grass as soon as the weather shows the first signs of spring.
6. Take some time to plan for spring.
Take some time to plan out any additional gardens or planting you’d like to do this spring. Find the perfect spots and start adding fertilizer to the soil to maximize the productivity of your plants. The spring planting season will be here before you know it, so take time now to prepare.
While we have to suffer through the cold dreary months of winter, spring will be here very soon. Take advantage of this downtime to prepare for the spring growing season, and give your lawn the best chance at winning the neighborhood best lawn competition!
