Keeping your lawn healthy during the winter…
After a winter of snow, cold and ice, what will your lawn look this spring? The answer – it depends. The good news is that in most cases your lawn will be just fine.
Nature has a built-in way of protecting itself. Grass actually adapts during winter, with the snow providing a protective shield, an insulator against cold winter and ice to conserve its energy in a dormant state. Grass also redirects its energy towards its roots during the winter, helping them to emerge in a healthy condition during the spring.
Temperature decline is a signal to the grass to stop growing. That’s why as the seasons change, in the fall brings cooler weather and the need to mow you lawn is less frequent until the grass stops growing altogether. With the onset of winter, daylight hours are shorter, which means grass has less time to produce photosynthesis, the process that gives grass and leaves their green colour.
In Nova Scotia, most lawns are a mix of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass or tall fescue grass, grasses that adapt well to cooler temperatures.
Last fall, we helped people prepare their lawns for winter by removing debris and leaves, and putting down a healthy application of fertilizer that would provide nutrients to the soil. A good fertilizer will have a nicely balanced blend of nitrogen, phosphate and potash.
During the winter months, your lawn may still need some care. If it is a dry winter with little precipitation, your lawn should get some extra water. Be careful not to walk too much on the grass, which can damage it. Clear away any fallen branches, leaves or other debris which can attract mold and fungus, which can kill your grass (watch for a future blog from us on snow mold).
Also, don’t fertilize your grass during the winter, which can do more harm than good. The grass isn’t growing during the winter, so it is unable to utilize the nutrients. Fall fertilizers are made to activate slow release of the nutrients, which is more effective as they are already into the soil before the first frost.
If your lawn is well maintained, your dormant grass will bounce back healthy in the spring. If you run into problems, we are here to help.
Replacing a typical lawn in Nova Scotia can run on average about $5,000-$10,000, so taking care with preventative and winter maintenance is the wise course.