More tips about “winterizing” your lawn

October 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

“Winterizing” your turf will pave the way for a robust, healthy lawn come spring.

The first step in winterizing your lawn is knowing exactly what type of grass you have. In Connecticut, most of us have cool-season turf. If your lawn is like mine, it may consist of Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and perennial ryegrass … or a combo of all three. And our cool-season grasses grow exceptionally strongly in fall when fertilized properly. Lawn fertilizer is best applied in October or November.
Why is fall fertilizing essential for turfgrass?
As days shorten and the fall air becomes cool, turf grass responds by slowing growth and shifting food reserves from their gorgeous leaves to their roots. As air temperature continues to fall, grass roots still remain active in your soil because the soil temp is still warm. So, by fertilizing grass in fall, you’re actually feeding the roots and allowing them to have even more nutrients to store for winter.
When spring eventually arrives with longer days and warmer air—your grass will sense the seasonal change and upon it’s food reserves … thus, kicking into hyper growth. Fact: Stored food reserves ensure spring resilience. In essence, grass that is fed in fall greens up quickly in spring, growing thick and lush. You’ll have a thick lawn that will choke out weeds & weed seeds.
If you already have a lawn that’s healthy and thick—and if you’re not sure when the last time you fertilized was or if you even need to fertilize—take a soil test. The results will tell you the exact amount and type of fertilizer you must apply.
Still not sure? Then we recommend you check with your local lawn expert or garden center for the exact application times.
Filed Under: Gardening

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