Magic at a Cost
Winter is a magical time; holidays lining up one after another, families coming together to share gratitude and love, the spirit of charity abounding, and a fresh harvest of sappy TV specials all contribute to the most wonderful time of the year. Add a layer of freshly fallen snow and a mug of steaming cider and there’s no question as to why it’s referred to as a “winter wonderland.”
All this seasonal magic comes at a cost, however: frozen water can lead to cracks in pavement, heavy snowfall can topple trees, and the constant activity of sledding, rolling snowmen, and lying down to make snow angels can compress and tear up the lawn underneath. Many are shocked at the state of their yard when the first thaw comes.
Just because Utah winters can be harsh doesn’t mean that your lawn care has to suffer. As experts in yard-keeping, we have a lie on all the best lawn care programs to help you prepare for the end of the year.
The Time is Now
Thanks to a late snow schedule, we still have some time before the weather makes it impossible to do anything. Often, when the snow melts, we see barren patches in the lawn or even a new strain of foliage disease crop up. Naturally, the goal is to prepare your property so as to reduce the amount of time needed to get your grass “photograph ready” when the Spring comes.
To that end, consider these easy steps:
Rake the Leaves
Did you know that raking serves more purpose than simply making your yard seem less cluttered at the end of Autumn? Raking is one of the most important ways to ensure that your lawn care looks even better after a Utah winter. At Lawngevity, we specialize in helping homeowners clear up the grass, tree, and shrubbery diseases that can germinate in the yard from time to time. The best way to prevent that from happening in the first place, however, is to take away the compacted, wet heaps of leaves where those diseases first begin.
Other benefits to raking include:
- Allowing your newly seeded lawn access to the sunlight
- Removing a favorite nesting site for pests and insects
- Preventing burn-in and suffocation of your grass
Aerate the Lawn
Speaking of suffocation, there is more than one way to spare your property from such a fate. Aerating is one of the best lawn care programs you can engage in and its benefits are far-reaching.
- Help moisture get to the roots of the grass
- Provide needed air to the ground
- Make holes for seeds and fertilizer to get in
Seed the Lawn
Depending on the climate, some states with relatively tame winters try to re-seed their grass right before the snow comes. Lately, the Beehive State has been spotty at best in terms of annual snowfall. Despite the mountains getting some of the best snowfall they’ve had in years in 2020, the average total days of snowfall over the last decade has been relatively small.
This affords homeowners with a unique opportunity: You can generously apply grass seed to your property to fill in some of those bald spots before the winter forces you to wait until next year. When planting new areas of your lawn, remember:
- Look for “cold weather” or “cool season” grass seed.
- Spread it with a rotary for even distribution.
- Seed the lawn in a grid-like pattern — first one way, then perpendicular.
- Don’t worry about walking on the seeded area; it actually helps plant them into the dirt.
Spray, Spray, Spray
A beautiful lawn is easy to see and easy to define: it is a lush, green carpet of grass with no hint of weeds or disease. That last part is especially important. Luckily, Lawngevity has the tools you need to ensure that your lawn remains weed- and disease-free.
We do this by establishing a robust schedule of spraying, using our proprietary grass-safe chemicals. You can browse through our lawn care programs here, but it is important to remember that whether you hire us or choose to do it yourself, spraying should be done consistently.