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February 8, 2018Pests

Winter Lawn Care to Remove Pests and Prepare for the Spring

Lawn care in the winter months is often neglected and rarely made a priority. However, healthy, pest-free spring lawns are made in the winter months. If you’re not making an effort to protect your home now, you may regret it come spring.

Don’t worry! There are still some things you can do now to prepare your lawn for a strong, pest-free yard in the spring.

1. Fertilize. The best time to fertilize your lawn is in the fall or early winter, when your lawn is depleted of nutrients from the hot sun. Fertilizing before the temperatures drop will help keep your lawn healthy throughout winter and as you head into spring. If you or your lawn care company fertilized your lawn on time, you’re halfway there. But don’t worry — there’s still hope if you haven’t! You just may need to get a good lawn care company early spring to help revive it.
2. Keep it clear. Picking up items from your lawn will always help keep the bugs away, but it’s especially vital in the winter, as this is when your lawn is most fragile. Leaving anything on your lawn during the winter can cause your grass to die in those areas, meaning a patchy lawn come warmer months. Plus, pesky little critters are looking anywhere for warmth, and they have no problem finding it inside or underneath toys, debris, and other items on your lawn. Keep it clean!
3. Remove thatch. Thatch is tangled grass, stems, and roots that you can typically find on the surface of your lawn’s soil. Thatch can keep your lawn from getting the nutrients it needs. In order to remove it, mow your lawn a little shorter in the winter than you normally would. Generally speaking, about one inch is a great height to keep it at. You may need to then aerate your lawn or use a thatch rake on it to fully protect it, depending on the damage.
4. Control weeds. Weeds can be your lawn’s biggest enemy, and a pest’s biggest ally, as they love using them as hiding places, homes, and food. Use pre-emergent weed control products to keep them away. These applications typically last about 3 months, so you can relax during this time and focus on other areas of your lawn. Just remember to reapply around summertime!
5. Establish a watering schedule. Pests love damp areas and standing water, and your lawn certainly doesn’t. Overwatering can lead to a pest takeover and can even damage your grass. Establishing a regular watering schedule can help you ensure you’re giving your lawn just what it needs. For some tips, check out this article.

Don’t get overwhelmed! Call in a pro. Each lawn is unique and will have its own needs, but lawn care services and pest control services are typically cheaper than those tough DIY methods. If you need some help taking care of your lawn or some mow-tivation to get started, we’d love to talk. Contact us here.