Winter is coming…
This is the best time to invest your time in lawn maintenance. As temperatures begin to drop and trees start to shed their leaves, there’s no doubt that winter is on its way.
While on one hand, you’re probably thrilled that you don’t have to invest in lawn care as heavily as you would during the spring, summer, and fall months, you’ll need to spend at least a little time out in the cold if you hope for your lawn to survive another brutal Toronto winter.
Five Lawn Maintenance Tips to Keep in Mind as Winter Approaches
1. Clean up your lawn
When temperatures plummet and sunshine is a little harder to come by, the last thing your lawn needs is to be suffocated by leaves, objects, and debris. Before the first snowfall, make sure all furniture and large objects are removed from your lawn. They will be harder to spot once they’re covered in snow!
Then, inspect your lawn frequently to ensure that there is nothing obstructing airflow to your grass. Wet leaves, sticks, branches, and animal droppings can leave patches of dead grass scattered across your yard.
2. Prepare your lawn mower for storage
While you might be eager to put your lawnmower in storage for a little while, you also want to make sure that it stays in great shape for the spring. Otherwise, you might be due for an expensive tune-up before the grass cutting can commence!
You can fully “winterize” your lawnmower by doing the following:
- Empty the gas tank or add a fuel stabilizer
- Disconnect or replace the spark plug
- Clean or replace the air and fuel filters
- Change the oil
- Sharpen the blade
- Clean and wax the mowing deck
3. Avoid parking or walking on your lawn
While your grass is dormant, it’s more susceptible to damage. So, it’s important not to put too much pressure on your lawn.
Avoid parking cars and vehicles on your grass, and resist the temptation to tread and retread paths across your lawn. Instead, keep vehicles parked in your driveway and use walking paths whenever possible!
4. Use natural de-icing products for the best lawn maintenance
Like most homeowners, you probably turn to de-icing products when you need to remove snow and ice from your driveway. Unfortunately, many of these products contain ingredients and chemicals that are harmful to your dormant grass.
If you must use a de-icing product, steer clear of rock salt and opt for a plant-friendly product instead.
5. Prepare for lawn repairs
While the aforementioned lawn maintenance steps will go a long towards ensuring your lawn’s survival in Toronto or in other harsh winter cities, the truth is that cold temperatures and winter conditions are likely to damage your grass in some way.
Once the snow stops and temperatures begin to rise, you should be fully prepared to repair the struggling areas of your lawn. Stock up on grass seed, fertilizer, and natural outdoor insect control products; but don’t do anything until the grass is mostly green to ramp up your lawn care efforts.
Related Articles: How to Keep Your Lawn Looking Thick, Green and Healthy
If you’re unable to perform the lawn maintenance and lawn care treatments that are needed, contact a professional lawn care company.
Do you need help with grass maintenance this winter? Contact LawnMart, Inc.—your professional Toronto lawn maintenance company. Our team will make sure your lawn survives in the winter and thrives in the spring!