“It’s always coldest before the spring” or something to that effect. Before we know it, it’ll be time to start thinking seriously about lawn care and learning the truth about lawn care myths. It’s not the kind of thing you can start paying attention to once the grass is green, because by then it’ll be a mad dash of trying to find a service provider or a spot in your regular service provider’s schedule. If you wait too long, by the time someone can get to your lawn might mean showing up to an expensive spring cleanup.
To avoid a spring cleanup, start thinking about the items you can take care of in February. There are a lot of lawn care myths surrounding winter care, and we need to bust them.
Myth: It’s fine to let leaves pile up during the fall and winter, that way you only have to pay for one leaf cleanup service.
Imagine going the whole fall and winter with leaves completely covering up your lawn. When it’s time to clean it up in the spring, it will require a lot of manpower and hours. Since lawn care providers will have their day fully packed with routes, they might have to reschedule your cleanup to a day when they have less houses to visit, pushing off your visit even farther. If you have leaves on your lawn, it’s best to take care of it before the spring begins.
A more important reason your lawn deserves to be leaf-free all winter long is that leaves constrict your lawn’s ability to breathe. Without enough oxygen flow, mold and fungus can start accumulating under the leaves, creating a soggy lawn that will take months or even years to recover. Not to mention, leaves are an ideal hiding place for all sorts of insects.
Myth: You can only take care of weeds when they show up.
Weeds are hardest to manage after they’ve sprouted on your precious lawn. Weeds spread like wildfire – once you have one weed, you can bet more are following it closely. It might not be your lawn’s fault. Sometimes, your neighbors who don’t take care of their lawns are to blame. Since weeds compete for space with your grass, any weeds that appear on your lawn are taking up grass real estate. The use of lawn weed control leaves bare spots where the weeds were, resulting in the need to reseed your lawn.
Instead, take the time to apply pre-emergent in February, which will help prevent weed seeds from germinating. A few of the peskier weeds might survive pre-emergent, which is why it’s important to keep a regimented schedule of pre- and post-emergent throughout the year. At the very least, you’ll want to apply pre-emergent in late winter (to prevent weeds in the spring), then in late fall (to kill off any remaining weeds after the growing season starts winding down).
Myth: Shrubs don’t need any service when they’re not growing.
The best time to prune shrubs is when they’re not growing. During the growing season, shrubs need occasional maintenance to make sure they don’t take over the lawn. When they’re not growing, it’s the perfect time to do any major pruning and cutbacks. This includes reducing the size of your shrubs, cutting them down to a more manageable size, and shaping them up to suit your tastes and desires.
Winter is the best time to get this is done, because major pruning sessions leave your shrubs vulnerable to disease. In the growing season, any extensive pruning can shock your shrubs into slowly dying. Getting this service done on a dry, winter day will secure the longevity of your shrubs. Not to mention, with all the leaves gone from your shrubs, it’s much easier to see what you’re cutting. We have a great guide if you’re looking to do this sort of work yourself.
Hopefully this helped clear up some lawn care myths. We all want to have the nicest lawn on the block, and it’s just too bad that it doesn’t happen by accident. Your lawn needs to breathe all year and be nurtured during the cold months so it can thrive when the weather gets warmer. If you have any questions about your winter lawn care, Lawn.com is just a quick call away.