While we’ve been having quite a nice transition to fall here in Edmonton, winter is still right around the corner. In order to be prepared for the sudden downfall of snow that we usually experience, there are a few things to keep in mind for fall landscaping. While your lawn may not require as much care in the winter as it does in spring, summer, and fall, you don’t want to ignore it completely.
Keep these things in mind, when preparing your landscape for cooler weather.
Fertilize Your Lawn
Apply fertilizer with a spreader. As you move the machine back and forth over the grass, grip the handle like a trigger, it releases pellets when you “shoot.” Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package. Apply only the recommended amount. Be careful because too much fertilizer can burn your grass.
Aerate the Lawn
Aerating your lawn will give it a chance to breathe before the grass goes dormant, and help relieve any compaction that has built up during the warmer months.
Use a spade to take out spikes of soil across your lawn to make holes for planting seeds. If your lawn is large, you might want to rent a motorized aerator or a manual one.
Keep Your Lawn Clean
There’s a good chance that leaves have piled up on your lawn during fall and because of that your lawn could suffocate before winter. Leaves that are left on the lawn could also become too wet, which can invite disease. If the leaves are not too thick or wet, mulch the leaves with your mower into dime-sized pieces to recycle the nutrients back into your lawn. If the leaves are too thick, wet, or matted down, rake them up and remove them. You will also want to remove lawn furniture and debris from your lawn.
Avoid Too Much Lawn Traffic
When your lawn is frosted or dormant, try to avoid walking on it too much. Even strong grass can become weak if the same path is walked over too many times.
Get Prepared Early (Like Now)
The early bird gets the worm! So make sure you have a winter lawn care plan ready to go at the first sight of cold weather.