Should You Winterize Your Lawn?
This time of year, the marketing gurus at the popular fertilizer companies start to figure out new and improved ways to get our money. Their high season has passed and they need a way to generate revenue for their company and make their jobs more secure. One of the items to look out for is the idea of “lawn winterization”, particularly where your warm season turf is concerned.
Winterization, theoretically, is a way to make your lawn “come back quicker and greener in the spring, continue the battle with pests, and prevent the winter loving weeds from popping up in the cool season”.
Although, in my opinion, it is true that you can prevent a few winter lawn weeds from emerging (the “pre-emergent” ingredient in many winterizers), it is a bit of a stretch to go so far as to say that the grass will come up greener and more healthy in the spring.
It’s also risky to add any fertilizer to your lawn when the cool season is approaching its first frost. Nitrogen (the “N” in NPK), could encourage new growth. If there is any new growth when the first frost comes the frost could damage the turf plant permanently.
Nature intends for some species of plants to rest in the cool season. Give your lawn a break from the chemicals, traffic, and all the activity of the growing season. If you mow the lawn, mow at the usual level, mulching the clippings and letting them fall to thatch and break down. Let the microorganisms do their duty and build that healthy, natural soil for your lawn that you are after. Fall is a time to turn off the sprinklers, crank up the fireplace, and enjoy some well earned time off.
By: Ashley Brooks, Busy Bee Lawn Care
