Lawn care is a task done year-round, and winter is no exception. The end of fall signals the end of the growing season for many lawns, but you still need to protect your lawn from threats like disease or stress.
The first tip is simple, but also one of the most effective things you can do to prepare your lawn for winter: if you aren’t already, utilize Integrated Pest Management strategies, or IPM for the lawn. Before temperatures drop, you should rake and dethatch your lawn in preparation for snow or when your grass becomes dormant. Removing leaves and lawn debris is essential in allowing your grass to breath and get any sunlight that’s available. Removing excess leaves and thatch will also reduce the potential for moisture buildup, which can develop disease if left untreated.
The next tip will sound familiar to many homeowners: apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop winter weed growth. A pre-emergent herbicide works by penetrating the top couple inches of soil, creating a protective barrier. Timing is key when it comes to pre-emergent herbicides. Your application window will typically fall between September and November when soil temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For most small to average sized pre-emergent applications, we recommend Barricade Granular Pre-emergent Herbicide.
Remember, pre-emergent herbicides work to prevent new weeds from sprouting. If you’re looking to eliminate weeds that are already established, you’ll need a post-emergent herbicide. We recommend 2,4-D Amine, a post-emergent herbicide that can be used on many grass types to treat a variety of weeds, including weeds that can appear in fall or winter. 2,4-D Amine is also selective, meaning it can be applied to treat targeted weeds without harming your turf.
As an alternative post-emergent product, we also recommend Eraser. Eraser is a non-selective post-emergent glyphosate herbicide. It is not recommended for lawns as it may damage or kill your grass if not properly applied.
When your grass is not actively growing in winter, most of the time it won’t need the extra boost that fertilizer provides. Most homeowners don’t need to fertilize their lawns during winter, and unless you need to, we actually discourage you from doing it. If you do feel it’s necessary to fertilize your lawn, use a fertilizer that has little or zero nitrogen content, but high in phosphorus and potassium. Phosphorus will strengthen your turf’s roots, while potassium will keep your grass healthy overall.
Finally, you’ll want to stop any disease development that can take place over winter. Fungicides work best in a preventive application to stop lawn disease from taking hold in the first place. We recommend you use a fungicide like Patch Pro. Patch Pro is a systemic fungicide that is labeled to control many turf diseases, including diseases that are known to develop in winter, like snow mold or brown patch. Patch Pro has a residual that can last up to 30 days and will protect your lawn from many diseases that can develop over winter.
