PREPARING YOUR YARD FOR WINTER

Don’t put away your yard tools yet! Just as Winter is rolling in, we have some tips to help you get your yard ready for Winter, so it can be in its best shape come Spring. 

Centipede Grass (one of the most popular choices of coastal regions) will go dormant and brown in the colder months, this does not mean it’s dead! It’s a normal part of its cycle and it’s important to take care of it during this time so that it comes back healthier than ever in the Spring. The most important thing to remember is to not neglect your grass completely just because it’s Winter. If you haven’t experienced rainfall in a while you should do a light watering to keep the crown tissue healthy. Mowing to remove debris is also recommended. Fescue and Bermuda Grasses are also popular in the coastal region, and require relatively similar maintenance. Both require about an inch of rainfall a week, so if you experience a dry spell in the Winter be sure to give your grass a little water. A good way to check if your yard needs watering is to check the soil dryness. While the amount you will need to water and mow will significantly go down, it is still part of keeping your yard healthy for the future!

And of course, there are the leaves. There is the option of raking up the leaves, a time old despised task of the homeowner, but there is also “redistributing” them. Blowing or raking your leaves into your beds is not only much better for the environment than black, plastic trash bags but also puts nutrients back into your soil. You can also redistribute them through mulching, which is using your lawn mower to shred leaves and then using the clippings around your yard to give those nutrients back to the soil. Be sure that the layer is not too thick, however, or you will suffocate the grass! 

Winter can be a great time to do some once-a-year maintenance on your outdoor space. It’s the prep so that come the warmer months your yard will be beautiful and ready to be enjoyed!