Austin lawn care techniques need to change throughout the year because maintenance and mowing techniques for each season are different. Your lawn can be a compliment to the beautiful Austin landscape when you know the best practices to use for various weather conditions.
Winter Maintenance
During the winter months, it’s important to winterize your sprinkler system, lawn mower and lawn tools to prepare them for springtime use. Continual maintenance is important, even when they are in disuse.
Mowing
If you plan to use a riding lawn mower this Spring, make sure you know how to operate it safely. Set your mower height one or two notches lower if you plan to mow during the winter to help prevent damage by winter winds that can dry out new growth. If the grass is too long through the winter, it may smother itself, succumb to disease or suffer injury from repeated freezing and thawing. However, cutting the grass too short can expose the plant crown to severe conditions.
Grass Clippings
Add valuable nutrients to the soil of your Austin landscaping by leaving the grass clippings to decompose naturally on your lawn after you mow, but make sure the clippings do not lie in large bunches or piles. A mulching mower can help because it distributes the clippings evenly and that helps them decompose faster.
Keep Your Lawn Clean
Remove piles of leaves, debris, toys, and other items that can suffocate the grass and limit the sunlight, water, and oxygen the lawn receives. Articles left on the lawn can also cause conditions that make grass vulnerable to disease and attract mice, insects and other pests as well. In addition, you should avoid creating heavily worn paths on your lawn because those paths compact the soil and cause a delay in greening of the grass when spring arrives.
Grass endures freezing temperatures because it goes dormant during the winter, but walking on a frozen lawn can break the blades of grass, expose the undergrowth to cold weather, and hamper its springtime recovery.
Watering
It is usually not necessary to water lawns in the winter, but if the summer and fall months were very dry, supply your yard with approximately ½ inch of water each month during the winter.
Giving just a little more attention to lawn care in Austin during the winter months will help ensure a healthy lawn in spring.