Winter Lawn Care

This may be the wimpy way to write an article, but I found some great and somewhat new ideas in this article from HGTV, and I didn't want to take credit myself and I didn't think I could say it any better than they did. I thought the points about weeds were very thought-provoking. Enjoy and Happy New Year.

The lawn doesn't look like much from early February through March. Warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass turn brown shortly after the first hard freeze. Even cool-season grasses such as fescue have all but stopped growing, even though they remain somewhat green. Because these grasses aren't actively growing, you might conclude that there's not much to be done with the lawn at this time of year. Paul James says that isn't true, however, and offers the following tips:

First a word about weeds: James doesn't mind them and in fact encourages them because they contribute to the biological diversity of the lawn, which discourages pest and disease problems. Weeds encourage beneficial insects to take up residence in the lawn because they provide food and nesting sites, and that helps create a natural balance in the insect population, which means no spraying of insecticides on the lawn.

The most powerful control against weeds is a pre-emergent herbicide, which must be applied before weeds emerge or germinate. Dates for applying pre-emergent herbicides vary depending on where you live and your weather conditions. In many parts of the country, for example, weeds begin to emerge about the time daffodils begin to send up foliage; in other areas weeds pop up about the same time forsythias bloom or maple trees begin to break dormancy. To remember when to apply pre-emergent herbicides, consider linking the application to some gardening event. If that doesn't work, read the paper: nurseries and home and garden centers run ads for pre-emergent herbicides around the time they should be applied in your area.

Apply herbicides with a drop or a broadcast spreader. Travel east to west, then north to south to get uniform coverage. It's also a good idea to stay clear of paved surfaces because the chemicals in some of these products can stain concrete.

Pre-emergent herbicides will control both annual weeds, such as henbit, as well as most perennial weeds, including dandelions and crabgrass. Don't expect complete control with one application. You may need to reapply a pre-emergent in late fall, when many weeds set seed, or you may choose to apply a post-emergent herbicide during the summer months.

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