Winter Lawn Care Tips for Northern Indiana Lawns

If the cold weather has been getting you down, just think about this.  About three months from today, you may be mowing your lawn.  Maybe sooner.  Last year in Fort Wayne and northern Indiana, we did our first mowing in early April.  Usually, we do them in mid to late April, and that’s only three months from now.

Meantime, in spite of the cold, remember your lawn is still very much alive.  There are a few considerations you should give your lawn this time of year.

First, pick up any items or debris that is now just sitting on your lawn.  Such things create dead spots in your lawn once spring arrives because the weight smothers the grass, so pick everything up now, before damage occurs.  Piles of leaves, sticks, or boxes, and even kids toys also attract mice and other unwelcome guests to your yard.  Even in winter, check your yard every couple of weeks to make sure nothing is sitting on your lawn causing long-term damage.

Second, stay off the grass.  Your yard has a much tougher time bouncing back from injury now than it does in the spring. The ground is also softer in the winter, so keep vehicles off or you’ll have wheel tracks that will show up for years.

We haven’t had much snow this winter, but there are plenty more chances.  If we do get significant snow, spread it out, don’t build a huge pile of snow on your lawn.  This goes back to our first point of not leaving anything sit on your winter grass.

Fall or winter are important times to fertilize.  Even though the nutrients will sit dormant in the cold, they will be available to your lawn when it really starts growing in about three months from now.  If you haven’t fertilized yet, you still can, since we have no snow cover at the moment.

Your lawn lives and breathes all year-long.  A few simple tasks now will help it turn green and stay lush all summer long.

And our last lawn tip, now is the perfect time to buy your mower for next summer.  All the new Toro mowers are in stock now at Crescent Avenue Gardens.