In November, many of you are thinking that your lawn care for the season is over. We understand you are looking forward to putting up Christmas lights and getting all snug by the fire, but don’t let that lawn go to bed just yet! Winterizing your lawn is pretty easy, and very very important! Here are some simple tasks that I do for my lawn every November.

1) Winter Fertilization: Fertilizing your lawn just before winter is the most important of all the tips we give you here. A good dose of nitrogen, potassium, and even a little phosphorus will help your lawn recover quickly next Spring, making you the first green lawn on the block. In addition, a good nutrient balance in the soil will help turf recover from winter stresses and snow mold. Ask a professional which fertilizer is best for you lawn.

2) Core Aeration and Seeding: We are big proponents of lawn aeration. Aerating the lawn opens up the soil and sends air, water and nutrients directly in the root zone. It also loosens compacted soil and helps the thatch layer remain in check. Just so you know, it is OK to aerate your lawn as long as the ground is not frozen. If you want to aerate look here.

Now the seeding part is a little different. You actually CAN seed your lawn in November, but the results will be different. Seeding late late in the year (like November or even early December) is called “dormant seeding.” This basically means that you throw down the grass seed now, and it overwinters in the turf zone and germinates in the spring. You can have great results with dormant lawn seeding, but you DO need to use twice as much to get good results. We recommend about 8lbs per 1,000 square feet of turf area when you dormant seed.

3) Final Lawn Mowing: There is some misconception going around about cutting your lawn low in the later parts of the year, so let us clear that up for you. You do want to mow lower on your FINAL cut of the season, and we recommend you take it down one inch lower than the normal 3-4″ we recommend. (Final cut = 2″ tall). The trick is to make sure that it is indeed the final cut of the season. If you can’t guess right, then wait until the end of November and cut it low at that time. Your neighbors may stare at you, but you are doing the right thing for the grass. If you cut it low too soon, and warm temps push growth, things are going to get funky in a hurry, especially with that fertilizer in the lawn.

The reason we want to cut the lawn a little lower on the very last cut is to cut down on fungal formation and also to help reduce dead spots that appear in the early spring. If your grass is tall, it will lay over and pack down, smashing the grass crowns.

4) Lime Application: Fall is a great time to apply lime to your lawn. Not all lawns need lime, however.

5) Rake and Remove Those Leaves: We know you hate it, but you have to get those leaves up before the snow flies. If you allow piles of leaves to stay on your lawn, you will most certainly have dead or thin spots appear there in the winter. Imagine how you would look if a blanket of wet, soggy leaves we left on top of your face for 4 months. Not pretty! Looking for removal and fall clean-up options... go here.

6) Stop Walking On The Grass: When it is cold, the grass plants get brittle and can crack and die easily. Any activity bending the grass blades will cause breakage and will thin out your lawn in a hurry.

We will develop a personalized plan and schedule for your lawn care maintenance and landscaping needs. For more information contact us or call 614-547-5700 today.

Mostly Cloudy

69.5 °F

detailed weather

Humidity: 55 %
Dew Point: 53 °F
Wind Speed: N/A mph NNE
Gusts: N/A mph NNE
Pressure: 29.96 "
Rain Today: 0.00 "