HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-10-27, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016.
Winter lawn preparation leads to greener springs
MS — Winter weather can be
harsh, especially on lawns.
Homeowners who spend much of
spring and summer tending to their
lawns may fear the impact that
winter will have on their once -lush
landscapes, making the fall a great
time to fortify lawns against any
harsh conditions to come.
Homeowners must take grass type
into consideration before taking
steps to prepare their lawns for the
winter. Some grasses are best
fertilized in late -summer, while
others should be fertilized in
autumn. Cool -season grasses,
including fescue and bluegrass, are
best fertilized sometime between the
months of September and
November. Warm -season grasses,
such as Bermuda or zoysia, should
be fertilized between July and
September. Once homeowners have
gained a greater understanding of
their lawns, they can begin exploring
the various ways to prepare their
lawns for whatever winter has in
store.
• Explore winterizing fertilizers:
Homeowners who want to make
their grasses more winter hardy can
consult landscaping professionals to
determine if winterizing fertilizers
will work for their lawns. These
specially formulated fertilizers,
many of which are made exclusively
for cool -season grasses, contain
higher levels of potassium and lower
levels of nitrogen than early -season
fertilizers. Potassium helps
strengthen and harden plants, and
cool -season grasses may need extra
potassium as winter settles in.
Homeowners who are not sure if
they should apply winterizing
fertilizer can conduct soil tests to
determine the potassium levels in
their soil. If the test indicates the soil
has sufficient potassium, then
applying a winterizing fertilizer is
likely unnecessary. In addition,
homeowners who have fed their
lawn a balance of nutrients
throughout spring and summer likely
will not need to apply winterizing
fertilizer.
• Get rid of fallen leaves: While
fallen leaves may be integral
components of idyllic autumn
landscapes, leaves left on the lawn
throughout the winter may lead to
disease in the grass. Leaves trap
moisture and block sunlight and air
from reaching grass, and that can
encourage the development of
disease. In addition, leaves can
harbour insects that also may
contribute to disease. While it might
seem like common sense to delay
leaf removal until the end of autumn
when all the leaves have fallen, that,
too, can prove harmful to lawns.
Leaves left laying on lawns for long
periods of time can contribute to the
same types of damage as leaves left
on the lawn throughout winter, so do
your best to remove leaves as they
fall.
• Take steps to fight snow mold:
Homeowners who live in regions
where snow falls into spring or
where spring tends to be cold and
damp may want to take steps to
prevent snow mold. Gray snow mold
typically looks fuzzy and gray, and
lawns infested with snow mold may
develop unsightly gray or brown
spots indicative of dead grass. Pink
snow mold may be even worse than
gray snow mold because pink mold
attacks the roots as well as the
leaves.
To prevent snow mold, continue
mowing into the fall, even as lawns
grow dormant, clearing the lawn of
grass clippings and leaves after each
mow. Thick lawns may provide a
breeding ground for snow mold, so
homeowners whose lawns have a
history of developing snow mold
may benefit from mowing their
lawns into the fall.
Winter is rarely easy on lawns, but
homeowners can take several steps
to prepare their lawns for potentially
harsh winter weather.
Decorative winter ideas
Get seasonal
The right decorations can make the difference between a
room that feels warm and welcoming in the winter months
and one that feels dark and dreary. (Ms photo)
Continued from page 21
pillows and candles throughout the
year, rotating through holiday reds,
spring florals, summer brights and
fall browns and oranges as needed.
• Light control: Choose window
treatments that can adjust
themselves automatically, creating
the perfect room ambiance morning,
noon and night any time of year.
PowerView Motorization gives you
the power to control and schedule
your Hunter Douglas window
treatments from your smartphone,
tablet or a remote control. You can
even link it to the ever-changing
local sunrise or sunset times,
precisely calculated based on your
specific location.
• Display decorative elements in
glassware: Buy a couple of
oversized vases that you can stuff
with seasonal items, like ornaments
during the holidays and beach shells
during the summer. For artwork, get
simple black or white frames and
switch the contents whenever you
feel like it. You can frame fabrics,
prints, photographs or dried leaves
and flowers.
• Fresh greenery: Instantly
spruce up any space with fresh
greenery that matches the time of
year. You can use seasonal flowers
for a traditional look, or go edgy -
modern by using natural elements
like a vase of sand in the summer or
a basket of pumpkins for fall
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