Nimmer Turf, the premier lawn and sod contractor in Mt. Pleasant and Columbia, South Carolina, recommends that if you haven’t already done so, you should start winterizing your lawn now. Winterizing fertilizer should be applied in October or November. Due to the semi-dormant state in which lawns are in during the winter, their growth slows dramatically. During the colder months, lawns will lose some of their dark green color, as well as recover from damage.
The appearance of your Myrtle Beach Lawn Care can be maintained even during the coldest months. We will discuss lawn winterization in this article, along with tips for its maintenance during the winter.
How Do I Winterize My Lawn in South Carolina?
The reason fall fertilization is so effective is that plants respond to external triggers, such as day length and temperature changes, which initiate a process of preparing for winter. The turfgrass shifts its food reserves from leaves to roots as the days get shorter and the air gets cooler. Soil temperature continues to fall as the turfgrass roots remain active. This is true for grass as well.
Every spring, excess nutrients need to be shifted to roots to ensure plants return. This is accomplished by storing food reserves. Fertilizing the grass in the fall provides nutrients for winter storage and feeds the active roots.
As the weather gets colder in the fall, your lawn’s nutritional needs change to prepare for winter. Winterizing fertilizers contain a high potassium content. Potassium plays a very important role in plant nutrition. The potassium in plants makes them more tolerant of cold and stress by hardening and strengthening them from root to tip. Potassium is important to a balanced lawn feeding program because it facilitates the absorption of other nutrients.
How Safe is My Lawn in South Carolina for Winter?
The following are some lawn care tips from Popular Mechanics.
Keep On Mowing
Keep your lawn watered and mowed as needed throughout the fall. When the season draws to a close, lower the mower’s blade to its lowest setting for the last two cuttings of the season. If the crown of the grass is allowed to receive more sunlight, the leaves will turn less brown during the winter.
While you lower the blade, you should trim only one-third of each grass blade at a time. You may need to lower the blade progressively until the last two cuts are made.
Aerate the Soil
The fall is also an ideal time to aerate your lawn, as well as apply fertilizer and water so that the roots are easily accessible. For around $70 per day, you can rent a gas-powered lawn aerator. Dirt plugs are quickly removed from the soil by puncturing holes in the soil with the self-propelled machine. If you have a large yard-say, more than 3 acres-and aren’t comfortable aerating it yourself, consider hiring a landscaping contractor.
