The weather here in Northwest Atlanta is nothing if not unpredictable. So far we’ve gotten some very cold days, and it’s not even officially winter yet! Make sure your landscaping survives the coldest months of the year with these tips for winter yard prep from Redline Landscapes, your local experts on residential and commercial landscape maintenance.
Winter Yard Prep Checklist
Georgia winters aren’t nearly as intense as those of our northern neighbors, but without the proper landscape maintenance, your yard can wind up suffering some seasonal casualties. Fortunately winter yard prep is relatively easy if you know what to do. According to the University of Georgia Extension (an excellent source of information on just about any Georgia landscaping, gardening, or farming question you can come up with), there are three main things to keep in mind when it comes to winter lawncare—weed control, overseeding, and fertilization.
Weed Control
While out-of-control weed growth is most noticeable in Georgia’s humid, jungle-like summers, there are also winter weeds that can wreak havoc in your yard if not prevented with the use of specific herbicides. (Fortunately weed control is one of the services included in our annual residential lawn care program!)
Some of the peskiest winter annual weeds found around the Atlanta area include Dandelion, Common Chickweed, Bluegrass, Speedwell, and Henbit.
Overseeding
Another service we include in our lawn care packages is overseeding. This landscaping practice consists of sowing grass seed directly onto existing turf grass, without disturbing the turf or soil. This technique helps to fill in sparse or barren spots in your lawn, improving the density of grass for a more lush, green lawn. Aside from the aesthetic appeal of an overseeded lawn, a fully filled-in yard of turfgrasses will be more robust and able to withstand potential pests, diseases, or invading weeds.
Fertilization
Your lawn needs fertilizer to grow lush and healthy—but only at certain times of the year! You should never fertilize your lawn in winter, as the chemicals in the fertilizer can damage vulnerable dormant grass. During cold weather, turfgrass goes dormant (think the plant version of bears hibernating for winter), and in its dormant state it can’t handle the stress of fertilization.
The nitrogen in fertilizer can cause grass to grow even though it’s trying to slow down, leading to stressed grass and sometimes even increased chance of disease. Just like we humans need sleep to recharge, your lawn needs to be allowed to go dormant during the winter.
If you have enough on your plate without remembering the ins and outs of landscaping best practices, don’t worry—Redline Landscapes has your back! Give us a call at 404-448-3372 or contact us online to get an estimate on the lawn maintenance program that’s right for you.
