Going organic is not just a trend, it is a lifestyle choice that can greatly benefit you, your family, and even your lawn. Yes, there are organic gardening methods that you can use in order get a healthy and lush lawn even during winter. No, we kid you not; organic gardening and lawn care is a thing.
Did the thought of winter organic lawn care spark your interest? Here are some organic tips on protecting your lawn in winter.
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One: Your Lawn and Its Soil is Alive as You Are
The first step in organic lawn care is changing your mentality. People succumb to the shortcuts presented by chemical fertilizers and pesticides because they think that their lawn is an inanimate object that just needs to look presentable. Pocahontas would have a fit; because your lawn and its soil are both alive.
People usually go organic because they do not want to experience any potential harmful effects of indirectly consuming food sprayed with harmful chemicals. If that is the case; what do you think would happen with direct exposure? Because that is what you are doing to your lawn whenever you spray weed control chemicals, pesticides, and the like.
Two: There is No ‘Too Well’ In Getting to Know Your Lawn
Having your lawn’s soil tested can help you adjust nutrient imbalances earlier on. Lawn soil is prone to nutrient imbalances after summer. Making sure that you add the right amount of add-on nutrients before winter kicks in is key to having a healthy lawn during winter and a beautiful lawn come springtime.
Knowing the type of grass you have is also an important step in organic lawn maintenance. It is true that there are more general ways of caring for your lawn regardless if it is a warm season or a cool season grass. But there are practices that are great for cool season grass but will not be so good for warm season grass.
Three: Compost that Lawn
Forget about buying tubs of dangerous and expensive chemical fertilizer from the gardening section. Pile your kitchen waste, meal scraps, and fallen leaves in a shallow hole in the ground and turn it into compost.
Add a good layer of compost your lawn’s soil before winter kicks in is an organic and affordable way of making sure that your lawn absorbs a lot of nutrients in order to survive the cold of winter.
Furthermore, emptying out your compost pit before winter also has its own benefits that includes being able to start a new one in preparation for the next season.
Four: Watering
We almost do not need to water in the winter, but if the weather is too dry, then you should water 1 to 2 times a month. Using a sprinkler system is still the best way to irrigate your lawn, but outdoor sprinkler heads often freeze in the winter, so you should store a traveling sprinkler kit in your shed to apply for many different watering purposes.
Five: Mow Wisely
Although you will not be doing a lot of mowing during winter, properly mowing your lawn before your home welcomes the frosty season can do wonders.
Lawn care experts suggest that you keep the grass as short as possible for winter. Cutting the grass short without prior preparation can negatively impact grass growth. That is why lawn care professionals suggest to gradually cutting the grass shorter starting late summer. This gradual change will help your lawn adjust in its dormant winter state and accommodate healthy grass growth come spring time.
Six: Keep off the Grass and that Includes Weeds Too
Keeping off the grass is not just for aesthetic reasons. Having your lawn’s grass continuously and regularly stepped on, even during winter, can make it difficult for the grass to grow
The same reasoning applies for objects left on the lawn during winter. Toys that are left in the lawn during winter can create dead spots come spring time. That is why, it is important to make a clean sweep of the lawn before winter sets in and avoid foot traffic.
Weeds steal the nutrients that your grass needs to survive the winter. Therefore, killing weeds in winter is an important step as any other.
Some organic lawn care experts suggest pulling weeds out, pouring boiling water on them, or smothering them with newspaper. Others advise to sprinkle salt on paths or in areas where your mower cannot reach to prevent weeds from growing at all.
Organic is the Way to Go
Practicing organic law care during winter is not that hard. If you just remember that taking care of your lawn is taking care of a living thing; then you are all set.
Do you have a few organic lawn care tips of your own? We would love to hear from you. Share your organic tips on protecting your lawn in winter on the comments section below and let us learn from one another.