The terms “winter” and “lawn care” aren’t often used together in the same sentence but we at SK Lawn and Landscape know that there are some things that can be done to ensure that once spring does arrive, your grass will be ready. Although we’ve had a relatively mild winter until this week, now is an absolutely crucial time to make sure that steps are taken to ensure your grass can make it through the bitter cold, snow, and ice.

Lawn Care and Landscaping in Kansas City, Grandview, Belton, and Raymore MO

Here are some easy tips to make sure that once spring does arrive, you’ll have a vibrant, consistent and green lawn:

Avoid Salt and/or Ice Melt From Reaching Your Lawn and Landscaping

There’s likely no shortage of salt and/or ice melt on your driveway, sidewalks and dripping off of your vehicle(s) in your garage but making sure it doesn’t get onto the soil where it can absorbed by your lawn’s grass is imperative. Salt in particular can cause any moisture that would normally be absorbed by your lawn’s grass (even in the winter months) to become scarce and create a drought like effect. Once this happens, your lawn’s grass can develop bare spots from depleted and overly dry soil as it has been deprived of much needed water when it needs it the most during the winter months.

Avoid Piling Shoveled Snow and Ice On Your Lawn

If you’re like most homeowners in the Kansas City area, you’ve likely had to do a bit of snow shoveling this winter and based on the weather forecasts, there will be more to come over the next week or so. When you do shovel the snow off of your driveway or sidewalks, try to avoid piling it up on your lawn. As previously stated salt and ice melt can quickly damage your lawn but piled up snow and ice can also compress and deprive it of any sunlight, air and moisture it so badly needs to survive the winter.

Water Your Lawn If and When You Can

Obviously it goes without saying that it can difficult or near impossible to water your lawn in the winter months but there are some weeks where the temperatures are above freezing in which case it’s never a bad idea to give your grass some extra watering. The snow and ice will eventually melt and absorb into the soil but any chance you can get, especially when we don’t see a lot of precipitation for weeks, will definitely be helpful to your lawn once spring arrives. Just make sure you water deeply so that your lawn’s grass roots get reached and try to avoid watering if you know that the temperatures will drop below freezing soon after.

Avoid Heavy Vehicle and Foot Traffic On Your Lawn

It goes without saying that sometimes you can’t see where the driveway starts and where it ends when there’s snow on the ground and you accidently drive over your grass. It happens, but try not to do it because your lawn’s grass is already in a fragile state during the winter months and compacting it down with the weight of a full size vehicle can really put it at a disadvantage creating. Deep tire ruts can lead to irrigation issues and excessive puddling leaving bald areas of your lawn and a nightmare to get grass growing in the spring. Also with snow on the ground and many kids being stuck at home, sledding may seem like a way to keep them occupied but if possible try to get them to switch where they do it every so often. Repeatedly sledding in any given area will compact snow and ice onto your grass just as much or in come cases more than a vehicle could putting enormous pressure on your lawn and starving it of the air, sun, and water it needs. We’re not trying keep the kids from having fun especially after the events over the past year, but we ARE trying to make sure that they don’t damage your lawn when it could be avoided.

Obviously we won’t be doing any mowing, landscaping or lawn care in the next few weeks with temperatures predicted to be well below freezing but rest assured that we will be ready and able to leap into action once spring gets closer to the Kansas City area. We’re now scheduling for spring lawn care and landscaping projects so get a head start and give us a call for an estimate at (816) 372-4965 or CLICK HERE FOR OUR ONLINE CONTACT FORM.