Many people often think that winter time means they don’t have to worry about their lawns for a few months, and are surprised to learn that winter lawn care in the South is even a thing! Read below for some tips on winter lawn care in Alabama from the lawn care experts at Mighty Green Lawn Care.
In the South, we’ve got it pretty easy when it comes to winters. Sure, we’ve had some pretty incredible snow storms and crazy winter weather events over the years, but for the most part, our winters are typically very mild. Even though we may not deal with a lot of snow or extremely low temperatures, winter is still a rough time of the year for southern lawns.
Most of the common turfgrasses used in the southern states, including Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bahia, and Centipede, go dormant in the winter, and need to be managed carefully during cold weather.
So what does it mean to “go dormant”? Just like bears hibernate during the cold winter months, your grass needs to “hibernate” or sleep in order to survive cold weather. By going dormant, your grass is able to conserve water, nutrients, and energy. It turns brown and brittle, making it much more vulnerable than during the summer months when it can spring back from foot traffic.
So what are the best things you can do to help protect your lawn during the winter months? We’re so happy you asked!
- Avoid foot traffic as much as possible! This is especially important in the mornings when there’s a layer of frost on the grass. This makes it extremely fragile!
- Keep the lawn free of sticks, leaves, and other debris. Not only does this help with the way your lawn looks, it also helps to avoid suffocation, disease, and other damage.
- Water properly. Even though your grass is dormant, it still needs water to survive, although it can’t absorb nearly as much water as it can during the hotter months of the year. Your lawn needs a light watering once a week during the winter months.
If you’re looking for an Alabama lawn care company that is dedicated to giving you a healthy, beautiful, green lawn, give Mighty Green Lawn Care a call today for a free estimate! We provide lawn treatment services to the greater Birmingham area as well as the Montgomery River Region. We also have an office that services Tampa, Florida!