There’s no question that winter does some sort of damage to your commercial lawn each year. Come springtime, you may find leftover debris, new pests and brown spots on your lawn left behind by freezing temperatures. Ice freezes plant cells, which kills them. After winter, your commercial lawn may require a lot of maintenance and time to get it looking as beautiful and inviting as before. What can you do to bring your once-beautiful lawn back to life? Read our four tips that can help you out!
Have TLC Total Lawn Care help you restore your commercial lawn! Contact us today!
Raking
Raking after winter is different from raking any other time of the year. Be sure to rake lightly. There’s no need to power rake or do anything vigorous that may harm your lawn. Light raking can lift brown grass to let new grass grow through and absorb sunlight. By raking, you also disturb pests and rodents that may have made large piles of leaves in their home during the cold winter months. Raking also allows you to identify areas that may need reseeding.
Ridding Mold
If anything is stopping your lawn from growing and reviving, it may be mold. Mold is expected during the winter and is created by fungal disease, and the remaining layer of ice from the winter creates fungal disease. The weight of any ice or possibly snow pushes grass down, creating cool and humid temperatures to harbor mold.
The good news is that mold has no chance of surviving once ice and snow are gone. This moisture will either benefit grassroots or evaporate. If your lawn seems healthy enough, you may not even need fungicides.
Reseeding
Believe it or not, some lawn caretakers seed during the winter. It allows seeds to anchor within the soil before germinating and growing further. You could always begin today if you missed that window to seed during the winter. It’s safe to seed once the ground’s temperature is at a good 52 degrees.
First, you may want to point out where your trouble areas are. This will include areas that have patchy brown spots. You’ll need to carefully cut around that patch and turf. It isn’t necessary to remove the entire area altogether if you’re only going to remove enough to lift dead turf. Your goal is to remove a few inches of dead turf and replace it with new, clean soil.
Remember to level the soil with the rest of the lawn to prevent uneven areas. Once done, rake lightly over the area and add a thin layer of straw. The last thing you’ll want is birds to feed on your newly planted seeds.
Postpone Fertilizing
It may be difficult to hold off on fertilizing your lawn to make it greener, but in most cases, the soil may still be too cold to receive nitrogen fertilizer. Waiting for them to bloom first is the right time to fertilize. It’s also best to wait to fertilize when the soil is warmer, around the end of May and early June.
Greener is Better
Once your lawn is looking alive again, remember to keep up with routine grooming. It’s recommended not to mow your lawn until healthy grass is at least three inches tall. Reviving your lawn doesn’t stop there, however. Routine mowing and lawn care are necessary, but if you own commercial property, then it should be one of your top priorities. Contact our commercial landscapers in McAllen, TX, today to get started!
