How To Plan Your Winter Lawn Care

Prune Ornamental & Smaller Trees

Pruning during the winter focuses on removing dead and/or diseased branches and limbs but also shaping the plant. Azaleas are usually pruned in the late winter to improve bush form while cutting all butterfly bush stems to the ground encourages faster regrowth in the spring. Unfortunately, winter is when we begin to hear — and see — new cases of “crepe murder.” Crepe myrtles should only be pruned where there is winter-killed wood. If you’re unsure how to identify this type of wood or want to avoid crepe murder, contact Evergreen Lawn Care today.

Adjust Mowing Frequency

How often your lawn needs mowing during the winter depends on fertilization, grass type, and weather patterns. Some lawns aren’t mowed at all while others are mowed every other week. Typically, the lawn height in winter is taller than during summer to provide extra protection for the roots against freezing weather. Evergreen Lawn Care can evaluate your lawn and determine an appropriate mowing frequency.

Only Apply Fertilizer If Needed

Timing is everything when you're applying fertilizer, and the latest it should be applied to lawns is September and October. Fertilizing now may cause growth during the coldest months — January and February — and damage the grass. If the lawn needs fertilizer, make sure you’re using a variety with lower nitrogen but higher potassium content. The potassium helps a lawn recover as the weather warms. If you’re unsure if or what type of fertilizer to use, call us for professional lawn service Gainesville, FL residents know and trust to produce a lush lawn in the spring!

Supplement Rainfall When Necessary

Most lawns and landscaping in Gainesville, FL, don’t need supplemental irrigation during the winter since the growth rate slows with cooler temperatures. Yet, if you see footprints in the grass as you walk through, the lawn needs water. If the lawn needs regular irrigation, water every one to two weeks.  

Aeration

Winter lawn care may or may not include aeration. Generally, this is done in the fall and spring but might be needed if there is:

• Algae or moss growth in areas without direct sunlight;
• New construction has occurred; and/or
• Water pooling where it previously did not.

Evergreen Lawn Care can determine if aeration is needed by using core samples from the lawn. These are at least three inches in length and show soil compaction layers and thatch depth. Thatch is an organic layer of dead and living roots, shoots, and stems that forms between live vegetation and soil surface. An excessive layer of thatch can retain water and stop oxygen from reaching the roots while also drying out too quickly in warm weather.

Mulch

Adding mulch during early winter, such as December, adds a layer of protection against temperatures fluctuating between freezing and above freezing. Mulch helps the bulbs, plants, and roots stay at a more constant temperature — otherwise, the freeze/thaw cycle may cause irreparable damage.

Weed Removal

Mild Southern winters create a nearly perfect environment for pesky weeds to grow and thrive. Annual bluegrass, common chickweed, and henbit are three examples of winter weeds that appear in Gainesville landscaping. Most weeds are treated and removed with broadleaf weed control products but annual bluegrass needs a pre-emergent weed control product for effective removal.