From Brown to Green: Repairing Winter-Damaged Lawns in Texas (Step-by-Step Guide)
After winter’s cold embrace, most lawn yards need some degree of winter lawn care to recover for the new lawn-growing cycle. When you consider the fact that lawns typically grow dormant during winter, understanding why lawn repair is important becomes clearer. For many lawn owners, getting their lawn back to a rich, healthy green from dirty brown is a mission that must be accomplished.
In this post, we have discussed the steps needed to repair winter-damaged lawns in Texas. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to repair winter grass damage on your lawn in record time with little to no hassles.
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Timing is important
Improving your lawn after winter is all about timing. Lawn care efforts have better outcomes, aeration can help on the lawn when carried out at the right time. Wait until the air and the soil are their optimal states before commencing lawn care and maintenance after winter. Air temperature should ideally range between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit while soil temperatures should be within the 50 degree mark.
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Check the extent of winter damage
Inspect the lawn even to assess the level of winter damage even before your residential lawn care shows up for their routine annual spring lawn care. Check for browned or yellowed-out grasses, bare spots, fallen leaves, broken twigs and branches, and mould formations. Look out for areas that have accumulated water, shaded spots that require clearing, and areas with more traffic. It bears repeating that the typical signs of damage from winter include: presence of pests and diseases, colored grass and poor grass growth.
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Note down the causes of the damages
Finding out the cause of winter lawn damages on your lawn makes it easy to initiate repairs on it. There are different likely causes of damage on the lawn. Cold temperatures, excessive moisture, snow mould formation, disease outbreaks, etc can all cause damages on a lawn. Other causes include activities of pests like voles, ice sheets, winter desiccation, thatch buildup on the lawn and de-icing salt effects.
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Run some soil tests
After winter, it’s necessary to test the soil to see what weaknesses exist in the lawn soil. Check for soil ph, nutrient levels, soil texture and structure. Armed with information from these soil tests, lawn care for the New Year can be done properly knowing what the lawn needs. Ensure the soil is absorbing water adequately and soil ph is balanced. For accurate soil testing, you can use a soil testing kit at home or hire a professional lawn care service to handle the task effectively.
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Rake and clean the lawn yard
After the winter season, there’s going to be a lot of debris left in yards. Rake dead leaves, broken branches and twigs, and debris into a pile before disposing. Clean gutters, pathways and walkways to keep the environment clean. For small yards, a simple rake is enough for clearing waste away from the lawn. Larger lawns might need mechanized equipment like a leaf blower for this task. Debris and dirt if left on the lawn can attract pests and diseases that are capable of harming your grass.
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Aeration can help
For winter lawn damage repair, aeration can be beneficial in loosening hardened lawn soil making it easy for metabolic activities to take place. The act of aeration involves breaking up hardened earth by puncturing holes in them using an aeration tool. Some good examples of aeration tools to be used are metal-pronged rakes, hand trowels, shovels for turning the soil and mechanical aerators. Large lawn yards require the use of mechanized aerators like the Core or Spike aerator, both of which have their advantages. Aeration is a lawn care practice that should only be carried out once or twice a year in serious cases of soil compaction.
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Overseed or reseed bare spots
Incidents of bare spots due to patchy growth of the lawn are usually the outcome after winter. However, reseeding and overseeding are post-winter lawn care practices needed to resolve the condition. Overseeding and reseeding should be done using the same species of grass already growing on the lawn. Buy a high-performance species of your grass, follow instructions and introduce the grass seedlings on the affected area. It’s important to have prepared the soil with water and the right fertilizer before carrying out the exercise.
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Introduce water to the lawn
Irrigate the lawn with water lightly up to 3 times a day for about 3-4 times a week to soak the soil with enough moisture for new growth. Water your lawn for 5-10 minutes at a time to prevent overwatering, which can lead to flooding and potential damage to the grass. Make it a routine to water the lawn until the grass starts blooming. Do not mow yet at this time because the grass isn’t established. When the grass is around three to four inches tall, mowing can begin. For watering, hire a reputable lawn care & landscape company to sort out your yard’s needs. Installing a water sprinkler or other alternative irrigation channels are possible solutions.
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Add nutrient-rich fertilizer to the soil
To combat winter grass damage isn’t complete without adding nutrient-dense fertilizer to the soil. After overseeding or reseeding, the next steps for residential lawn care in winter are fertilization and watering. Only use a fertilizer that is specifically designed for your lawn grass. At this time of the year, fast-acting, organic fertilizers are a better choice compared to slow-release alternatives. Consult with residential lawn care in your region on ideal fertilizer options if you’re just getting started.
Repairing winter lawn damage involves implementing different lawn care practices together with a common goal in mind – to restore your lawn. A good deal of professional help is recommended in order to get great results that will reflect on your turf.
GOMOW Lawn Care Services provides a professional lawn mowing experience dedicated to getting your lawn back to its optimal state. Take a step into the future with a team that knows how care for lawn yards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to repair winter lawn damage?
Repairing winter lawn damage typically involves different lawn care processes. The degree of damage on the lawn determines how the repair would be done. Winter lawn repair can include activities like soil testing, yard cleaning, snow removal, soil fertilization, over-seeding, etc.
How do I re-grow my grass in the winter?
Growing your lawn in winter isn’t recommended as most grasses enter dormancy during this period. All lawn care activities are usually reduced to the minimum until spring season commences.
Can grass grow back after dying?
Yes, grass can grow back after dying if there’s proper winter lawn care. Consult with professional lawn maintenance if this is what your lawn needs. Lawn care steps like soil testing and treatment, fertilizer application, overseeding & reseeding, etc can facilitate the restoration and regrowth of a dying lawn.
