Grass is especially vulnerable in colder seasons. In order to have a lush, green yard when spring comes around, year-round care is vital. When a dormant lawn is covered with snow or when it is exposed to the elements, it can tolerate moderate amounts of traffic, but if it is heavily worn it can experience compaction and will take longer to turn green when the weather warms up. One of the most important tips for winter lawn care is to discourage excessive foot traffic.

Facts about your winter lawn

• Short, brown grass makes it easy to forget that it shouldn’t be walked on. While grass can be resilient, it has a tough time bouncing back if a well-worn path is formed while it’s at this fragile state.
• Winter damage happens mostly during wet, slushy conditions followed by a rapid freeze. Lawn traffic compounds this destruction.
• Ensure your lawn has proper drainage before winter comes in order to minimize ice damage. Do this by filling in low-lying areas of your lawn where water sits after rainfall. Performing core aeration in late summer or fall helps promote adequate drainage, as well. The less standing water on a lawn during the winter season, the better.
• Frozen grass is especially susceptible to traffic damage. Concentrated foot traffic in freezing weather can kill the individual grass plants, resulting in dead spots by spring.

Traffic control: advice for winter lawn care

• Avoid walking on grass until the frost melts. Foot traffic can injure or even kill frosted plants.
• Keep pets off of your lawn during slushy, frozen conditions.
• Ensure that your sidewalks are cleared of ice and to avoid cutting across the lawn.
• Never park cars, trucks, or motorcycles on your lawn. Any vehicle has the potential to leave impressions in the soil, which kills the grass underneath its tires. Using the lawn as a parking lot also makes it susceptible to crabgrass and other weeds.

Contact us: For further assistance in protecting your lawn from winter wear, call Cardinal Lawns at 614-808-4446. We’re here to help you achieve a beautiful yard. Call us today for more tips and tricks to keep your lawn looking its best.

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