Winter is coming. This means your lawn is about to go dormant. Ensure your lawn’s health come spring by applying a fertilizer application to strengthen its root system before the first frost occurs. Read on to learn more about applying a winter lawn fertilizer.

The Importance of a Winter Lawn Fertilizer

When your soil cools in winter, it takes longer for it to absorb the nutrients it receives. A fertilizer applied after the last mow of the season will feed your lawn throughout its winter dormancy, improve its root system, and give it back-up resources to use until warmer weather sets in. Buy a sustained-release or slow-release nitrogen fertilizer that also contains granules of phosphorous, potassium, and the other macronutrients it requires. A sustained-release formula will not only slowly feed your grass, it will save it from root burn, a symptom of excess fertilization.

Timing is Everything

Beware: fertilizing too late (once winter sets in) or too early (before mid-November) can actually do harm to your lawn. By fertilizing to early, you are making your lawn more vulnerable to insect outbreaks. Applying a fertilizer too late after the first frost can result in chemical burns, root damage, and blade damage. Ask your local lawn care professional when your area is ready for application if you’re not completely sure.

Before you Apply

It’s important to remove excess thatch on your soil before applying a fertilizer. More than 1/2″ of this accumulated organic matter can block the nutrients in the fertilizer from being absorbed by your lawn’s root system. It helps to perform routinely scheduled core aeration to reduce thatch build-up and to mow with sharp blades, which keeps your lawn at a healthy, even length.

Further fertilizing questions?

When it’s time to ready your lawn for winter, contact Cardinal Lawns. Our lawn experts can help guide you through a program designed just for your lawn. Call 614-808-4446 to speak to a Cardinal professional today.