The cold months seem to destroy all forms of life that sprout from the Earth. No flowers, leaves, or green grass anywhere in sight. What exactly is going on here? Is your grass dead? If it is, how does it magically come back to life in the spring? In this post, we’re going to answer your questions and hopefully leave you with more knowledge of what your grass is doing during these chilly months.

Dead or Alive?

To start things off, let’s answer the question simply. No, your grass is not dead. Now, it very well could be dead without proper care and maintenance, but in most cases, grass does not die during the winter. Your grass is actually in a more dormant state during the winter, storing up nutrients to make it through these chilly months.

Back to Science Class

Now we know the grass isn’t dead, but what exactly is it doing down there?

Without going into too much detail and boring you to death, your grass is in a more dormant state. Your grass may appear to lose its green color and some of its length. That’s okay. What your lawn is doing here is focusing its efforts on the roots of the plant. The majority of the nutrients are utilized to preserve the health of the roots during these cold months. Since the sun’s UV rays are less powerful during the winter months, the process of photosynthesis is much slower. This results in a dormant state of the grass, in which the majority of the focus goes towards the roots, while the ends lose some length and color.

Winter Lawn Care Tips

It can be easy to forget about your lawn during the winter months, but it is important that you take care of it year-round. There are things that can and should be done leading up to winter, but also some helpful things to do once winter is in full swing. Here are a handful of tips you can use to keep your lawn in tip-top shape during the winter:

Fertilize

• This should be done leading up to winter before the first freeze. Proper fertilization will give your grass the nutrients it needs to stay healthy through the winter months.

Clear off Lawn

• Throughout the winter months, it is especially important to keep your lawn cleared off. This includes leaves, branches, furniture, and toys. Doing so will help prevent your lawn from getting any diseases or fungal growth.

Avoid Foot Traffic

• Even when there is snow on the ground, it is important to keep foot traffic to a minimum. Your grass is especially weak and vulnerable to traffic and can sustain damage much easier.

Gradually Lower Grass Height

• In the weeks ending fall and leading up to winter, start to gradually lower your mower blade. This will help prepare your lawn for the lower dormant state that it will be in during the winter months.

If you are in need of landscaping or lawn care work, give us a call at (317) 243-0100 or visit our website to see how we might assist you! We would love to partner with you to provide you with the absolute best quality and service!

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–The Berger Hargis Team