Keep your lawn lush: Winter tips for a greener spring

Although winter is expected to be mild, it's important to properly care for the lawn. Keep in mind that due to temperatures deviating from the norm, plants extend the growing season, and this process does not bypass grass. The blades continue to grow, which unfortunately is not a favorable phenomenon. This can weaken the lawn and make it more susceptible to various diseases. What treatments should we consider in a warm December to support the grass during this challenging period?

While winter requires less work on lawn care, it's still important to remember a few simple maintenance tasks. One important step is cleaning the lawn of branches and wet leaves before the snow arrives. Leaving them can lead to localized turf rot, which weakens the lawn and makes it look unsightly in the spring.

A unique mixture, which will strengthen the grass blades, will assist in maintenance and can be used in December without worry, as long as the ground is not frozen and there is no snow. This refers to fertilizing the lawn with wood ash. This method works only if the grass substrate has an acidic reaction. If the soil has a pH below 5.5, we can safely start the process.

Why is wood ash valuable for our lawn? It’s a natural raw material with an alkaline reaction, containing many valuable mineral components, including calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. We just need to wait until the ash cools, sift it through a strainer, and then spread it over the grass, adhering to the rule of 1 to 2 ounces of ash per 11 square feet of lawn.

We should also be cautious to use only ash from burning raw wood, not wood that was lacquered or painted. We should abstain from such fertilization if we applied lime in the autumn. Otherwise, we could harm our lawn.