After a hot summer, cool season grasses in Northbrook, IL, need some TLC. Preparing your lawn for winter can result in lush, green grass in spring when the weather warms up. A winter lawn care service can do these five things to bring better spring growth to your Northbrook yard.
Clean Up the Lawn
Early winter is the ideal time to do some lawn cleaning. The falling leaves prompt a need for homeowners to look into how they can be removed, to clear free their lawn before the snow piles on and prevents further maintenance. A lawn care service can remove the leaves or mulch them. Mulching results in decomposed leaves that add nutrient rich matter for the roots of your grass. Limbs and small branches that are dead can also be trimmed from the trees at this time, and any that have already fallen need to be collected and taken away.
Aerate for Nutrients
Aeration is the process of removing small plugs of compacted dirt and grass so that the roots can receive much needed nutrients, water, and oxygen. Over the winter, because of aeration, the grass will have what it needs to stay healthy while dormant, to produce the kind of lush lawn you want in the spring and summer. A professional lawn care service may also want to fertilize at this time. With the right tools and fertilizing needs for your yard, the company will set up your lawn with the exact amount necessary so that it winters well.
Control the Weeds
Dandelions and other pesky weeds are known for surviving the first frosts and may need an herbicide to kill them off. A lawn care professional has the equipment to make the application successful—and you won’t have to deal with trying to getting the mixture proportions right. You want to kill the weeds at the roots so that they can’t return. A lawn service can also apply weed killer in the spring to eliminate the prospect of summer season weeds popping up, too.
Related: 6 Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Lawn Service Company in Highland Park, IL
Over-seed
Your grass may need some help to keep it growing and may need to be over-seeded. Lawn care specialists will spread new seed over the yard after aerating in order for the new grass to fall in the holes and germinate, and they can also attend to any brown or bare patches. This means when the warmer weather comes back, the grass should fill in and green up to cover any bare spots left over from the hot summer.
Related: Lawn Care Service in the Fall: Why It's So Important for Your Northbrook, IL, Lawn
Check for Insects and Grubs
Grubs are grass roots lovers—they chew on the roots and burrow deeper into the ground as the winter weather sets in. Chinch bugs love to attach cool season grasses like the varieties that grow in Illinois. These bugs feed on the grass and cause sections to turn yellow and then very light yellow as their feeding blocks the grass from using the nutrients and water it needs. The yellow sections can continue to grow despite efforts to keep the grass watered and fed, and eventually the affected grass will die. A trained lawn care expert can identify these bugs with certainty and take measures to stop their infestation in your lawn.
There is nothing like seeing the grass turn green and thick as spring arrives. But the preparation for lawn growth and health begins way before then—before the winter kicks into high gear. Professional lawn technicians have the expertise and tools at their disposal to take all of the guesswork out of winter lawn care.
