During the colder months, residents won’t see much grass growth until the warmth returns in the spring. Once temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, perennial plants and grasses go dormant November through March. This doesn’t mean you have to give up on lawn care during the colder months. During the wintertime, cure cabin fever by tending to your yard on those occasional warmer days. 
Your friendly landscapers in the South Hills, J Bird’s Landscaping, have several tips to care for your yard  even  during the long winter. And trust us, a little fresh air after being cooped up all winter long, can actually be refreshing!

If you haven’t aerated your yard just yet, now is the time to do it. Even though the winter started early, the ground isn’t frozen just yet. Before the ground freezes, take a spading fork or use an aerator to aerate your lawn so you can create holes for seeding. 

Now that you’ve aerated your lawn, take some time to spread grass seed meant specifically for the cool-weather months. Be sure to spread evenly to avoid clumping once the seed sprouts in the spring.

While most of the leaves have fallen, there are always those stragglers still clinging on to branches. And, where will they go when they decide to finally fall? Your yard of course! While the bulk of fall raking is over, you’ll still have some residual falling leaves and some blowing in from your neighbor’s yard. Don’t put the rake or leaf blower away just yet. Dead leaves, sticks and other debris create perfect conditions for disease. It always creates a haven for small mice, insects and other pests that can damage your yard.

Just like your lawn, be sure to clear out any debris from your garden beds to manage disease and pests. Do your research on when to prune your woody plants as some woody plants prefer pruning  after  they’ve gone dormant. 

Over the last several seasons, lawns in the South Hills have been inundated with rain. While we would expect snow during the colder season, if air is unseasonably warm some areas may see rain in the winter. Yards prone to standing water may experience frozen patches when puddling water quickly freezes with a cold winter blast of air. Frozen patches in your yard can be harmful for your turf.  If you see spots of your yard starting to freeze, grab a shovel and break it up it.

J Bird’s Landscaping LLC is the located in South Hills of Pittsburgh. Call our leading lawn care experts in the South Hills for your lawn, French drain, and retaining wall needs – 412-224-0639. 

Lawn Care for the Winter

J Bird's Landscaping