Usually you don’t apply fertilizer until your grass has started regrowing after the dormant winter season. You should usually mow your lawn two or three times before applying fertilizer. A soil test will help you out when you determine the fertilizer as well as any other amendments to add to your soil. Different types of lawn require different frequency and amounts of fertilizer. Read the package of your fertilizer and make sure you use the right amount for your lawn. In order to utilize the right amount you must know the square footage of your lawn. Don’t over fertilize!
Phosphorous tends to run high in Texas soils, get your soil tested and take the test to the location you purchase your fertilizer. They will help you choose the right fertilizer for your soil. Grass in the shade needs less fertilizer than grass in the sun, cut the rate in half for shaded areas. 50% of the nitrogen content in any fertilizer you use should be slow release. Make sure you irrigate one inch to one and one half inches right after applying fertilizer. If you don’t get your soil tested, according to the extension service 21-0-0 or 33-0-0 is typically a good basic fertilizer for this area.
Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #1
As winter approaches, gradually lower the mowing height of your mower. Winter should begin without any young, tender growth that makes your lawn more appealing to winter diseases.
Besides, new growth on the lawn is vulnerable to dry out after the first winter winds come through, which will give you a brown winter lawn. So for the sake of lawn maintenance, as winter approaches, begin to gradually reduce the cutting height on your mower, until you are almost, but not quite, shaving the lawn. However, be sure to do this in several steps to avoid suddenly removing all the green leaf tissue and damaging the turf.
Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #2
In late fall, be sure to give your lawn a final fertilization. Inactive during winter, your lawn won’t use the fertilizers immediately. Much like mammals bulking up for the cold, your lawn will store these nutrients in its root system and take full advantage of them at the first signs of spring.
Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #3
Clear your lawn of any debris like logs, toys, or gardening equipment. Once snow comes, these objects can smother your grass, damage your turf, and leave your lawn more vulnerable to diseases.
Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #4
Be sure to aerate your lawn before the first freeze. Thatch will only get worse with the affects of winter. A good aeration, along with a round of fertilization, will set the stage for bountiful spring growth.
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About the Author
Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor’s degree in English and History.