Winter is just around the corner, and in northeastern Oklahoma, that means it's time to prepare your lawn for the cold months ahead. At Newell Services LLC, we've been helping homeowners in Owasso, Collinsville, Skiatook, and the Tulsa Metro area maintain healthy lawns year-round, and we're here to share some valuable tips to ensure your lawn stays in great shape through the winter.
Tip #1 Lawn Health Assessment Before diving into winter preparations, it's important to understand where your lawn has been and where you want it to go. A review of what has worked and what didn't is essential when planning for the future of your turfgrass. A part of that process should be a soil test. Its the end of the growing season and many of your lawn's inputs will have been consumed. A soil test now can provide insight into your specific lawn's usages and trends and will help plan future inputs to avoid wasted money, overapplication, and it also ensure you stay on track to your ideal lawn.
Tip #2
Canopy Preservation The best way to protect your lawn over Oklahoma's often wet and chilly winters, is to maintain your turfgrass canopy (leafy top side growth) at a 2.5"-3.5"height. Your lawn's canopy acts as a blanket protecting vital root systems and crowns from winter kill. Additionally, this canopy extends the life of your pre-emergent application by blocking out degrading UV rays. And lastly, a thick healthy canopy crowds out weeds, reducing their growth opportunity.
Tip #3
Fertilization Proper fertilization is essential for ensuring your lawn's health in the spring. Late fall is an ideal time to apply a potassium heavy, slow-release fertilizer. Potassium is the key element which strengthens your plants, providing resilience and durability. The effects of potassium inputs now will translate into a stronger plant more able to withstand stressors like freezes, droughts, heavy use, disease, and pest pressure. This input provides your grass with the nutrients it needs to endure the winter and emerge strong and vibrant when spring arrives. Please note: It is important that nitrogen inputs after September 15th are eliminated to avoid feeding unwanted fungal activity that can result in spring dead spot disease. Phosphate inputs during this window should be made carefully and mindfully. Phosphate benefits are commonly associated with root development and flowering. Large inputs in late fall are generally considered wasteful as there is much lower growth activity within dormant grasses. Also worthy of note: Phosphates, when improperly applied, are known to pollute bodies of water.
Tip #4
Weed Control With very little competition for nutrients weeds can quickly overtake a lawn this time of the year. A fall pre-emergent can be the sentinel of your lawn. Pre-emergents act against newly germinated root systems so any weeds that even try to grow are shut down in no time. The inclusion of post emergent herbicides may be advised if you have weeds already germinated in your lawn.
Tip #5
Grass Seeding With the exception of Bermuda grass seed, all other seeding is recommended to be applied in fall. If your lawn has thin or bare patches an appropriate overseeding in fall can make sure your lawn stands out for all the right reason in Spring! Grass density is a natural weed suppressant and wouldn't we all prefer to put down seed instead of chemicals?
Tip #6
Soil pH Adjustment If your soil's pH is outside of 6.0-6.8 then making corrections in Fall or even over Winter can significantly improve your turfgrass growing potential for the upcoming season.
Tip #7
Regular Maintenance Don't forget regular maintenance. Continue mowing your lawn as needed until it goes dormant. Once dormant, we recommend one final mowing to "top" any irregular end of season growth. Leaves are another high impact maintenance task to consider. As a general rule I recommend mulching leaves back into the lawn where feasible. By breaking these down into small pieces, you can avoid much of the suffocating mat effect wet leaves can have on a lawn while returning a plentiful organic matter to your soil. Of course if you live in a heavily wooded area, a leaf removal service may be required.
Tip#8
Communication with Your Lawn Care Provider Now is the time to update your lawn care provider about any areas of concern, improvement, and even projects you may have coming the following season. An open line of communication on this front will help you maximize your dollars spent and your lawn pro will be very grateful for the feedback and direction!
In northeastern Oklahoma, winter lawn care is crucial to ensure a lush, healthy lawn when spring returns. An application of nitrogen too late in the season or a build-up of wet leaves can leave your lawn looking poor next Spring. Newell Services LLC specializes in keeping your lawn in top condition year-round, so you can enjoy a beautiful, disease-free, and weed-free lawn any time you please. Our data-driven, environmentally friendly approach and commitment to industry best practices set us apart.
Remember, preparing your northeastern Oklahoma lawn for winter is an investment in its future health and your property's curb appeal. By following these tips and enlisting the help of professionals like Newell Services LLC, you can enjoy a stunning lawn throughout the seasons.
Stay warm and enjoy the beauty of your well-maintained lawn this winter!
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