Have you ever been curious about how a lawn care company spends the winter months? While you might expect the average lawn care company to shut down for the cold months, we’re not in dormancy like your lawn. We’re hard at work preparing for winter and the coming spring season! In the late fall and early winter, we’re focused on shielding customer lawns from hazardous winter conditions. An essential part of this winter protection is winterizer, a fertilizer application that gives your lawn the strength to face cold-season challenges and bounce back in the spring. Here’s everything you need to know about what Central Indiana lawn care companies do in the winter and why we focus on winterizer applications.
Understanding Central Indiana Winters.
Most Indiana lawns are comprised of cool-season turfgrasses that can withstand heavy snow and frosty mornings. While cool-season grass is naturally resistant to cold weather, it’s essential to take protective measures against winter drought, freeze-thaw cycles, and snow mold. Freeze-thaw cycles are especially dangerous, as Indiana experiences average winter temperatures within the 20s and 30s. This range results in many freezes and melts, creating favorable conditions for molds and soil displacement.
The Role of Lawn Care Companies in The Winter.
We take the slow season as an opportunity to offer consultation and advice to our customers. While winterizer is the last service we offer in the year, there are several winter best practices that we recommend following. The winter gives us plenty of time to familiarize customers with maintaining a healthful lawn on their own time. December through February is an excellent time to schedule your spring lawn services and get ahead of the seasonal demand.
We also spend the winter performing annual tree and shrub feedings through direct injection. Early winter is the best time to fertilize trees and shrubs because the plants no longer spend their energy actively growing. Instead, the nutrients are placed in storage for the winter season.
Our third priority in the cold season is applying winterizer to customer lawns. Winterizer is the final fertilizer application of the year, which we highly recommend to all lawn owners. Our winterizer applications are the highest fertilizer rate at any point in the season. Our winterizer services run until mid-December or when the ground freezes.
Winterizer and Its Benefits.
Winterizer applications are a critical step in robust lawn care. Our winterizer is a high-nitrogen fertilizer blend that offers customers aesthetic and practical lawn benefits. We recommend investing in a late-fall winterizer application to take advantage of four main lawn care benefits.
- Improved root development: Nitrogen plays a critical role in root expansion by encouraging new and strong root growth. Consistent freeze-thaw cycles in the winter can disrupt soil and create soil compaction, but strong roots are more likely to withstand the stress of poor soil environments.
- Winter stress tolerance: A final fertilization can boost your lawn’s resilience against challenging winter conditions. Snow molds, drought, and road salts all threaten your grass, but a well-nourished lawn can better withstand these hazards.
- Strengthens cell walls: A winterizer treatment can enhance structural support to help your grass survive the winter months. Frost and snow molds threaten to penetrate the outer layer of the grass cells, but robust cell walls further prevent disease and breakage.
- Early spring green-up: Providing nutrients to your lawn right before dormancy ensures it secures those nutrients in storage. When the ground thaws in the spring, your grass will use the nitrogen to leave dormancy and revive denser and greener growth. Winter is the best way to prolong the growing season and enhance your lawn’s beauty in the coming year.
The Winterization Process on Indiana Lawns
Our winterizer application process is straightforward but relies on precise timing. We aim to apply winterizer a few weeks before the first hard freeze. This timeline improves the grass root’s ability to uptake the nutrients before it sleeps in the wintertime.
Then, we use a broadcast spreader to distribute the winterizer granules across your yard evenly. Snow doesn’t affect the effectiveness of the winterizer, so don’t worry if a blanket of snow covers the granules. Slowly melting snow can also help the fertilizer seep into the soil and reach your grass roots. You’re even welcome to water your lawn after application to help the granules dissolve and soak into the deeper soil layers.
How To Address Specific Central Indiana Challenges
The climate of Central Indiana is notoriously dry, especially during the winter months. With an average winter precipitation of 8 inches per year, regional turfgrass often needs additional watering to maintain its vibrancy and robustness. Currently, the region is facing a moderate drought which puts stress on homeowner’s lawns. To combat winter drought, it’s beneficial to deeply water your lawn several days before the first frost. Once there’s frost or ice on the ground, it’s essential to stop watering to prevent grass blade damage.
Can I Schedule a Winterizer?
Absolutely! The Brooklawn Services office is open for our clients to schedule their winterizer applications before late December when the ground is frozen. Alternatively, you may also call to schedule spring services ahead of time. Winter is the best time to consider your new year lawn care plans. Jumping into spring with a fertilizer and pre-emergent weed application is a fantastic way to start the growing season.
Invest In A Vibrant Spring Green-Up With Winterizing Services In Indiana!
At Brooklawn Services, the health and safety of your lawn comes first. Our Indiana lawn care team boasts an impressive track record of thriving lawns and happy customers. Discover their expertise as they ensure your lawn succeeds even in the coldest months and demonstrate their dedication to exceptional lawn care of Indiana. We’re accepting last-minute winterizer appointments, so call us at 888.794.9555 or email us today at info@brooklawnservices.com or request a quote here for more information.