A Guide to Winter Fertilization
Most homeowners strive to keep healthy, beautiful lawns. Fertilization is an essential component of any comprehensive lawn care plan, giving your grass the valuable nutrients it needs for strong, lush growth. Although plants go dormant over the winter, ceasing active growth and conserving their energy for the spring, they can still benefit from a final round of winter fertilization to provide fuel before snow and ice arrive in the late fall.
Why Is Winter Fertilization Important?
Fertilizers are generally made of three key ingredients: phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. Each of these nutrients has a role. Phosphorous helps support photosynthesis, potassium strengthens root systems, and nitrogen helps the plants create protein and grow strong blades. Winter fertilization uses a unique formula that contains more nitrogen than the fertilizers typically applied in spring or summer.
This nitrogen-heavy mixture should be applied before the grass is fully dormant—anywhere from late October to early December, depending on the region. The grass takes the nitrogen and stores it in its roots throughout the winter. When the temperatures rise, the plants use this energy source to spur their first round of spring growth. Correctly applied, winter fertilizer can give you a head start on growth the following year.
How to Fertilize for the Winter
Successful winter fertilization requires first removing leaves and other debris that could interfere with the fertilizer penetrating the earth. It's also helpful to aerate the soil, alleviating compaction and making it easier for the nutrients to reach the roots below. A lawn care professional can advise on what fertilizer is suitable for your lawn based on a soil test and take care of fertilization, aeration, and irrigation.
For help with your winter fertilization in Cincinnati, OH, trust Nature Plus Lawn & Irrigation. Locally owned and operated, this lawn care and irrigation system company has over 25 years of experience. They provide all new clients with a soil test, ensuring they can provide the perfect fertilizer mixture for your lawn's needs. Visit the website for a lawn care calendar, or call (513) 755-9434 to schedule an appointment.
