 WINTER LAWN CARE SERVICE INCLUDES: Limestone which is essential to balance the soil’s pH level. Proper pH levels make all of our materials work better and last longer, and give the lawn that deep green color. Remember - Great lawns start in the soil! What’s Happening: This year was quite a challenge! 2010 was one of the hottest, dryest summers on record and unless you did a good bit of watering your lawn was under some severe stress. As always, the rains finally came and the temperatures eased down - and with a little help from your GREENSKEEPER, the lawns got back to normal. We live in a transition zone for plants - especially grass. It's too cold in the winters for warm season grasses like Zoysia which turns brown each fall. The cool season grasses like Bluegrass and Ryegrass have no trouble making it through the winter but struggle in extremely hot, dry summers.  :WEATHER: As the temperatures drop, growth will slow and eventually stop. The final cutting should leave the lawn at about 3 inches. Lawns that are left too long will be far more susceptible to ice and snow damage. LEAVES: A final leaf clean-up is essential! Don’t let leaves pile up for any long period of time - matted leaves will kill the grass underneath. Do a final clean-up once all the leaves are have fallen. Be careful in newly seeded areas. Light raking or a leaf blower will get the lawn clean without pulling up the young grass plants (especially in shady spots). SNOW: Try not to walk on the lawn when it’s frozen. Be most careful in the early morning and at night when ice has formed on the grass blades - you can actually break the blades. Stay away from rock salt! Choose ice-melting chemicals that are friendly to lawns. Your local garden center has many products that will not harm the lawn and actually do a better job of melting ice and snow.  :Weather folklorists use the Woolly Worm Caterpillar to predict the upcoming winter. The more black hairs the Woolly Worm has, the worse the winter will be. If the Caterpillar has more orange hair, then the winter will be mild. Another favorite prognosticator is the Persimmon Seed. When cut in half, the seed will display one of three symbols. A knife shape means cold and icy wind will cut through you, a fork shape means a mild season and a spoon shape represents a shovel to dig out of the snow! Have a great Winter - See you in the Spring! 215-885-8809 Thank You! . |
