Winter Lawn Care

For those of us in the greater Sacramento area, keeping the lawn at about 2 ½ inches high is recommended in winter. Maintaining height in winter provides critical warmth to root zones. Also taller blades keep photosynthesizing and growing root zones. Let your blades of grass get all the sun they can this winter!

Often we can turn off our irrigation in winter. However, if it doesn’t rain for a full week, check the soil to see if it is dry two or more inches down. You may need to turn the sprinklers on periodically.

Our lawn gurus recommend a final feeding about the last week of October with GreenAll® Fall and Winter Feed. Additional fertilizer is not needed until winter ends, or around Valentine's Day the next year.

Did you know? Leaving the clippings on the lawn is a gentle, effective fertilizer. This is ideal in winter if an occasional mowing is needed.
Tip: use the mulching attachment on your mower.

Many weeds take a break over winter, but we shouldn’t let down our guard. To prevent weeds from creeping in, keep the lawn about 2 ½ inches high, check if irrigation is needed, and hold off on additional fertilizer until February. All of this keeps your lawn healthy, and healthy lawns can handle a weed or two.

To further control weeds, our Lawn Care Calendar recommends putting down pre-emergent by February 14th. If it is a warmer winter, pre-emergent may
need to be put down sooner than February 14th to control crabgrass.