Ohio homeowners often ask: Is lawn winterizer necessary? For grass that needs to withstand the cold and freeze cycle, it can be an important step.
Applying fertilizer before winter sets in – in the right formulation – can help your grass look even better in the spring.
Here’s everything you wanted to know about winterizers, including what makes a fertilizer a winterizing formula, when to apply winter fertilizer and why adding this step to your lawn care regimen can help you have healthier grass.
What is a “winterizer?”
A winterizer is a formulation of fertilizer available in the fall. When you apply a special fertilizer formula in the late fall, you are winterizing your lawn. Winterizing simply means preparing it to withstand the cold months and store nutrients for the spring growth season.
Winterizers are high in nitrogen. The grasses store the nitrogen and use it in the spring for root growth. Most winterizers also contain potassium, which helps strengthen the actual cell walls of the grass.
Winterizer is most important for cool season grasses, the ones that thrive in Ohio. This treatment can support healthy root growth, so your grass is stronger and more able to withstand winter cold.
Why should you winterize grass?
In northern parts of the country, most winter lawn care is typically unnecessary. The cool season grasses go dormant in the cold months, so there is no need for mowing or other upkeep. That does not mean your winter grass doesn’t need any care. A winterizing fertilizer treatment sustains it and prepares it for spring.
Just as squirrels store away food for hibernation, plants store nutrients in their roots over the winter. These stored nutrients help keep them strong and boost growth once the snow melts. By applying a winterizer, you are giving your grass roots everything they need.
The benefits of applying a winter lawn fertilizer are:
- Helps prevent disease, such as snow mold
- Helps the grass survive the winter cold by giving it ample nutrients
- Helps the grass thrive in the spring
What makes a fertilizer a “winterizer?”
A good winterizing fertilizer contains a high amount of nitrogen. The nitrogen content protects the grass against early spring fungus, such as snow mold. When spring fully arrives, the nitrogen releases, giving the emerging grass the nutrients it needs to be healthy and vibrant.
Read your fertilizer label to determine if the formulation is right for a winter treatment. Or, talk to Grass Master about professional lawn care treatments, including our winter fertilizer.
When is the best time to winterize your lawn?
Apply a winter fertilizer treatment at the right time, for optimum results. The best time to winterize your lawn is once the grass has stopped growing for the year. If you apply it too early, it will use those nutrients to grow immediately, rather than storing them.
That said, there are many regions in the U.S., with different season changes. To get the most benefit, you’ll want to time your application precisely to your location.
The best time to apply a winter fertilizer in Ohio is late November to early December – when the grass is no longer growing, the ground isn’t completely frozen and the heavy snow hasn’t arrived.
Can you apply fertilizer over snow?
You can apply a winterizing fertilizer over light snow cover. The granular formula will break down easily from the moisture in the snow, saving you time and money from having to water your lawn after application.
Grass Master can winterize your lawn.
If you’re considering adding a lawn winterizer, why not trust the experts? Grass Master offers a Deluxe Lawn Care Program, which offers six timely visits throughout the year, including a fall fertilizer and a winterizing fertilizer. Our winterizer is the right formulation for cool season grasses. Grass Master is an Ohio company, and we understand the needs of the cool season grasses that grow in this area.
Our Deluxe Lawn Care Program is the most comprehensive fertilization package in Northeast Ohio. With Grass Master, you can enjoy your lawn, while we do the work. Contact us to get started today.
