How Pre-Winter Fertilizer Helps Keep Grass Greener

Thanksgiving Day is approaching fast. Before you turn your attention to turkey and getting the house ready for family, get started on pre-winter lawn care. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather experts are predicting above-normal precipitation and an overall stormier winter for Southeast Michigan. Unlike lawn treatment during other seasons, fertilizing your yard in late fall before the temperatures drop can help keep your grass greener in the spring. Let’s take a look.

First Steps For Winter Lawn Care

Protecting your yard from winter involves more than battling the elements. Heavy snow, road salt, and critters can impact grass growth and root systems. Some steps need to be taken before you can apply this much-need nutrition. 

• Remove yard debris like sticks, leaves, mulch, and branches that can become heavy with snow.
• Aerate your yard to help prevent thatch, spongy grass, or water pooling.
• Make sure your grass height is 2.5-3 inches before the first snowfall.
• Apply a soil-conditioning topdressing to help break down thatch through winter.

What Is Winterizer?

If you’ve endured a Southeast Michigan winter, you may be familiar with winterizer. It’s a term to describe the specific type of fertilizer applied during the winter. Unlike most fertilizers, winterizer isn’t designed to help the grass grow through the snowy months. Instead, it helps your turf store water and food and can help protect against snow mold. 

How To Choose the Right Winter Fertilizer

Aside from its catchy name, winterizer is crucial to your lawn’s health in Southeast Michigan. Apply winter fertilizers after you’ve gone through your winter checklist and as soon as the grass stops growing. The two main ingredients of winter fertilizer, nitrogen and potassium, each have an essential job. Nitrogen ensures your lawn has enough food, while potassium helps strengthen the grass from winter stress and mold.

Here’s the catch with choosing the right winterizer–your soil may have different needs, even from your neighbor’s yard. There may be more or less potassium and nitrogen or even a pH imbalance, so there are some do’s and don’ts. 

• Do conduct a soil test before buying winter fertilizer to determine the potassium and nitrogen levels. 
• Do check the ingredients to ensure there isn’t excess phosphorus–which can kill plants.
• Don’t use more than is recommended–consider using less than the suggested amount to avoid having unabsorbed nitrogen contaminate the groundwater.

Synthetic vs. Organic Winterizer

Winter fertilizer comes in organic and synthetic, and both have benefits and drawbacks.

Synthetic Winterizer Pros:

• It’s fast-acting
• Guarantees specific ratio of nutrients
• Less expensive

Synthetic Winterizer Cons:

• May have to apply more frequently
• Potential contamination from chemicals
• Can zap nutrients from the soil

Organic Winterizer Pros:

• Sustainable and biodegradable
• Safe for people and pets
• Prevents over-fertilization

Organic Winterizer Cons:

• Nutrient ratios are not guaranteed
• Slow-release nutrients
• More expensive

Let Visionary Fertilization Winterize Your Yard

The Visionary Fertilization experts know no two lawns are alike. With our customized approach to winter grass care, our specialists will ensure your yard is ready for the Southeast Michigan winter. The Visionary Fertilization team can test your soil and help you find the right synthetic fertilizer. We partner with local farmers to guarantee the highest quality organic fertilizer for your turf. Give us a call for more information on Visionary’s 7-Step Treatment Program, or set up a free estimate today.