Winter comes with plenty of lawn and landscape issues: frozen soil, snow mold and other diseases, weeds, winter pests, soil compaction, and soil drainage problems. If you allow the latter to take a turn for the worst, you might have a dead lawn on your hands in spring. One you should repair or replace altogether at high costs and efforts. Luckily, compacted soil and lawn drainage problems are solvable, especially if you catch the problem early and add some prevention methods on top of your quick interventions. Here is what our experts in lawn care in St. Charles, MO, have to say about it!
Test the Soil for Clay, Compaction, and Drainage Problems
Compacted soil and clay areas don’t let the water and air penetrate the soil, so water will most likely puddle all-around your property. Moreover, you may also observe a thick layer of thatch (over one inch), which tells you to solve some problems soon. If you don’t know how to diagnose compacted soil from frozen one in winter, it’s best to have our lawn care company in St. Charles, MO, have a look.
Avoid Further Soil Compaction
Soil prone to compaction will suffer further if we don’t pay attention to our surroundings. Here are some tips you might want to consider to “unburden” your lawn and garden:
- Collect all heavy machinery and garden tools you may have left on the ground (like your snowblower, for instance).
- Don’t pile up the snow you remove from your driveway, front yard, patios, and walkways. Instead, spread it evenly on the lawn as the snow mounds’ weight itself can lead to compaction problems.
- Avoid foot traffic on your lawn during winter.
- Remove all debris from your lawn, especially if a storm took down some trees or shrubs.
If you need more prevention tips, ask our experts in lawn care in St. Charles, MO. They can come for an evaluation, services, and advice on how to keep your soil in better shape.
Aerate and Dethatch the Soil
If the ground is not frozen, you can aerate it for better air, water, and nutrient penetration deep into the soil. Use manual tools for aeration (spiked instruments or a pitchfork) or ask our lawn company in St. Charles, MO, for a professional aeration service. Dethatching and aerating the soil in winter might be the key to its future health. Ask our experts for dethatching services to improve the soil’s drainage and functions.
