Sutherlands Organic Solutions
“We are a lawn care company committed to helping your lawn look its best and our earth help itself.”
Winter Lawn Myths & FAQs 🌱
Myth or Fact: Your lawn needs care during winter.
✅ FACT
Your lawn does need care during winter ❄️🌱
Even though grass is dormant, winter habits play a huge role in how healthy it looks in spring.
Here’s what “winter care” really means:
🚫 Limit foot traffic on frozen grass
🍂 Keep leaves and debris cleared
🧊 Watch for drainage issues and ice buildup
Pro tip: Winter lawn care is all about protection and prevention—small efforts now prevent big problems later.
Myth or Fact: Walking on frozen grass won’t hurt it.
❌ MYTH
Walking on frozen grass can definitely hurt it ❄️🌱
When grass is frozen, the blades become brittle. Foot traffic can snap them and compact the soil, leading to thin or dead spots that often don’t show up until spring.
Pro tip: Avoid walking on frozen lawns when possible. If you must cross it, stick to the same path to reduce damage.
Myth or Fact: Snow protects your grass from damage.
✅FACT — with a catch
Snow can protect your grass. A light, consistent layer of snow acts like insulation, shielding your lawn from harsh winds and extreme temperature swings.
BUT problems happen when snow sits too long or gets compacted:
🧊 Ice layers can suffocate grass
🍂 Debris trapped under snow can cause snow mold
🚶♂️ Heavy traffic on snowy lawns leads to damage underneath
Pro tip: Keep paths consistent and clear debris before snowfall for a healthier spring lawn.
Myth or Fact: You should fertilize in winter.
❌ MYTH
You generally should NOT fertilize your lawn in winter ❄️🌱
When grass is dormant, it isn’t actively growing—so fertilizer won’t be absorbed properly. Instead, nutrients can run off, go to waste, or even harm the lawn and surrounding areas.
The exception:
✔️ Late fall “winterize” fertilizer (applied before the ground freezes) can help strengthen roots and set your lawn up for a strong spring.
Pro tip: Winter is the perfect time to plan your fertilizer program—not apply it.
Myth or Fact: Leaf piles left on the lawn is not good.
✅ FACT
Leaving leaves on your lawn does not help it 🍂🌱
When leaves pile up, they block sunlight, trap moisture, and create the perfect environment for mold, disease, and dead spots—especially over winter.
The only exception:
✔️ A light layer of finely shredded leaves can benefit the soil. Thick layers? Not so much.
Pro tip: If you can’t see grass through the leaves, it’s time to remove or mulch them.
Myth or Fact: Lawns die in winter.
❌ MYTH
Lawns don’t die in winter—they go dormant ❄️🌱
Cold temperatures cause grass to pause growth and conserve energy. Your lawn may turn brown, but the roots are still alive, storing energy for spring.
Why winter care still matters:
🚫 Heavy foot traffic can damage dormant grass
🍂 Debris can trap moisture and cause disease
🧊 Ice buildup can stress and weaken turf
Pro tip: Think of winter as your lawn’s rest season. Protect it now, and it’ll bounce back greener when warmer weather returns.
Have another lawn myth or question? Drop it in the comments 👇 – It might be featured in our next Lawn Myths & FAQs post!
Happy Hooves Start with Healthy Grass: Why Paddock Grass Matters
Treating the turf in your horse paddocks and fields is really important—it’s one of those behind-the-scenes things that keeps horses healthy and your land usable long-term. 🐎🌱
Here’s why it matters:
🌿Keeps Grass Healthy & Nutritious:
Well-managed turf produces stronger, denser grass with better nutritional value.
Healthy Grass:
- Supports digestion
- Reduces the need for extra feed
- Recovers faster from grazing and hoof damage
🐴 Protects Horse Health
Untreated or poor Turf can lead to:
- Mud and uneven ground, increasing the risk of slips, strains, and injuries
- Weeds or toxic plants that horses may ingest
- Parasite buildup, especially in overgrazed areas
Good turf management (fertilizing, aerating, reseeding, and weed control) lowers these risks.
💧Improves Drainage & Reduces Mud:
Compacted soil from hooves stops water from draining.
Treating the Turf:
- Improve soil structure
- Reduces muddy conditions (a big deal for hoof health and skin conditions like mud fever)
- Keeps paddocks usable year-round
🌱Prevents Overgrazing & Field Damage:
Healthy turf regrows faster and withstands wear better.
Healthy – Faster Turf Growth:
- Prevents bare patches
- Limits erosion
- Extends the life of your paddocks so you’re not constantly redoing them
💰 Saves Money Over Time
Good Turf costs less in the long run than:
- Rebuilding damaged fields
- Buying extra hay
- Paying vet bills from preventable injuries or exposure to toxins
🌎 Better for the Environment
Healthy fields:
- Reduce runoff and nutrient loss
- Support soil microbes
- Keep weeds and invasive species under control without heavy chemical use
SOS February Lawn Care Tips: Get Your Lawn Ready for Spring
Even though winter is still hanging on, now is the perfect time to start thinking about your lawn. A little preparation in February can make a big difference once spring arrives.
Here are some important spring lawn care tips and reminders to help your yard get off to a strong start this season.
🌿 Plan Early for Spring Services: Spring is our busiest time of year. Scheduling services early ensures your lawn receives timely treatments, such as fertilization and crabgrass prevention, when they matter most.
🚜Clean Up Winter Debris: As snow melts, remove fallen branches, leaves, and debris from your lawn. Clearing these away allows sunlight and air to reach the grass, helping prevent mold and disease.
🌬️ Watch for Snow Mold & Winter Damage: Monitor for gray or pink patches caused by snow mold. Keeping the lawn free of snow piles and winter debris can help the grass recover more quickly as temperatures warm.
❄️ Avoid Heavy Foot Traffic: Grass will be fragile as it emerges from winter dormancy. Limiting foot traffic now helps prevent soil compaction and damage to the emerging grass.
🌿 Start Thinking About Weeds: Many weeds begin growing before you see them. Early spring pre-emergent treatments are one of the best ways to stop weeds before they take over your lawn.
Spring will be here before we know it, and a little preparation now can mean a greener, healthier lawn all season long.
“Do Snowstorms Squash Bugs? The Chilly Truth About Winter vs. Insects”
How cold & snow help:
- Cold kills some insects outright: Sudden, extreme cold (especially without insulating snow) can kill insects that overwinter as adults, eggs, or larvae.
- Snow can limit survival in some cases: If snow comes late or melts early, insects may be exposed to lethal freeze–thaw cycles that damage their cells.
- Fewer survivors = fewer breeders: If enough insects die over winter, there are simply fewer adults to reproduce in spring and summer.
But here’s the catch: ❄️🪲
- Snow is a blanket: A thick, steady snowpack insulates the ground and protects insects overwintering in soil, leaf litter, or bark. This can increase survival.
- Many insects are cold-adapted: Some produce natural antifreeze compounds and can survive temperatures well below freezing.
- Fast rebound in summer: Insects reproduce quickly. Even if winter knocks numbers down, a warm, wet summer can bring populations roaring back.
What really reduces summer insects the most:
- Late hard freezes after early warm spells (catches insects active and unprepared)
- Dry springs (bad for larvae and eggs)
- Cold, wet summers (slows reproduction)
So,what does this mean?
- ❄️ Harsh, inconsistent winters → more likely to reduce insects
- ❄️ Long, steady snowy winters → often protect them
- 🌞 Warm, wet summers → insect boom regardless of winter
A Blanket of Benefits: What Snow Does for Your Grass
Benefits of Snow for Your Lawn
Snow is highly beneficial for your lawn. Often acting as nature’s winter coat and a natural fertilizer.
- Natural Insulation – Snow acts like a blanket, protecting grass roots from extreme cold and freeze-thaw cycles that can cause damage. Snow traps air pockets that act as a thermal blanket, protecting the grass roots and crowns from sub-zero temperatures and harsh, drying winds. A few inches of snow can keep the soil 30-35 degrees warmer than the air above.
- Moisture Boost – As the snow melts, it provides a slow-release watering system and deep watering that helps soil recharge before spring. This gradual moisture absorption is better for the soil than heavy rains.
- “Poor Man’s Fertilizer.” – Snowflakes capture nitrogen from the atmosphere as they fall. When the snow melts, this nitrogen is released into the soil, providing a small but valuable nutrient boost for spring greening.
- Protection from Frost Heaving: A stable layer of snow prevents the soil from rapidly freezing and thawing, which can push grass roots out of the ground (Frost Heaving) and cause them to dry out.
Important Precautions
- Avoid Compaction: Never walk or play on a snow–covered lawn. This compresses the snow into ice, which can suffocate the grass or break the brittle, frozen blades.
- Watch for Snow Mold: If thick snow sits on long grass for months, it can create a damp environment that fosters snow mold, a fungal disease that appears as pink, gray, or brown matted patches in the spring.
- Salt Damage: Be careful when using rock salt on nearby walkways; salt can leach into the soil and dehydrate the grass.
The Key Takeaway
A consistent layer of snow = good news for your lawn. Think of it as winter skincare for grass, protective, hydrating, and quietly working its magic until spring. 🌼
Sutherlands Organic Solutions 