​Don't Pull the Weeds this Winter!

As the cooler weather rolls in, gardeners and farmers are looking at different lawn care solutions to boost their soil health. Letting the soil health deteriorate over those harsh, cold winter months can be detrimental come spring! Boise lawn care is of utmost importance if one is looking to keep their soil as healthy as possible! Here are some tips to get started on the right foot! Try one or try them all and see just how healthy the soil is in the spring!

One of the best way to start this lawn care process and boost the health of one's soil is the use of cover crops. These crops are un-harvested and planted at the end of the growing season. The roots of cover crops provide an ideal habitat as well as feed underground organisms. Just like lawn fertilization, cover crops are able to be planted anywhere from the backyard garden to a one hundred acre farm.

Another way to boost the health of soil is to use different methods of winter mulch. While out taking care of that fall Boise lawn care, take those leaves and spread them over the soil that is needing protection this winter. If leaves aren't available or preferred, another easy and great method is to spread wood chips. Wood chips have been used more often recently and the results show just how great of an option they are!

While all summer is spent pulling weeds, this is another option to protect soil health this winter! Winter weeds are different than the aggressive summer weeds that are so detested. While there aren't crops for the weeds to smother and winter weeds typically form a foliage that protects the soil, winter weeds can be a great option. In addition to the protection, weeds like dandelions also tend to stick their roots deep down into the soil which then in turn will help to improve drainage during the winter months. Don't pull those weeds this winter! After all those hard days out pulling weeds all summer, let the weeds work for you during the winter months!

Another great option is to fill garden beds with compost and covering them with an old blanket if they will be sitting unused until spring time. The blanket, which is essentially a cloth cover, will control the amount of moisture that will reach the compost and the soil. It also will act as a cushion during hard rainfalls.

Just like lawn fertilization is important during the spring and summer months, protection of the soil is just as important in the fall and winter months. This will help to make sure that the soil is ready to be used come spring and will be a perfect home for those crops and plants that are just waiting to be planted! While it may seem cumbersome and pointless to cover soil during the winter, or to prepare soil for the harsh temperatures and snowfalls, it is essential to the health of the soil.