Living in Omaha means going through wild weather swings from one season to the next. The city resides within USDA Hardiness Zone 5b, providing piping-hot summers and bone-chilling, cold winters. It’s an environment where Mother Nature puts your lawn through its paces. Effective lawn care requires homeowners in Nebraska to prepare for whatever the seasons throw our way. Prepare your Omaha lawn this season with these lawn care tips and keep it at its best despite Mother Nature’s mood swings.
How to Prepare Your Lawn for Omaha’s Seasonal Changes
Spring – Time to Wake Up
Springtime in Omaha wakes your lawn up after winter dormancy, and temperatures usually average from the mid-40s to mid-60s °F. It’s finally warming up outside, and time for your grass to kick into its growth cycle.
Give it a good cleaning by raking the area in early spring. This will uncover new grass that starts to grow. Overseeding works well in spring, especially if your lawn has bare patches.
Cool-season grass types like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue simply love Omaha’s climate. These do well in Nebraskan weather. The cool spring temperatures build strong root systems before the hot summer months kick in.
Feed it in the spring! Apply slow-release fertilizer for your lawn’s nutrition to rebound and grow well. Pre-emergent herbicides can be applied in early spring for most broadleaf weeds. A soil test can determine if your soil needs extra nutrients.
Summer – Keeping Cool
When summer hits Omaha, it gets hot, really hot. The temperatures soar into the mid-70s and mid-80s on average. To prevent your lawn from drying out and burning the grass, water deeply but less often, about 1 to 1.5 inches per week.
The perfect time for the task is early in the morning when evaporation is minimal. Adjust your watering schedule so your lawn can soak it in before the scorching sun rises later in the day. Cool-season grasses will struggle in the warmer weather in USDA Zone 5b, but proper care will get them through it.
Raise your mower blades a little higher, to about 3 inches, allowing the grass to grow taller. Taller grass shades the soil beneath it, keeping it cooler and retaining moisture. Watch out for weeds; they love the summer heat as much as your lawn. Regular mowing with additional spot treatments prevents weeds from overtaking the grass.
Fall – Prepare Your Omaha Lawn for the Coming Winter Season
When fall rolls in, temperatures range from the mid-40s to mid-60s °F. It’s time to prepare your Omaha lawn for the chill of the next season: winter. Aerate the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate to the roots and loosen compacted soil.
It’s a good time to feed the lawn. Apply fertilizer with high phosphorus to help it store energy for the coming months. Overseeding this fall works wonders to fill in those thin spots. Applying grass seed will give your lawn a bit of a jump-start next spring.
The cool fall temperatures in Zone 5b set it up well to establish strong root growth. This prepares it for a green lawn next spring and summer.
Winter – Rest and Recover
Winter in Omaha sees average temperatures in the mid-20s to mid-30s °F. It’s that time of year when your lawn goes on vacation. Cool-season grasses go dormant during winter.
Avoid walking on your lawn when it’s hibernating under its blanket of snow. Doing this could compact the soil. Be careful with de-icing products, too; some damage your lawn.
JPO Lawn & Snow – Lawn Care and Landscaping Omaha
If you’re planning to aerate your lawn or need professional advice on how to maintain it, give us a call. We are a full-service provider of residential and commercial lawn care, landscaping, and snow removal services in Omaha, NE. Our mission is to provide exceptional service that exceeds our clients’ expectations and leaves them with a beautiful, well-maintained property year-round. We take pride in our work and strive to exceed our client’s expectations every time.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let us show you why we are the best choice for all your lawn and snow needs.
