We recently had a Facebook post from one of our Denver lawn customers who was asking if she should water her lawn in the winter. Yes, you should, read on to find out why…

Denver’s dry winter weather can cause damage to lawns.

Sprinkler and irrigation systems have been turned off for a few months now, temperatures have been higher than normal (setting several record highs) and there has been little to no rain or snow precipitation. This has set up a “perfect storm” scenario for lawn mites.

Our lawn department manager, Lee Kral, said “I have never seen mite infestations this bad. Some properties even have them moving onto the outer walls and facings.”

Areas of west and south facing turf are particularly susceptible to Lawn Mite damage and drought stress. As the winter sun beats down on these areas it provides extra heat for the mites to actively feed while at the same time drying out the ground so there is no moisture to replenish what the mites are removing from the grass. Other areas hard hit by mites are areas where the sun reflects down from windows, off of light colored fences, rock walls and under evergreens.

So yes, you need to water during the winter months – during dry periods, water your lawn 15-20 minutes per area, twice a week.

Mites are high in numbers this season! Learn more about how mites damage your lawns in our December newsletter »