---
title: "Deep in the Heart of Winter: Frosty Texas Fixes | Emerald Lawns"
description: Winterize your Texas lawn with tips on soil care, frost protection, and irrigation maintenance to ensure a thriving spring garden.
---

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# [Deep in the Heart of Winter: Frosty Texas Fixes | Emerald Lawns](https://emeraldlawns.com/blog/deep-heart-winter-frosty-texas-fixes)

 Written by [Emerald Lawns](https://emeraldlawns.com/blog/author/emerald-lawns) | Dec 13, 2023

Deep in the Heart of Winter: Frosty Texas Fixes

 

# Deep in the Heart of Winter: Frosty Texas Fixes

Can you hear our teeth chattering? Texas has packed a punch this year, but it’s not done yet. As we **gear up for a colder-than-usual winter **with some frosty storms on the horizon, it’s time to give your little piece of Texas some VIP treatment. We’ve got a flurry of tips and recommendations to **easily transform your green space into a winter wonderland.**

# Tundra Turf Tactics

Prepping Texas grass before freezing conditions is **vital for a green spring. **While your dormant turf isn’t going to be actively growing during the cold season, you’ll still encounter challenges like **weeds and providing enough nutrients.**

**Adjust soil pH:** for thriving grass and healthy dormancy, use a 3-1-2 rate of nitrogen, phosphorus, & potassium.

 

**Reduce watering:** in the absence of rain, water your turf half an inch once a week. Avoid watering the day before a freeze to reduce the risk of damage.

 

**Clear debris:** leaves, sticks, etc. restrict your grass from necessary sunlight, air, and nutrients.

 

 

**Mow as necessary:** when your grass goes dormant, you won’t need to mow anymore as it’s not actively growing. However, you can mow as necessary to prevent winter weeds from flowering

 

# Landscape Frost Bites

A simple way to generate heat around plants is mulch, though we recommend using leaves since they provide just the **right amount of coverage but don’t restrict irrigation to the soil.** You can use a thicker mulch, just be sure to pull it back when watering so **nourishment may still reach the roots.**

 

 

We’re going to fashion a protective, cozy cover that will **keep your plants warm and sheltered from harsh winds:**

- Using yard stakes (or something similar), **create a makeshift frame around the plant.** This is going to provide space, so the cover doesn’t crush it.
- Next, you’ll **wrap a plastic tarp or blanket around your frame**, making sure there are no holes from bottom to top to retain heat from the soil.
- Keep in mind that plants need sunlight and air, so you’ll need to be able to **remove the covering during the day.**

 

 

Now how might we turn the heat up to keep things toasty? The first method is to **use Christmas lights to convey heat!**

- Carefully string the lights around the plant, being sure that **no bulbs are making contact** as this will cause damage.
- **Cover your festive creation with the frame** to contain all the heat, inspecting it to ensure bulbs aren’t knocked into a dangerous position.

Another **method to trap heat is to use a gallon jug of water**…you heard us right, and we’re not crazy, promise:

- The jug will absorb heat throughout the day and slowly release it at night, so **leave it out by the plant during the day** while the sun is out.
- **Cover the jug with the plant at night**, being careful that no plant parts are touching the container as the condensation can cause it to freeze.

 

 

**Winter pruning encourages spring growth and trains new plants,** improving health and even “cutting back” the need for future trims. But this isn’t Christmas dinner: you don’t want to go ham!

- **The best time to prune is late winter** so that come spring, you have bountiful growth.
- For your shrubs, shear them in a natural shape as** top-heavy shaping limits growth & casts excessive shade at the base.** You can use a method called thinning cuts, selectively cutting where side shoots are attached.
- For your young trees, **pruning is used to train and encourage strong, healthy growth.** Twin trunks shouldn’t be permitted to grow, so you’ll need to remove one. Use small cuts to make the process easier and encourage quick healing.
- **Remove all “V” shaped, crossing, or rubbing branches** as these are weaker than wide-angled branches.
- **Let the small shoots continue to grow** until they’re about an inch in diameter before removing as they provide nourishment and improve tree health!

# Frost-Proof System

We’re done with the plant portion (phew), now let’s tackle your irrigation system and mower! You’ll want to **complete these steps after freezing temps** when you’ll no longer need to water or mow your grass.

 

 

Irrigation System:

- **Turn off your irrigation controller and system water supply** (near the water meter or backflow preventer)
- **Insulate exposed PVC pipes** and install a freeze cover
- **Drain the above-ground irrigation components**

 

Mower:

- **Disconnect the spark plug** before any other maintenance
- **Empty the gas tank & change the oil**
- Detach, clean, & sharpen the blade
- Clean the undercarriage and degrease oil stains
- For sit-down mowers,** remove the battery** and store it in a cool, dry place
- Ensure your **mower’s storage space is dry**

 

 

 

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