How To Prep Your Lawn For Winter

A crisp, green lawn can add so much to the curb appeal of your home. To make sure your turf stands up to the cold Winter weather, you’ll want to take extra care of it this fall. Keep reading to find out what you can do NOW so you’ll have a green lawn in the Spring.

Remove leaves and debris.

Nothing says "Fall" like jumping in a big pile of leaves. But, you don’t want those leaves hanging around on your grass too long. The grass underneath all those leaves won’t get the sun, oxygen, and water it needs to grow. This could kill the grass or cause those unsightly yellow spots in your yard. To keep your lawn healthy and green, make sure you remove the leaves that fall on your yard.

Aerate the lawn.

Aerating a lawn is the process of creating small holes in the soil so that air, water, and nutrients can reach the roots of your grass. It's best to do this before putting down new grass seed and fertilizer. There are a few different tools you can use to aerate your lawn. A simple pair of boots that have spikes on the bottom work well as an aerator. As you walk around your yard, the shoes will leave small holes behind. You can also rent machines that you push around your yard to aerate. These machines weigh quite a bit, but they get the job done.

Fertilize your lawn.

It’s important to fertilize your grass so that it gets enough nutrients during before winter comes. As with all plants, grass goes dormant in the winter. With extra nutrients, the grass will come back strong, and green, in the spring. You can fertilize your lawn anytime until the end of October. Make sure you water exceptionally well after each application.

Put down more grass seed.

After you aerate and fertilize the lawn, it’s a good idea to add a little more grass seed. This can help fill in any bare spots in your yard. By filling in these bare spots, the new grass can help protect the roots of the old turf. Keep in mind that fresh grass is fragile. Be careful not to walk too much on your lawn for at least 2 weeks after putting down grass seed.

Keep it watered.

With cooler weather creeping in, you might think it’s ok to skip on watering your lawn. Your grass still needs water to stay healthy enough to last through the winter. If it doesn’t rain in your area for a week, give your lawn a little water. Make sure you water early in the morning so that any extra moisture has time to dry. Always make sure to water for a few days after putting down fertilizer and new grass seed.

Slow down on mowing.

Cooler temperatures also mean the growth of your grass is slowing. You may notice that you aren’t having to mow as often as you usually would. Don’t mow your grass any more than you have to. Once temperatures fall below freezing, you can stop mowing your lawn until Spring.

Even though temperatures are cooling and leaves are falling, it’s still important to take care of your lawn. Have any other lawn care tips to share? Tell us about it in the comments below.