Once the snow has fallen, it is too late for winter lawn maintenance. With fall in full swing, now is the time to prepare your lawn for the harsh winter conditions that are bound to come wherever you live.
But what exactly can you do to prepare a lawn for winter to ensure your lawn is green and thick when spring arrives? We spoke to our garden expert Rachel Crow and Carlos Real, lawn care expert and Managing Director of TotalLawn (opens in a new tab) for their top tips and critical advice on winter lawn care, so you can anticipate the cold weather this weekend.
Winter lawn care
Winter lawn care involves tackling a few must-do tasks and then continuing with the maintenance until the leaf frost has stopped falling.
1. Keep the lawn leafless
“Don’t leave anything on your lawn!” Carlos said. ‘Whether it’s leaves, heavy branches or gardening equipment on your lawn, you want to remove it quickly before the cold sets in. If you leave anything heavy on your lawn over winter, you run the risk of compacting your soil, putting it at risk of waterlogging and developing diseases, such as fusarium patch, also known as name for snow mold and which is common among lawns in the fall.
“You should also remove any unwanted leaves as they can prevent the lawn from getting enough air and light, which is essential for the healthy growth of your lawn.”
2. Choose resistant weeds
“Lawn weeds don’t just grow in the spring, and as part of your fall lawn care routine, you will no doubt have continued to pull them out,” says Rachel Crow. ‘Don’t stop now – keep weeding until the first frosts set in.
3. Reduce but don’t stop mowing
‘In the fall, your lawn requires minimal mowing because less sunlight reaches it – sunlight is essential to help grass grow, but as the days get shorter and the clocks change, the amount amount of sunlight our lawns see is limited, so mowing once a week should be enough,” advises Carlos.
“You should also reduce the height of your mower blade, because shortening the grass before winter sets in will protect it from disease and prevent damage over the next few months.”
When to stop mowing your lawn in the fall? The answer is that there is no fixed date, but the weather is the best indicator. “Make sure you only mow the lawn before the first frosts, and only then on dry days,” says Rachel.
4. Aerate the lawn
“During the warmer months, your soil will have compacted due to heavy foot traffic, so it’s important to aerate a lawn before the cold weather sets in,” says Carlos. “If your soil is too compact, it will prevent your grass from growing thick and strong and can cause problems later.
“Whether you’re using an electric aerator or just a garden rake, rake your lawn multiple times, spending more time on areas that have had the most foot traffic, as this will increase the oxygen reaching the ground to help the growth.
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5. Feed the lawn
‘It’s really important to understand that feeding your lawn is a job that needs to be done all year round!’ says Carlos Real of Total Lawn. “You should look for a food that includes three essential elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Although you will be using a lower dose of nitrogen compared to the summer months, you will need a much higher dose of phosphorus and potassium as this will promote healthy growth and aid in the general functioning of the grass. .
“It doesn’t stop there, there are two other ingredients you should be looking for: magnesium oxide and calcium oxide. Magnesium oxide is like bulletproof vest for your lawn – not only it promotes early growth when the growing season begins again, but it’s also the key to preparing your lawn for the winter months.
“Calcium oxide is even more valuable when preparing your lawn for cold weather because it increases the amount of nutrients that can be held in the soil for later use, which is very helpful when you start to have frost on your lawn.
“Making sure these things are included will give your lawn the best possible chance of staying healthy through the winter.”
Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Lawn Fertilizer (opens in a new tab) is Amazon’s highest rated purchase.
“Read the instructions provided by the lawn fertilizer manufacturer to ensure you are fertilizing under the right conditions and at the right time – it is equally important not to overfeed your lawn, which can promote premature growth,” says Rachel Crow.
6. Don’t stress the lawn
“Winter lawns already have a lot to do, so it’s best not to step on them (or cheer on a family football game) if you can help it. This will compact it, as will leaving furniture or play equipment on it,” says Rachel Crow.
“I would also stop all lawn treatments that are not emergency measures now, as the slow growth of the lawn will make it difficult to recover in winter. So, no lawn scarification or dethatching at this time, and leave any patch repairs in lawns until spring.
Can I do anything to my lawn in winter?
Winter lawn care continues through fall until snowfall and beyond. It is really important to sweep up the dead leaves in the borders; this will allow the lawn to breathe and thrive and will also act as a useful mulch for the plants. Don’t walk on a lawn in the winter, especially if it’s wet, as this can cause further damage, and stop lawn treatments that could stress the lawn until spring. However, you can feed your lawn during the winter with an appropriate winter fertilizer.
When is the last time to mow winter grass?
The last time you should cut the grass for the winter varies from area to area, but it’s likely that in November you’ll be cutting the grass for the last time before spring. After that, lawn growth will be slow, so you won’t need to mow again until spring, when warmer weather arrives and lawn growth picks up again.
