Everything You Need for Successful Winter Lawn Preparation

It's hard to believe, but winter is just around the corner, and with it, lots of extreme winter weather that's ready to wreak havoc on your lawn.

Snow, ice, and extreme cold are unavoidable come winter. That said, there are plenty of things you can do before the worst of the weather shows up that can help protect and prepare your lawn, so it'll still be lush and green once the spring thaw hits.

Are you ready to start preparing your yard for the arrival of Jack Frost but aren't sure where to begin? We're here to help! Here is your step-by-step guide to proper winter lawn preparation.

Step 1: Autumn Cleaning

Before you can begin treating your grass, you're going to need to make sure your yard is nice and clean. If you don't clear your yard of leaves and debris before the snow starts falling, you could risk infecting your yard with snow mould.

Raking your lawn all autumn long will make keeping the grass clear easier. So, once it's time to start preparing your yard, you'll have a little less work to do.

Step 2: Thorough Weeding

Once your lawn is clear of leaves and debris, you'll need to weed it. Weeding now will help ease your weed-based woes come spring. On top of that, weeding in the fall will help you make sure your grass doesn't miss out on any vital water or nutrients during the colder months.

Step 3: A Good Trim

Mowing may be a part of your regular lawn maintenance for most of the year, but once it starts snowing, there's a good chance you won't get to cut your lawn again until winter ends.

Before the snow starts to fall, try to take the time to give your grass one last ultra-low trim. If you're mowing your grass yourself, set your mower blade to around 5-centimetres. Cutting your lawn extra short will help prevent snow mould and promote growth once the snow starts to melt.

Step 4: Aerate Your Lawn

One of the most vital winter preparation tools you'll need is a lawn aerator. Aerating your lawn before winter will keep the soil from getting too compact, which in turn will ensure your grass has thick and tough roots and even prevent weed growth.

If you plan on aerating your lawn yourself, make sure you leave the dirt plugs out on the grass to disintegrate and spread their nutrients out over the winter.

Step 5: Feed the Grass

Finally, the last step in preparing for the colder months is lawn winter fertilization. One or two weeks after you aerate your grass, but before the ground freezes, you should spread a fertilizer rich in fast-release nitrogen and potassium out over your entire lawn.

If you're not sure which fertilizer is best for winterizing your lawn, you may want to consider bringing in a professional.

Your Winter Lawn Preparation Guide

Now that you know the basics of winter lawn preparation, it's time to get to work readying your grass for winter's worst.