As fall arrives and you begin looking ahead to the Minnesota winter, have you thought about your lawn? Taking proper care of your lawn during the winter is critical to ensure a beautiful, healthy yard when spring arrives. Here are four important steps to prepare your lawn for winter.

Rake

When leaves are left on your lawn during the winter, they can leave dry and dead spots. Fallen leaves restrict the amount of sunlight and oxygen that your lawn takes in. Make sure to keep an eye out for falling leaves and rake your lawn regularly, and remove fallen branches and dead plants from your yard before winter arrives.  

Mow

Keeping your grass short during the winter is important to maintain the health of your lawn. If the grass is too long, it’s at greater risk of ice and snow damage.

Continue to mow your lawn as long as your grass keeps growing. At the beginning of autumn, continue to mow at the same height you did during the summer. Later in the fall, gradually reduce your mower height. By the last mowing of the season, your lawn should be an inch shorter.

Fertilize

Fertilizing is vital to the health of your lawn. Fall is considered to be the most important season for fertilization. Fertilize your grass with a winterizing fertilizer. Winterizers contain more potassium than other fertilizers. Potassium strengthens the roots of the grass and helps it to absorb essential nutrients. Fertilize your lawn before the first freeze.

Aerate

Soil compaction is a common cause of an unhealthy lawn, making aeration an important part of your lawn care routine. Aerating your lawn reduces soil compaction and gives your grass room to “breathe.” Water, sunlight, and fertilizer will be better able to reach the lawn’s roots. It also removes excess thatch from your lawn.

Contact The Grounds Crew today for more winter lawn care tips, or to have us take care of these things for you. Either way, we’re happy to help!

-TGC Team