As the year draws to a close, there are a few lawn care tasks that can help get your yard ready for winter. When the weather starts to cool, warm-season grasses go dormant and will require some simple fall lawn care to stay healthy over the winter. Since there will be no need to mow, unless the winter is unusually mild, this is also a good time to prepare lawn mowers and other lawn equipment for winter storage.
Dormant Grasses
As the weather cools in the fall, warm-season grasses go dormant. The grass will turn brown, but is not dead. With some simple care, your lawn will green up and grow healthy in the spring.
Unless you choose to overseed with annual ryegrass for winter color, dormant grass means the end of lawn mowing until next spring. Avoid mowing the lawn too short while its growth is slowing down. Two inches is a good height for mowing lawn grass in the fall.
After September, there is no need to fertilize warm-season grass. Growth slows, and the grass needs less water. It still needs moisture to survive, though, and if there is no rain for 3 to 4 weeks you may need to water the lawn.
Weed Control
A healthy, growing lawn will choke out most weeds, but the lawn is vulnerable while the grass is dormant. With little competition from grass, cool-season weeds like chickweed can take over the lawn during winter. For annual weeds, which grow from seeds that germinate in the fall, pre-emergent herbicides can be an effective control. Perennial weeds can be removed by hand pulling or with post-emergent herbicides.
For pre-emergent herbicides to be effective, they must be applied before weed seeds germinate. Soil temperature determines the best time to apply these herbicides, and you can access this information by contacting you local extension agent. Alternately, a herbicide that combines pre-emergent and post-emergent control will kill existing weeds as well as prevent new weeds from germinating.
Storing Lawn Equipment
Once the lawn has gone dormant and grass growth has stopped or slowed down, the lawn mower can be prepared for winter storage. When a lawn mower is going to be unused for more than 30 days, the fuel should be drained so it won’t go bad and prevent the mower from starting. Another option is to add a fuel stabilizer. This is also a good time to clean the mower deck, sharpen blades, check the spark plug, and lubricate pivot points. Other lawn equipment, such as trimmers, can be readied for storage in much the same way.
When the weather starts to cool in the fall, there are a few lawn care tasks that will help the grass get through the winter. Taking care of your lawn as it goes dormant by not mowing too short and making sure the lawn doesn’t dry out enough to kill the grass will help ensure the lawn comes back healthy in the spring. Taking steps to discourage weed growth also helps keep the lawn healthy. While yard care tasks slow down, it is a good time to clean and store equipment such as lawn mowers and trimmers.
