What does your lawn need to survive the winter?
Once the leaves begin to fall and the temperature begins to drop, it’s time to prepare for winter. That means choosing new clothes and preparing to spend more time outdoors.
If you’ve spent time maintaining your lawn this summer and you’ve already invested in a lawnmower, sprinkler, and even a lawn roller, you don’t want all of your hard work to be in vain. If you want your lawn to be healthy even in warmer weather, you should plan ahead and make your lawn winterproof.
Steps you need to take to winterize your lawn
Remove dirt
Before you maintain your lawn, you want to rake leaves, remove dead branches and weed any remaining weeds so that you have a fresh start in bad weather.
Fertilize
Look for fertilizer specifically designed for wintering lawns and apply it evenly to the grass. Follow the directions carefully and don’t use too much or you could damage your lawn.
ventilate
The ventilation means that all the nutrients get to the roots. This is especially important if your lawn is busy in the summer.
Planting grass seeds
Prepare for spring by planting grass seeds. The type of seeds you choose, like many of these products, will depend on the type of grass you have and the temperature and conditions in your area of residence.
The best products to winterize your lawn
The best product for checking pH
Pennington Fast Acting Lime Plus AST
This fast-acting lime has been formulated to work instantly to raise the low pH of your soil, creating a better soil and lawn environment that will survive the winter. This formulation is more concentrated than the regular version of dolomitic limestone so you can use a lot less for a large square foot area.
Where to Buy: Amazon
The best products for weed removal
Skidger Xtreme Weeder
This top-of-the-line weeder can replace many other tools. It is equipped with sharpened indoor and outdoor probes that make it quick and easy to get rid of weeds while you cut under the drip lines and clear the ground cover in preparation for winter.
Sources of supply: Home Depot and Amazon
Nisaku stainless steel weed cutter Pro
Designed with an ergonomic handle and made in Japan from the finest stainless steel, this weed cutter is ideal for tending to the most annoying weeds. The durable blade is 3.25 “long with a 6.5” handle to quickly remove weeds so you can winterize your lawn.
Where to Buy: Amazon and home depot
The best products for spreading fertilizer
Scotts Turf Builder weed and lawn fertilizer
Fertilizing is an important step in winterizing your lawn, and this weed and lawn fertilizer will help thicken the lawn and help displace weeds. Turf Builder offers weedgrip technology particles that can grip the weed leaves and cover 5,000 square feet.
Sources of supply: Home Depot and Amazon
EARTHWAY Plus seed and fertilizer spreader with commercial capacity
Prepare your large lawn or plants for winter quickly and easily with an automatic fall spreader that fertilizes as you walk. This durable powder-coated, sturdy frame can hold up to 100 pounds of manure at a time.
Where to Buy: Home Depot and Amazon
The best products for aerating the lawn
KINEDOO lawn aerator shoes
Step in while you aerate your lawn with these aerator shoes made from a sturdy plastic soil and stainless spikes that penetrate deeply into the rooted soil. These shoes are easy to adjust to most sizes and come with shoes, 26 nails, 3 straps and a small hand shovel to clean your shoes.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Yard ButlerSpike aerator
Go deep into your soil with this multi-spike lawn aerator to loosen it up so that fertilizer, air and water can seep into the root system. This stimulates root growth by separating all of the roots to prepare your lawn for winter.
Where to Buy: Amazon and Home depot
The best grass seed spreading products
Scott’s EZ Seed Patch and Repair Sun and Shade
Prepare your lawn for winter with a combination of seeds, mulch and fertilizer to allow grass to grow in any weather and in any sunlight. The powerful grass seed will help protect your seedlings from harmful diseases. The controlled release technology can stimulate and promote the growth of seedlings by feeding them with nutrient-rich ingredients.
Sources of supply: Home Depot and Amazon
Grotrax Quick Fix Year-round green mix mix
This biodegradable grass mat is a fantastic option for sowing and is guaranteed to ensure that each seed is perfectly placed. All you have to do is roll it out, water it and watch your lawn grow. The biodegradable fabric ensures that the seeds are not washed away on sloping land or in heavy rain.
Sources of supply: Home Depot and Amazon
The best products for covering plant beds
Earthgro brown mulch
Prepare your lawn for winter by deterring weeds and reducing their growth and access to the sun. This mulch helps retain moisture in the soil and keeps the moderate temperatures ideal for fall and winter.
Where to Buy: Home Depot
Easy Gardener 3102 natural linen 3-foot
This universal burlap fabric is made from 100 percent biodegradable material that will protect your plants, lawn and seeds from all of the horrors of winter including rain, snow and frost. This product offers excellent protection against erosion and shade from the sun.
Where to Buy: Amazon
The best products for removing dirt
Anvil poly steel blade rake wooden handle
This rake is lightweight and durable as it is made from high quality poly steel that will last you for years. This rake is essential for the continuous removal of leaves and debris as you prepare your lawn for fall.
Where to Buy: Home Depot
Vertex Leaf Claw Pick-Up Shovels
Get your hands dirty without getting your hands dirty with these high quality leaf shovels that will help you pick up all of the dirt on your lawn. These have the longest reach on the market and limit how much you have to bend over, while the three-point power lever handle makes the process easy and convenient.
Sources of supply: Amazon and Home Depot
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Ryan Dempsey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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