Keep your turf in tip-top shape by preparing it properly for winter. This process, known as winterizing the lawn, involves simple steps that don’t require lots of time or money. When you winterize a lawn, you’re paving the way for lush, healthy spring turf.
The first step in winterizing a lawn is knowing what type of grass you have. Warm-season turf includes Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and zoysia. Cool-season turf usually contains fescue, Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass. Both warm- and cool-season grasses benefit from specific actions in fall to prepare them for winter.
Cool-season grasses grow most strongly in fall. Many lawn care experts recommend that if you choose to fertilize your cool-season lawn only once each year that you should do so in fall. The lawn fertilizer typically available in fall is called winterizer fertilizer. In most locations, you should aim to apply winterizer fertilizer in October or November. Check with your local extension service or garden center to time it right for your region.