How to prepare your lawn for winter

Landscape experts agree that getting your lawn ready for winter is the best way to ensure green, healthy grass in the spring. By taking these steps, your lawn can look its best.

Keep mowing your lawn

Grass still needs regular care to stay healthy. Shorter grass is more resistant to diseases and traps fewer falling leaves. Cutting it low allows more sun to reach the crown of the grass, so less leaf will turn brown in the winter.

Put mower blades on the next lowest setting for the last two cuts of the fall season.

Aerate grass

Compacted soil hurts grass health. Aerating punches holes into the soil and lets oxygen, water, and nutrients seep into a lawn. Use a walk-behind aerator or get an attachment to pull behind a riding mower.

Remove leaves

Many mowers can mulch leaves with an attachment. Since mulching with a mower can combine grass clippings with leaf particles, this nitrogen- and carbon-mixture will compost more quickly and return nutrients to the soil. 

If you have a smaller lawn, rake the leaves and incorporatethem into your flowerbeds. Either way, it’s free fertilizer for your garden.

Repair bald spots

Fall is a great time to patch bald or thin spots that have cropped up on a lawn. The easiest way to do this is with an all-in-one lawn repair mixture, found at most garden shops and home centres.

Use a rake or de-thatcher to loosen the soil at the spot.