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Winterizing your Lawn

In the northern climates, lawns spend several months in their dormant winter state. A few simple basics will help prepare your lawn for winter.
  

Final fall mowing

Since grass often spends several weeks under snow cover, it's important that turf isn't long enough to "lay over" during winter. Therefore, send your lawn into winter at the proper height. While some homeowners limit this shortening process to one final cut, it's better to lower the mowing height over the final 3 lawn mowings.
LawnBoss tip: Lower your cutting height for the last 3 cuts of the season. Adjust your final mowing height to the shorter height recommended for your particular variety of grass. Don't forget to do your winter lawn mower maintenance!
  

'Winterizer' Fertilizer

It's common to see "winterizer" lawn products at your local lawn and garden center. The common trait in these 'winterizers' is a higher proportion of Potassium (or Potash) than is common in other lawn fertilizers. Potassium increases the winter hardiness and disease resistance of turfgrass. These products should be applied before the ground is frozen. Since potash usually has a higher "salt index" than other lawn nutrients, apply it when the grass is dry and at the recommended rate on the fertilizer label.
  

Winterizer fertilizer label
This label is from a lawn fertilizer that's
considered a 'winterizer' due to a higher
amount of potash (12%)
  
  

Protecting lawns from salt damage

Every spring, lawn damage from de-icers is obvious, especially along curbs and sidewalks. One way to minimize lawn damage from salt is to apply Gypsum to these areas in the fall of the year.

Gypsum label
Gypsum helps minimize salt damage
  


gypsum manufacturing

  
Gypsum plant in Cleburne, Texas
Photos: Richard Swim
  

gypsum stockpile


Spring lawn care

During winters when snow cover persists, it's not uncommon to have some "snow mold" damage on lawns. There are two types of snow mold, pink and gray, and they typically leave "flattened" areas of turf. At the start of Spring, use a leaf rake and vigorously rake these areas to counter the matting-down effect.
   

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