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It’s the end of the year, as far as the lawn goes. So one of the last things that you need to do to set your lawn up for a good start in the spring is to decide if you’re going to fertilize your lawn or not.
So I was concerned about this because I wasn’t sure if it was real or a myth or what people were doing. So I did my research. And today, I’m going to show you what I found. And ultimately, I’m going to share with you what I do to take care of my lawn for a great start in the spring.
Do You Need to Fertilize Before/After Season?
The first question we want to answer is, do you need to fertilize before the winner? The answer after a lot of research and checking a lot of credible sources (source 1, source 2, source 3) is you do.
So the next question is, what does this fertilizer do? Well, what it does is think of it this way. It fattens up the grass so that it has a vast storehouse of energy for the spring. And that’s a critical time for the grass to grow. This fertilization in the fall is not meant to drive growth during the fall. That’s a huge misconception that a lot of people have.
Now that we know that we want to winterize our lawn with the right product. Well, what is the right product? This is not when you want to use a fertilizer like an organic fertilizer or a Milorganite. They’re not the right products for the winter job. And the reason is simple.
Which Tools Should You Buy?
If you have a huge lawn (more than 1 acre), I strongly recommend using the spreader. With this tool, you can easily set up the fertilizer volume per mile and do manufacturing instructions correctly.
Moreover, for a huge yard, I can offer this winter food (link on Amazon) from Scotts and this winter fertilizer from Jonathan Green Sons (reviews are here).
One tip that I learned the hard way is to spend a minute checking your spreader and getting the settings adjusted right before putting the fertilizer in it. What will happen is if you don’t? Sometimes the gate at the bottom is going to be open. You’re going to spill it all over the ground. I learned the hard way, and now I have my technique down, and it works fine for me.
Winter Lawn Care Tips
Contrary to popular opinion, the end of summer is not the end of lawn care. In fact, fall is the single best time to seed and feed. Here are a few simple tips to help prep for winter and a lush spring lawn.
These are the materials you’ll need to get started.
- Lawn Mower
- Spreader
- Aerator
- Fall Fertilizer
- Sprinklers
- Grass Seeds
Tip #1. Keep cutting the grass before the first snow
Grass grows slower in the fall, but keep on cutting until your lawn essentially stops growing around October or early November.
Tip #2. Watering
Your lawn needs water to build up its root system for winter, so make sure it gets at least half an inch of water each week.
Tip #3. Fertilize the lawn
September and October are ideal months to apply a winter prep fertilizer to keep your lawn well fed for winter. This helps maintain root growth and gives your lawn nutrients it can store and tap into when needed.
Tip #4. Aerate your lawn
Cut a test plug and measure the thatch level. If it’s greater than half an inch, aerate your lawn to loosen soil compaction. This allows more water, light, and air to reach the soil and sets the stage for strong spring growth.
Tip #5. Overseeding
If your lawn has a thick layer of thatch, loosen it with a power de-thatcher and remove the debris promptly with a rake. Early fall is also a good time to seed a lawn that might be in need of some repair. As warm-season weeds begin to die off, more space opens up for new grass to sprout. New grass that can establish itself in the fall will come back more vigorous in the spring.
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