Prepare for Minnesota Winter With These Lawn Care Tips
After a long year of lawn care, mid-fall — October into early November — marks the end for vibrant green grass. But just because your lawn is entering dormancy doesn’t mean you should. There are still several mid- to late-season steps to take that will help ensure a healthy bloom next spring. Prepare your Minnesota lawn for winter by following the steps outlined below.
7 Lawn Care Steps To Follow Before Winter Strikes
1. You May Still Have Time to Fertilize
Having the right ratio of macronutrients feeding your yard is the key to unlocking the full potential of fertilizer. But beware of over-fertilizing, especially as fall fades into winter. You don’t want to accidentally burn patches of your lawn, so it’s recommended you work with lawn winterization experts who specialize in planning, testing, applying, monitoring and adjusting their fertilizer services.
2. Unlock a Beautiful Lawn With Core Aeration
One of the top tips we have to winterize any lawn in Minnesota is core aeration, the most natural and effective way to aerate your lawn. This service removes plugs of soil, giving roots the space they need to thrive. This will help make your yard less patchy and you won’t have all the brown spots.
We recommend aerating your lawn annually and there’s no better time to do it than in the fall.
3. Overseeding With the Right Grass Seed
While it’s often a good idea to spread new grass seed in the fall, it’s equally important to use the right kind of seed to get the best results. Not all grass seed is equipped to withstand the blistering winter conditions that are common throughout the Upper Midwest.
For example, Kentucky bluegrass is popular for withstanding extreme temperatures whereas Bermuda is considered a warm-climate grass that is more appropriate for southern climates and spreading throughout the spring months. For best results, cold-climate grass seed should be spread at least six weeks prior to the first frost of the season, as the new seed will go dormant when your ground soil dips below 40℉.
4. Mulching and Compacting the Leaves
When the time comes to dispose of that fresh coating of leaves in your yard, you might automatically reach for a rake, but you don’t have to. Mulching is a great alternative to raking because it takes less effort and provides nourishment for your lawn. When you mulch leaves, the leftover pieces naturally decompose during the winter, feeding the soil with nutrients. What’s more, insects and earthworms feed on the leaf matter, providing additional soil aeration before the ground freezes solid.
There are also indirect environmental benefits to leaf mulching that aren’t immediately obvious. Collecting leaves with a rake or leaf blower requires resources that can take a toll on the environment. Once homeowners bag their leaves, transporting them for disposal is costly and requires fossil fuels. Additionally, mulched leaves take up a tenth of the volume of full leaves — piles of larger leaves can lead to drain clogging and flooding. Do yourself, and the environment, a favor by setting your lawnmower to its mulch setting for the rest of fall.
5. Putting Your Irrigation System to Bed
Now is the time to prepare your pipes and sprinklers for subzero temperatures. Start to winterize your sprinkler system by cutting off the water supply. Once you’ve stopped the flow of water, insulate the main shut off valve with foam insulation tape and a plastic bag. You should also insulate any above-ground pipes with foam insulating tubes (these are easy to find in most home improvement stores). If your sprinkler system is automatic, look for a “rain mode” on the controller and choose this setting. This will prevent any signals from reaching your irrigation valves. If you can’t find this setting, simply turn the controller off.
Because ice expands, it’s essential to drain your pipes before freezing water inside rips them apart. It takes an automatic drain valve, manual drain valve or compressed air blow out to clear the pipes. As all of these methods are complicated and potentially dangerous and therefore best left to professionals.
6. Take the Pressure Off Your Lawn
Children’s toys and fallen branches that find their way onto the lawn during the warmer months can take a toll on the grass when temperatures plummet. Over time, their weight presses down on the soil, compacting it and making it more difficult for grass to grow in the spring. It only takes one snowfall to blanket the yard and hide these objects, so take the time to remove them before they vanish in a sea of white.
Besides the clutter that ends up in the yard, be mindful of your own footsteps on the lawn in late fall. Foot traffic leads to the same compaction as any other type of weight, which means you might even spot your tracks next spring as small patches of brown. To avoid the temptation of taking a shortcut through the yard, shovel your sidewalks after any significant snowfall.
7. Winterize and Stow Your Mower for Winter
Untreated gasoline left in a gas-powered mower’s tank will thicken into varnish. Even worse, the ethanol in gasoline can cause the rubber and plastic parts of a mower to break. Adding a fuel stabilizer to the tank can help reduce these negative effects. Be sure to carefully read the product’s directions before pouring. Add the stabilizer and run the mower for a few minutes so it can run through the carburetor. Completely fill the tank with gasoline to avoid rusting. As an alternative to stabilizer, simply run your mower until the tank is empty.
After you’ve addressed the leftover gas in your tank, clean and store your mower in a dry and safe place for the winter. Garages and sheds usually provide enough protection. Be sure not to leave the mower next to a furnace, water heater or any other fire hazard.
Get Ready for Next Year
If you want to get the most out of your lawn this year, take action today. The tips above are a great start, but to make your job easier, enlist our experts to take control of your lawn care. Reach out today to get year-round support for a lawn that will make your neighbors jealous.