As winter approaches, we’ve started to see every winterizing mistake in the book—from under-watering grass to letting dead leaves become lawn blankets. If you want to maintain a nice-looking lawn throughout winter and avoid more work in the spring, try to avoid making one of these top 5 winterization mistakes.
1. Don’t cut back on mowing
Your lawn may be looking a bit colorless right about now, but, make no mistake, it still needs mowing. As a rule of thumb and in preparation for winter, “Don’t stop mowing until your grass stops growing.” A mowed lawn is almost always a healthier lawn.
2. Don’t assume cold weather scares pests away
Fact: winter doesn’t necessarily kill bugs. Whatever pest problems you were having during the summer will come back to haunt you come springtime if you don’t deal with the root issue now. As you prepare your lawn for winter, avoid mistakes by talking to your lawn care expert about whether it would benefit from a systemic insecticide.
3. Don’t stop watering
Don’t stop watering just because the air is cooler. In fact, some experts say (if fall isn’t particularly cold or wet in your area) you should continue to water throughout winter as well! Keep a close eye on your lawn and plants to make sure they’re staying sufficiently hydrated.
4. Don’t get lazy with leaves
Leaves everywhere? Letting them cover your lawn, get wet and rot won’t do your lawn any favors. Be sure to keep your lawn well-raked and bag leaves up so that your lawn can get the air and water it needs before winter arrives.
5. Don’t give up on your garden
Winter makes everything gray, but that doesn’t mean your garden has to be gray too! There are plenty of colorful flowers that bloom during winter that you could plant in addition to your preparations for colder weather.