To take care of your grass for the winter months, fertilize in the fall. This is the ideal time to nourish your lawn. The cooler temperatures stimulate root growth, helping your grass roots establish a strong foundation for the following spring green up. Fall fertilization also helps your lawn recover from the stresses of summer and build resistance to winter diseases like snow mold. Be sure not to fertilize during the winter though. Since grass growth slows down significantly or stops altogether during winter, applying fertilizer is generally not recommended to homeowners. The nutrients won’t be absorbed effectively, and there’s a risk of nutrient runoff, harming water quality.

Warm season grasses

There is a bit of nuance in how you take care of warm-season grasses versus cool season grasses. Warm-season grasses, like Bermuda grass, largely go dormant in the winter. That means they do not require as much care as cool season grasses during the winter months but at the same time proper preparation is key. Apply your last fertilizer of the season in late summer or early fall. This provides the necessary nutrients for root development and helps the grass build its reserves for winter. Choose a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content and a higher potassium level. Potassium strengthens the grass’s cell walls, improving its ability to withstand winter stress.

You will also want to adjust your mow height. As the growing season winds down, gradually increase your mower’s cutting height. Taller grass blades offer better insulation for the crown and roots, protecting them from extreme temperature fluctuations. Mow your lawn for the last time once it stops growing actively. This usually occurs after the first frost.