Help your lawn survive the long winter months by taking the time to give it a boost. Cool season grasses need a fall feeding to get ready for the next spring. Below are a few tips on how to winterize your lawn.

Fertilizing:
Cool season grasses such as ryegrass, fescue, and bluegrass should be fertilized in September or October. Specially formulated winterizing fertilizers are higher in potassium than regular lawn food. Potassium is the nutrient that makes grasses more winter hardy. Winterizers should be applied as the last fertilizer application of the growing season.

Controlling Diseases and Weeds:
To help prevent lawn diseases during the fall and winter, be sure to remove leaves from your yard. Leaves left on the lawn encourage disease by preventing sunlight and air from reaching the grass. Either rake the leaves and add them to a compost pile, or go over them with a mulching mower, chopping them into a fine compost for your grass.

For weed control during the winter months, apply a pre-emergence weed killer. Some products feature a combination fertilizer and weed killer, called weed and feed.

Mowing and Watering:
Before putting the warm-season lawn to bed for the winter, lower the mower to an inch below normal setting and use a grass catcher attachment. This will pick up any weed seeds in the lawn and the closer cut will allow for better air circulation.

There is no need to water your warm season lawn during the winter because most grasses go into dormancy.

Composting:
Get started on a home compost program. Save lawn waste (which includes grass clippings, shredded leaves and chopped brush) for the compost bin. Compost provides vital nutrients to help plants grow and look better.

A Bit of Pre-Winter Green:
With the first freeze, a warm season lawn begins to change from green to brown. This period of dormancy is part of the natural life cycle of turfgrass. If you find an amber field undesirable, there is a choice. Fall is a great time to overseed your dormant lawn to maintain a green appearance.

Overseed with annual or perennial ryegrass or blends of cool season grasses. Time the overseeding two to four weeks before the first killing frost. Annual ryegrass is often chosen because of its quick rate of germination. Perennial ryegrass is more tolerant of cold, disease, and drought.

Cover Those Bare Spots:
There may be locations in your yard that are too shady or moist to grow healthy grass. Fall is a great time to plant perennial ground covers such as mondo grass, liriope, ivy, and junipers to fill the void. They will cover the area year-round and reduce the amount of grass you must maintain.