Before the ground freezes and the snow falls you need to consider winterizing the lawn. The better you prepare your lawn for the onslaught of winter weather the healthier it will be when the spring rolls around. Consider taking the following lawn maintenance winterizing tips if you haven't already.
Mowing:
The last lawn mowing should be after the first heavy frost. The grass will not grow to any significant height after a heavy frost. But do not cut the grass too short. If you cut it too short before the winter season you can run the risk of killing the lawn from frost damage over the winter. However, you don't want to leave the lawn too tall either. Grass left too tall will eventually grow diseased in most cases. Before the last cutting move the setting on your mower up about a half inch higher than what you normally cut the lawn.
Raking:
It's important that you get rid of the fallen leaves before snowfalls. Leaves buried under snow will decompose and may damage your lawn. When the snow finally melts in the spring the water and decomposing leaves will leave behind a mess that will certainly damage your lawn. If you do not have the time to rake the lawn a standard lawn mower with a bagger attachment is great for removing the leaves.
Over seed:
Reseed the lawn with a light seeding of lawn grass seed. Over seeding will fill in the base spots. It will germinate in early spring giving you a more lush looking lawn.
Winter lawn fertilizer:
Fertilize the lawn with a winterizing fertilizer. This will provide the early spring nutrients for a fresh green lawn in early spring.
Walking on Snow Covered Lawns:
When the snow builds up on your lawn don't walk through the grass. This will prevent compacting the snow against the lawn. Compacting the snow will choke your lawn and may kill the grass beneath the packed snow.
Winterizing your lawn will save you a lot of time and money when spring rolls around by protecting and preserving the grass.