You might be enjoying the beautiful fall weather, but winter is right around the corner. While you certainly want to get outside and enjoy as much of the fall season that Springfield and Burke have to offer, don’t forget about taking care of your lawn before it starts to get super cold.

There are certain things you can do during the fall season to ensure your lawn is ready to go through the winter season. Let’s look at some of the pre-winter lawncare things you should do now before it’s too late.

Top 9 Options for Taking Care of Your Lawn Before the Winter Season

1. Store Patio Furniture

The winter season can be harsh on your patio furniture. If you have a shed, basement or room in the garage, don’t forget to put your furniture in storage before winter arrives.

For those without a storage option, covering the furniture with a heavy-duty tarp and making sure it’s secured will help protect your patio furniture. This is important and you might want to wait until the very last minute, but make sure you protect your patio furniture before winter arrives.

2. Fix your Hardscape Features

If you have hardscapes in need of repair, now is the time to take care of them. Cracked steps, driveway cracks, and walkway cracks can get worse during cold weather. This damage could become a bigger issue and even a safety concern.

Take the time now to fix any of these issues, along with any splintering on your deck. Treating and sealing your deck now ensures it will set in before the winter arrives, as well. It’s important to do this as part of taking care of your lawn before the winter.

3. Mulch Your Leaves

If you let the leaves pile up and you don’t get them off your grass, they could suffocate the grass and it could end up dead. You can rake the leaves or add them to the compost, but you also have the option to use a mulching mower.

Another option, for those with roses or other perennials, is to use the leaves as insulation. Just add a layer of leaves around the bases of the plants to help insulate them during the winter. This is a another important part of taking care of your lawn.

4. Trim Your Trees and Bushes

Your pre-winter lawncare list should include trimming trees and bushes. You want to inspect all the trees and shrubs for dead limbs and remove them before the winter arrives. It’s also a good idea to trim away branches that could fall on your home or on powerlines.

If a snowstorm or an ice storm hits, you don’t want a branch snapping and landing on your home due to the weight. This can also be an issue if a thunderstorm rolls through in the fall or spring, so make sure you keep your tree branches trimmed.

5. Prepare Your Grass for Winter

The best thing you can do for your grass is aerate and reseed during this time of the year. If you take care of your lawn during the fall, it will become lush and beautiful during the spring.

Now is also the time for winter fertilizer, which will help with taking care of your lawn.

6. Check and Tighten Railings

You might not reach for the railings on your walkways much during the summer. However, if the walkway becomes slippery, you’ll likely need those railings more.

Now is the time to check the railings and tighten them, if necessary. You can also check other outdoor fixtures to ensure they are tightened. This might not be directly related to taking care of your lawn, but it’s still important.

7. Add Screens to Plans

If you have any young trees or perennials, you can put chicken wire around them to keep critters out during the winter. Tree guards can help keep your younger trees and shrubs safe, as well.

8. Bring in Hanging Plants

If you have any hanging plants that won’t survive the frost, now is the time to bring them into your home. You might wait until the first frost, but this can become an issue if you get surprised by the first frost.

It’s also a good idea to consider covering any outdoor plants needing protection from the frost.

9. Drain and Store Garden Hoses

Unless you enjoy buying new garden hoses each year, drain them and store them before the winter comes. If water is left in the hoses, it can freeze and expand.

If you want to enjoy a beautiful lawn in the spring season, now is the time for taking care of your lawn correctly. Use this list to help prepare your lawn and other outdoor areas of your home before the winter comes.