How to prepare a lawn for winter
Winter preparation means clearing smothering leaves, finishing mowing at the right height and protecting equipment from freezing. Fertilizer and irrigation shutdown depend on your grass, climate and system.
What you need
Mower, rake, hose-storage space and equipment manuals. A system that needs an air blow-out needs an irrigation contractor rather than a workshop compressor.
Step by step
- Decide whether any feeding is due. Check previous nitrogen applications and local seasonal limits. Cool-season feeding windows differ by region; northern guidance may end well before November. Warm-season grass generally should not receive late nitrogen as dormancy approaches. Add potassium only where recommended, not simply because it is autumn.
- Keep mowing while grass grows. Stay in the species’ suitable height range and remove no more than one-third per cut. Do not scalp the lawn for winter or let long grass and leaves mat together.
- Clear thick leaf cover. Mulch manageable leaves or collect excess. Leave visible grass rather than a wet blanket over it.
- Drain portable watering equipment. Disconnect hoses from taps, empty hoses and sprinklers, and store them as directed. Protect exposed fittings according to the installation’s frost-protection instructions.
- Shut down in-ground irrigation correctly. Turn off its water supply and set the controller to the manufacturer’s winter/off mode. Use the drainage procedure designed for that installation. Manual drains, pumps and backflow devices have specific instructions; a country name does not determine whether they can freeze. The irrigation winterization guide covers the full shutdown sequence.
- Hand a required blow-out to a qualified contractor. Compressed-air winterization must match airflow and pressure to the lowest-rated component, use the correct connection, and never send air through a backflow device or pump. Upper pipe limits — 50 psi (3.4 bar) for polyethylene and 80 psi (5.5 bar) for PVC — are maximums a contractor works below, not target settings. Unless you have the equipment-specific training and the installation’s own written procedure, book an irrigation professional. See the irrigation winterization guide.
- Finish device-specific drainage and storage. Drain/protect the backflow assembly and pump according to their instructions; do not guess valve positions. Prepare the mower’s fuel and battery for storage as its manual specifies.
After the job
Record the shutdown date and any leaking or damaged parts to fix before spring. Check exposed fittings remain protected during cold spells.
Avoid walking or driving on frost-covered or saturated turf. Keep de-icing salt and piled contaminated snow off grass where possible.
In spring, clear matted debris gently and assess recovery before treating patches. For irrigation restart, follow the system’s opening and backflow-testing requirements.
The late-fall feeding decision
A green lawn and unfrozen ground do not alone prove that fertilizer will be used efficiently. Cold limits nitrogen uptake, and local guidance may advise finishing earlier. Check the feeding calendar alongside your local extension recommendations and application restrictions. Skip a missed window rather than applying to frozen, saturated or dormant ground.
The video below covers irrigation blowout only. It does not determine your lawn’s fertilizer needs or replace the shutdown instructions for your installation, which the irrigation winterization guide sets out.
Video example
Common questions
Does every irrigation system need a blowout?
No. Use the winter-drainage method designed for the installation and its freezing exposure. Where blowout is required, use the correct equipment and procedure or hire an irrigation contractor.
What pressure should I use?
Use the pressure specified for the installation without exceeding its lowest component limit. Upper pipe limits are 50 psi for polyethylene and 80 psi for PVC; lower manufacturer limits take priority. These are maximums, not recommended operating targets.
Keep your lawn-care plan together
Use Lawn Care AI to organise care for your lawn and keep track of the jobs you have planned.
Sources and further guidance
- Purdue University Turfgrass Science — Late fall fertilization
- Purdue University Turfgrass Science — Winterizer fertilizers?
- University of Wisconsin Horticulture — Fall lawn care and winter prep
- Colorado State University Extension — Preparing your sprinkler system for winter
- Clemson Home & Garden Information Center — Bermudagrass maintenance calendar
- Royal Horticultural Society — Lawn care in autumn
- Hunter — Irrigation winterization and pressure limits
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture — Turf fertilizer best practices