How to winterize your lawn in the fall

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.

Everything your lawn needs to survive the winter

Winter weather can be cruel to lawns. To make sure your lawn survives the coldest season, it’s best to start prepping in the fall to give it the best possible chance for thriving in the spring.

Before preparing your lawn for the winter, it’s essential to understand the unique characteristics of the soil in your yard. You’ll want to check the pH, alkaline and acidic levels in the soil .

You don’t have to be a soil scientist to do this. Fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture offers free help through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which partners with the Land-Grant University (LGU) system .

In this article: Roundup for Lawns , Spectracide Weed Stop and Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Lawn Food

The LGU system includes the 1862 public universities, the 1890 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the 1994 Tribal Colleges and Universities. These colleges and universities have department “extensions” with staffers who study issues about agriculture, food and the environment that impact local communities. Contact your local university or extension for information about soil and grass specific to your region.

Once you understand which nutrients your soil needs, you’ll want to weed, aerate, fertilize, water and seed in order to effectively winterize lawn areas.

Weed

Weeds are unwanted plants that compete with your grass for nutrients. Think of weeds as uninvited guests to the lawn party; these party crashers soak up too much food and water and starve your lawn, so removing weeds is essential to protecting it.

Top weed killer

Roundup for Lawns

What you need to know: This affordable and effective weed killer works immediately and is rainproof within three hours.

What you’ll love: The extended wand allows you to spot-treat your lawn.

What you should consider: Some customers reported that the battery-operated spritzer fails.

Top weed killer for the money

Ortho WeedClear Weed Killer for Lawns Concentrate

What you need to know: This potent chemical works on hundreds of different weeds, including the pervasive dandelion.

What you’ll love: Ortho’s WeedClear is tough on weeds and goes to work quickly.

What you should consider: It may not be as effective on clover or creeping Charlie.

Weed killer worth checking out

Spectracide Weed Stop

What you need to know: The Spectracide weed killer is a budget-friendly alternative to other brands.

What you’ll love: It kills grassy weeds, including dandelion, chickweed, clover, crabgrass and yellow nutsedge.

What you should consider: You may have to apply it a couple of times before you see results.

Fertilize

Fertilizer is food for your lawn, which needs the proper nutrients to survive in the winter. All fertilizers include three primary ingredients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

When you see fertilizers labeled winter, fall, or shade, keep in mind the most important part is the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Your soil test will let you know what combination of those you need.

Top winter fertilizer

Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Lawn Food

What you need to know: It delivers nutrients to the soil to build strong, deep roots for a nicer lawn in the spring.

What you’ll love: This fertilizer helps the lawn absorb water nutrients.

What you should consider: Sometimes when this fertilizer is stored, large clumps form in the bag.

Top winter fertilizer for the money

Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Fall Weed and Feed

What you need to know: This fall fertilizer doubles as a weed killer. It’s an affordable way to knock out two lawn winterizing chores at once.

What you’ll love: It kills common weeds while supplying nutrients to the lawn, strengthening it during the tough winter months.

What you should consider: It’s not recommended for St. Augustine grass, which is popular in Florida and other gulf states.

Winter lawn fertilizer worth checking out

Super Juice All-in-One Soluble Supplement Lawn Fertilizer

What you need to know: This is a water-soluble lawn fertilizer for winter that you can spray directly on grass. Super Juice can be used as your primary fertilizer or to supplement a granular mixture.

What you’ll love: Because it’s sprayed on, the lawn absorbs nutrients quickly. There’s also enough to cover an acre.

What you should consider: This product can’t be shipped to South Dakota or California.

Aerate

Aeration breaks up the soil, allowing your lawn to breathe and better absorb water.

Top lawn aerator

Agri-Fab 48-inch Tow Plug Aerator

What you need to know: A universal hitch allows you to attach this workhorse to any riding mower or lawn tractor to aerate tough soils, including clay.

What you’ll love: It comes with a three-year warranty. This is a well-built lawn aerator that will last for years.

What you should consider: It’s bulky to store and may be overkill for a modest-sized lawn.

Top lawn aerator for the money

Yard Butler Multi-Spike Lawn Aerator

What you need to know: This manual aerator requires more manpower, but its 3-inch spikes go deep into the ground, helping you loosen soil.

What you’ll love: It allows you to access tight spaces you might not be able to get to with a larger aerator.

What you should consider: It requires more sweat equity and takes longer to aerate.

Lawn aerator worth checking out

Agri-Fab Push Spike Aerator

What you need to know: If you’d rather not muscle your way through your lawn, this rolling option allows you to manually aerate your lawn in less time

What you’ll love: You can add a concrete block to drive spikes deeper into the lawn.

What you should consider: Some people might find this aerator difficult to maneuver.

Seed

Lawns take a beating during the summer. Heat, drought and outdoor activities can leave lawns with missing patches of grass, known as “bald spots.” The fall is a great time to seed lawns so that they can take root in the winter and produce a lush lawn in the spring.

Top winter grass seed mix

Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed Northeast Mix

What you need to know: This is a disease-resistant grass mix developed to survive harsh winters in the Northeast.

What you’ll love: These winter grass seeds produce dense growth patterns that help squeeze out crabgrass and dandelions.

What you should consider: It may need more watering than other seed mixtures.

Top winter grass seed mix for the money

Jonathan Green Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed Mix

What you need to know: This seed mixture contains a variety of grasses and produces a lush green lawn.

What you’ll love: It grows well in clay and sandy soils.

What you should consider: It sometimes grows unevenly due to some seeds failing to germinate fully.

Top winter grass seed mix worth checking out

Scotts PatchMaster Lawn Repair Mix Sun and Shade Mix

What you need to know: This is a great quick-fix solution to patch up bald spots in your lawn.

What you’ll love: Premixed with mulch, fertilizer and seeds, this mixture is ideal for smaller lawns that don’t experience a prolonged deep freeze.

What you should consider: This mixture is for patching only. It’s not designed to be spread over the entire lawn.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRIC ABC 8News.