Winter-Proof Your Lawn

Prepare your lawn for the snowy months ahead.

More on:

• Landscaping
• Lawn Care

Want a lush lawn come spring? Give it some TLC before the first frost.

Clean it up. The first of its kind, the Ames True Temper's Clog Free Rake uses a wave design to prevent leaves from sticking to the tines -- and you from constantly bending to remove them ($9.99).

Hate raking? Use a mower with a bag attachment to catch leaves, says Paul James, host of HGTV's "Gardening by the Yard." If there's just a sprinkling, use a mulching mower to shred leaves right on the lawn.

Give it some air. "Aerating increases air and water penetration, helping grass develop healthy roots for winter," says Lance Walheim, author of Lawn Care for Dummies. Gas-powered core aerators easily pull plugs from soil; they rent for about $35 an afternoon. Then overseed thin spots and lightly cover with sterile compost.

Feed it well. "If you only fertilize once, do it 6 weeks before the first frost," advises James. Turf grasses will use the nutrients over the winter.

From Reader's Digest - October 2004

 

• Common Lawn Problems
• Fix any lawn problem with our helpful hints.
• 
• Helpful Lawn Accessories
• Besides the lawn mower, these tools will help keep your lawn looking beautiful.
• 
• Lawn-Care Basics
• Caring for your lawn doesn't have to be difficult! Follow these basic rules for a beautiful lawn.
• 
• Choosing Grass
• Choose the best grass for your lawn.
• 
• Winterize Your Garden
• Use our checklist to help prep your plantings for the sleepy season.
• 

While on leave, my Marine buddy and I met two nursing students from Southern California. After chatting them up awhile, the conversation turned to what we did in the service. When we told them we were in the infantry, the girls seemed very impressed, giving us big smiles as they told us how sweet that was. Since infantry and sweet are seldom used in the same sentence, I was a little confused. Until, that is, one of the girls said, "We admire any man who works with infants."

-- Taeven Thompson

“ Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. ”

— Bertolt Brecht

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