Originally published October 2018. Updated October 2021.

You’ve no doubt noticed the cooler nights lately. With the colder months just around the corner, it’s time to think about what we need to do to make sure our lawn is properly cared for. Although Bermuda grass and certain types of Fescue will not grow too much in our climate zone, that doesn’t mean they don’t need some TLC before and during the harsh winter months that we’ve become so accustomed to in Georgia. We, at Perfectly Green LawnCare, have come up with a few fantastic tips to keep your grass healthy and coming back rich and green in the spring.

Gradually Shorter Mowing to Not Shock Your Grass

Towards the end of the last month of summer or the beginning of autumn, each time you cut your grass it should be a little bit shorter than the last. This will allow your yard to take on the colder temperatures and harder soil without shocking it by cutting down all at once.

Prepare Your Lawn for Winter in the Fall

Fall is the ultimate time to fertilize, aerate and over-seed tall-type fescue lawns. This way if your seeds are sown before the first freeze, your lawn will become a heartier, more durable grass that will stand up to the test of extreme temperatures. Also, fertilizing now will replace the nutrients lost from your soil during the tough summer months and the fertilizer will feed your lawn’s roots through the coming winter.

Keep Your Yard Clean

One of the simplest steps you can take is keeping your yard clutter-free. It’s easy to overlook a tricycle or pile of logs when you’re not mowing your lawn as much. But just a simple cleanup of your lawn can keep your grass looking healthy when it starts growing again in spring. Even something as small as a kid’s water gun, can leave that spot of grass brown and weak come springtime.

Try to Keep Off of Your Lawn

When the Bermuda has turned brown it’s easy to think it’s alright to walk on it without damaging your grass. This is simply not true. Your lawn, like any other ground cover, doesn’t need to be a high-traffic area in the winter. A worn-out trail will appear when the warmer months come, with later green-up than the rest of your lawn if you or your family are continually walking on the brown grass.