Snow on the ground. Temperatures hovering around freezing. And your Albuquerque lawn sitting there waiting for spring to come. Winterizing your yard may seem like a chore but it doesn’t have to be complicated– especially if you know how grass works. Spending just a little time and effort now can help your lawn come back thicker, greener and healthier this spring. And the good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money either. Read on to learn what you need to know and the easy steps you can take to get started today.

Know Your Grass Type

Understanding what type of grass you have in your lawn is an important first step to an effective winterizing plan. In Albuquerque, most lawns are a blend of **cool-season** and warm-season turf that each require a different strategy going into the winter months.

Cool-Season Turf

Cool-season grasses–think perennial ryegrass, fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass–love fall weather. As for fertilizing, that means fall is the perfect time to feed cool-season lawns.

Local experts advise using a winterizer fertilizer in October or November. The special blend of nutrients in this formula helps to thicken up your grass and strengthen the root system in preparation for the coming winter. Make sure to contact a local lawn care professional to find out the best time to fertilize for your specific climate.

Why Fall Fertilization Works

Fall is one of the most powerful growth periods for cool-season grass, even though it doesn’t always look that way above ground. As the days shorten and temperatures cool, your turf starts using that energy to focus more on root development than leaf growth.

This emphasis on root development and energy storage is exactly why your lawn comes back so lush and thick in the spring. By fertilizing in fall, you are giving your grass’s roots exactly what they need to get stronger and bigger over winter. This translates into spring growth that is fuller, greener, and healthier than ever. Plus, fertilizing in fall can also crowd out spring weeds by giving your turf an early advantage.

Warm-Season Grass Needs a Different Approach

Warm-season grasses like Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine and centipede all have different growth cycles. In the colder months, these grasses usually go dormant, particularly in areas like Albuquerque where early winter freezes and frosts are common.

For this reason, you should never fertilize a warm-season lawn after September 1st. Applying fertilizer too late in the season will cause your grass to sprout new growth that won’t be hardy enough to survive a freeze. The results can harm or even kill parts of your lawn, which can also hurt the roots in the long-term.

However, late fall is still a great time to get your warm-season grass ready for winter. Clean up leaves and other debris, make sure to mow at the correct height, and get your lawn in the best shape possible before the real cold weather hits.

Set Your Lawn Up for Spring Success

Cool-season or warm-season, taking a few simple steps in fall can help your lawn get off to a great start in spring. By knowing what kind of grass you have and giving it what it needs to prepare before winter hits, you can enjoy thicker, greener, and healthier turf when the warmth returns. With a little effort, winterizing your Albuquerque lawn can be a quick and rewarding part of your annual routine that pays off when warm weather rolls around again.