Winterizing Checklist, Part 1: How to Winterize Your Yard

Winterizing a yard means preparing your lawn, garden, and outdoor plumbing for freezing temperatures so they come back healthy in spring. A few hours of work in October and early November protects your plants, prevents burst pipes, and saves you costly repairs.

This checklist walks through each step in order, from garden beds to your lawn mower. Your timing depends on your region, so plan to finish before your area's first hard freeze.

What to Do With Garden Beds and Shrubs in Late Fall

Clean out problem plants, feed the soil, and insulate roots once the ground freezes. Here's a step-by-step guide to winterizing outdoor plants and shrubs:

1. Pull diseased or pest-damaged plants. Bag them instead of composting so problems don't overwinter.

2. Leave healthy perennials standing. Seed heads and hollow stems feed birds and shelter pollinators.

3. Plant spring bulbs and garlic. Get them in before the ground freezes.

4. Top-dress beds. Spread compost or shredded leaves to enrich the soil over winter.

5. Water trees and shrubs deeply. Keep watering until the ground freezes, especially evergreens, which lose moisture all winter.

6. Mulch after the first hard freeze. Add 2–3 inches around perennials and shrubs to keep soil temperatures steady.

7. Shield vulnerable plants. Wrap exposed evergreens in burlap and add guards to young tree trunks to deter rabbits and rodents.

Hold off on pruning most shrubs until late winter. Spring bloomers like lilac and forsythia have already set next year's buds.

What Should You Put on Your Lawn Before Winter?

For cool-season lawns like Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and ryegrass, the most important feeding of the year is a late-fall nitrogen application. Ohio State University research found lawns fed in fall green up two to six weeks earlier the next spring, without the excess top growth that spring feeding causes.

Lawn winterizer application schedule

The key is timing the late feeding after the grass slows down but before it loses its green color. A dormant, brown lawn can't use the nitrogen. If an unusually warm stretch is forecast, wait until it passes. Your local extension office can confirm the best window for your area.

Best fertilizer for late-fall lawn prep

Despite the name, the nutrient that matters most in a winterizer is nitrogen. Choose a quick-release source like urea or ammonium sulfate, because slow-release and organic fertilizers depend on soil microbes that slow down in the cold. Apply about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, and get a soil test to see whether you need potassium or phosphorus.

Keep mowing until the grass stops growing, and don't let fallen leaves sit on the lawn. Rake them up or mulch them with your mower so they don't smother the grass.

How to Winterize Your Yard Sprinkler System

Water left in irrigation lines expands as it freezes and can crack pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads. Drain the system before your first hard freeze. Manual and automatic drain valves rely on gravity and can leave water in low spots, so Colorado State University Extension recommends blowing lines out with compressed air.

1. Shut off the water. Close the main valve that feeds the irrigation system.

2. Set the controller. Switch it to "off" or "rain" mode so it won't try to run zones.

3. Connect the compressor. Attach it to the blowout fitting downstream of the backflow preventer. Never blow air through the backflow device itself, because the heat can melt its seals.

4. Set the pressure. Stay at or below 80 psi for rigid PVC pipe and 50 psi for flexible polyethylene pipe.

5. Blow out one zone at a time. Run two short cycles per zone until only mist comes out, then move on. Don't keep blowing air through a dry zone, because friction heats the pipe.

6. Drain the backflow preventer. Open the test cocks and leave the ball valves half open for winter.

7. Insulate exposed parts. Cover the backflow preventer and any above-ground pipe.

Wear eye protection and stand clear of sprinkler heads during the blowout. If you don't have a large enough compressor or can't find your shutoff, hire an irrigation pro.

How to Drain Outdoor Water Lines Before Freezing

Outdoor spigots and the pipes behind them are some of the most common sources of winter water damage. Drain them before your first freeze:

1. Disconnect every hose. A connected hose traps water in the spigot, even on frost-free models. Drain hoses and store them in the garage.

2. Close the indoor shutoff. Find the valve that feeds each outdoor faucet, usually in the basement or crawlspace, and turn it off.

3. Open the outdoor spigot. Let the line drain completely, and leave it open for the winter.

4. Open the bleeder cap. If the indoor shutoff has a small cap on the side, open it to release the last of the water.

5. Empty everything else. Drain rain barrels, fountains, birdbaths, and outdoor kitchen lines.

Best products for winterizing outdoor plumbing

How to Winterize Your Lawn Mower

Once you've made your last cut, a little maintenance means your mower starts on the first try in spring.

1. Handle the fuel. Old gas gums up carburetors. Either add fuel stabilizer and run the engine for a few minutes, or run the tank dry. Check your owner's manual for the method it recommends.

2. Disconnect the spark plug wire. Do this before you touch the blade or deck.

3. Clean the deck. Scrape off caked-on grass to prevent rust. Tip the mower with the air filter side up so oil and fuel don't leak.

4. Change the oil. Warm oil drains faster, so do this right after a run.

5. Sharpen the blade. A sharp blade cuts cleanly and keeps grass healthier next season.

6. Check the filter and plug. Replace a dirty air filter and a worn spark plug.

7. Store it dry. Keep it in a garage or shed, out of the weather.

For battery-powered mowers, remove the battery and store it indoors at the charge level your manufacturer recommends.

Your Yard Winterizing Checklist

• Pull diseased plants and plant spring bulbs
• Top-dress garden beds with compost or shredded leaves
• Water trees and shrubs deeply until the ground freezes
• Apply late-fall lawn fertilizer while the grass is still green
• Rake or mulch-mow fallen leaves
• Blow out and drain the sprinkler system
• Insulate the backflow preventer
• Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor spigots
• Add faucet covers and pipe insulation
• Winterize and store the lawn mower
• Clear leaves and debris from your fence line
• Mulch beds after the first hard freeze