The Last Mow: Preparing Your Lawn for Winter

preparing lawn for winter

Fall and winter are on their way, which means it’s time to think about last minute lawn care tasks that will help the grass come back to life in the spring. These tips will help you prepare your lawn for the winter from fall lawn care tasks to the final mow of the season.

Things to Do Before the Last Mow

To get the best lawn next spring, there are several tasks that should be completed before the grass goes into hibernation:

Aerating and dethatching – Dethatching removes the layer of grass stems and tough plant material that gathers on the surface of the soil while aerating loosens the top soil. Together, these increase the grass’ access to water and oxygen.

Fertilizing -While high nitrogen content mixes are usually recommended, your lawn will do a lot better if you match the fertilizer’s nutrient mix to the results of a soil test.

Overseeding – Planting seeds now can help fill in bald spots and increase the thickness across the lawn, while planting cool weather grasses can keep your lawn green longer.

Leaf control – Leaves should be mulched into the soil when possible. Excess leaves should be raked up and removed, by adding them to a mulch pile or sending them to a yard waste facility. Leaving them in place can create a mat of wet organic material that will increase the chance of snow mold and choke the grass when it comes out of dormancy in the spring.

When Should I Stop Mowing?

The final mow can come at any time between early October and early December depending on your local climate, weather and the type of grass on your lawn. Warm season grasses will go into dormancy early into the fall, while cool season grasses will keep growing into early winter. Growth rates should slow down as soon as leaves start falling off of the trees. If there is an early frost, it should halt the growth of warm season grasses, but some cool season grasses may bounce back. Freezing aside, expect to mow your lawn for the last time once temperatures are consistently below 40°F (4-5°C.)

What Height should the Grass Be After I Mow?

The final cut should leave the grass at a height of two inches, regardless of variety. This provides enough ground coverage to resist freezing without trapping moisture that can encourage mold growth. Long grass can also bend, reducing light contact. This slows down photosynthesis, which can keep the grass from building up the sugar stores it needs to last through the winter.

As always, only one-third of the grass should be cut at a time. If you have a normally tall-cut grass like Kentucky Bluegrass that will take more than one cut to get to that height, wait at least a week between each mow. This shouldn’t be a challenge since growth rates at the end of the season should slow to a point that mowing is only needed every two to four weeks.

What Should I Do After the Last Mow?

Get your mower ready for storage: Instructions for storing your mower can be found in the owner’s manual, and we have guides for storing many of Honda’s mowers on this blog. It’s also a good time to address issues like worn blades and sticky cables so your mower will be ready to go in the spring.

Shut off the sprinklers and drain the water lines so they won’t burst in freezing temperatures.

Cover perennials in mulch after the first hard freeze, taking care not to cover the crown. The freeze will put the plant into hibernation, while the added dirt will shield it from winter weather.

Get Your Mower Ready for Winter

When you’re ready to put your mower in storage for the season, visit www.hondalawnparts.com. We have everything you need for your Honda mower and Honda-powered equipment from maintenance items to major components. Our site has original factory diagrams and descriptions built in, making it easy to identify what you need, and we can ship your order to any location in the U.S. or Canada.

Storing Your Honda Tiller

Storing Your Honda Tiller

After tilling your garden this fall to turn over sod and mix in organic matter, it will be time to put your Honda tiller into storage. Taking steps to protect your equipment now will make it easier to get it up and running in the spring.

Inspection

Addressing issues now will mean your tiller will be ready to work when it’s time to break ground in the spring. Give your machine a look over and answer these questions:

Are the tines straight? Do they show severe wear or signs of cracking?
If the tiller has a belt drive, is the belt still tight? Is it starting to crack?
Is the spark plug, fuel hose, and air filter still in good condition?

Cleaning

Let the engine cool for at least a half hour before cleaning: rapid cooling caused by water making contact with hot engine parts can cause warping.

A garden hose or pressure washer can be used, but the water should not be aimed at the controls, cables, air filter, belts or muffler. A rag or stiff brush can be used to remove dirt trapped near these sensitive areas.

Once clean, wipe any remaining moisture off of the tiller. To get rid of the last bit of water, start the engine and let it run until it reaches normal operating temperature. If the mower has a clutch, operate the clutch lever several times to remove any water clinging to the pulleys and belts.

Fuel

Even stabilized fuel should not be kept in your tiller’s engine for longer than three months. Before putting it into long term storage, the fuel system should be drained completely.

Start by disconnecting the spark plug. If there is an engine switch, make sure it’s set to “off.”

On models with a Mini 4-Stroke engine, open the gas cap and tip the tiller so that the gas pours out into a container. Once the tank is empty, squeeze the priming bulb to remove any remaining gas in the carburetor.

On models with larger engines, place a fuel container underneath the carburetor and unscrew the gas cap. Open the fuel valve and unscrew the fuel drain bolt or knob at the bottom of the carburetor. Newer models like the FC 600 also have a sediment cup to the right of the drain knob: once the fuel has drained, unscrew this cup, clean out any fuel and debris, and reinstall the cup, fitting a new O-ring to ensure a tight seal. Screw the bolt or knob back into the carburetor once the tank and carburetor are empty.

Oil

If your tiller has a separate transmission, the fluid inside does not need attention before you put your equipment in storage aside from checking the level. On all models, the engine oil should be changed, and the cylinder should be lubricated to prevent rust.

To lubricate the cylinder, first, remove the spark plug.

For Mini 4 Stroke engines, pour a quarter teaspoon of clean engine oil into the spark plug hole. For other engines, add one teaspoon of oil.

Pull the starter handle several times to circulate the oil inside the cylinder, then reinstall the spark plug.

Pull the starter handle gently until resistance is felt. This positions the valve train so that both the intake and exhaust valves are closed, sealing the combustion chamber.

When the tiller is put back into service, it’s normal for the motor to smoke for a few seconds as the oil in the cylinder is burnt off.

Rust Prevention

To keep rust from forming during storage, chipped and damaged paint should be covered in a touch-up paint, while bare metal surfaces should get a light coat of oil or silicone lubricant.

Storing

Even with the fuel tank and carburetor drained, there may still be enough fuel inside of your tiller to release flammable vapors. Keep the tiller in an area that doesn’t have an open flame or sparks nearby. This includes avoiding power tools, heaters, clothes dryers and water heaters.

To prevent rust, the tiller should be stored in an area with low humidity. Placing a tarp over the tiller can trap moisture, accelerating rust formation.

If you fold the handle to make the tiller more compact, make sure the cables aren’t kinked or wedged between the upper and lower handle.

Getting Parts for Your Honda Tiller

From small maintenance parts like O-rings and spark plugs up to major components including tines and engine covers, if it’s Honda, you can find it at Hondalawnparts.com. We’re a certified Honda Small Engine and Power Equipment dealer, and our massive parts stock lets us ship parts quickly across the U.S. and Canada.