7 Tips for Getting Your Lawn and Lawn Mower Ready for Winter

1. Lower your lawn mower blade. Over the summer you probably had your mower blade raised up pretty high, but before winter you want to get your grass cut down lower so the lawn gets good air circulation and you don't get snow mold. (Probably not that big of a concern in Nashville!)

2. Sharpen your mower blade. Having a sharp mower blade isn't super important right now, but come spring and summer you want that blade sharp so it cuts the grass and doesn't tear it leaving jagged edges to turn brown. Don't make the blade razor sharp or it will dull quickly.

3. Change the oil in your mower and grease all fittings and lubricate all moving parts. Especially cables that slide inside of housings. They can rust up over with winter and not work correctly next season.

4. Replace the spark plug in your mower and check the belts for cracks and frayed edges. Make sure all moving parts work freely, but without a lot of play.

5. Check your lawn for grubs. With a spade cut a right angle into your lawn and try and pull back the sod. If it pulls up easily, check the soil closely for white Japanese Beetle Grubs.

6. Look for signs of skunks or other animals digging in your lawn. Look for mole tunnels or areas that seemed raised and squishy. If you have moles or skunks feeding on your lawn you probably have an infestation of Japanese Beetle Grubs. See this article for more info:

http://www.freeplants.com/moles.htm

7. Look for any bare areas in your lawn and scratch those areas loose with a 4 tine garden cultivator and re seed the bare areas. Always use the same grass seed blend that is currently in your lawn. If you don't know what the blend is, make sure you buy a high quality blend of at least four different types of grass seed for your climate.