To prepare your Oklahoma City lawn for winter, you need to focus on weed prevention, root health, and clearing debris. The most critical step is applying a fall pre-emergent herbicide in late September or October to stop winter weeds like henbit and Poa annua from germinating. You should also apply a winterizer fertilizer to feed the root system before the grass goes dormant.
Essential Winter Prep Steps
1. Clean up the leaves
Do not let thick layers of fallen leaves sit on your lawn over the winter. Wet, heavy leaves block sunlight and trap moisture, which can cause fungal diseases and smother the grass underneath. Mulch them with your mower or bag them up.
2. Lower your mower deck
For your final mow of the season (usually in November for Bermuda grass), lower your mower deck slightly. This removes dead growth and helps the soil warm up faster in the spring.
3. Winterize your irrigation system
Oklahoma winters can bring hard freezes. It is crucial to have your sprinkler system professionally winterized (blown out) to prevent pipes and backflow preventers from freezing and bursting.
