Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

DIY

Winterizing The Lawn

November 13, 2013
We were recently invited by Ace Hardware to be a part of their first ever Ace Blogger Panel. It's exciting and new and the reason for my trip to Chicago (their headquarters) a few weeks ago. Ace's whole goal is to create a hardware store experience that makes you feel like you're getting help from your neighbor. It's sweet and, in our case, couldn't be closer to the truth. Since moving to our new town of about 26,000 people (a lot smaller than any other place I've ever lived), it feels like everyone is our neighbor, including the people running our Ace Hardware--the only hardware store within 30 miles.We'll be tackling a lot of projects (at our place and elsewhere!) over the next few months with their help and a few perks tossed in for you all, too. The first project we chose to tackle was an outdoor one--the last one of the season? You may remember in this post we referenced our mistake of not keeping up with the exterior of our last house and how we weren't going to do that again. Since moving in, we've kept up on trimming and mowing, but we didn't want the season to end without putting the lawn to rest the right way to hopefully insure a lush lawn in the spring. The best time to begin to winterize your yard is in the fall after most visible grass growth has stopped but before freezing temperatures have set in--end of October to the beginning of November around here.
First, we raked the thick piles of leaves up. Some leaves left behind to mulch into your grass on your last mow of the season is actually a good idea. You just want to make sure they aren't matted into the grass or blocking sunlight.

Next, we aerated. You can rent an aerator or hire someone to do this for relatively cheap. Aerating opens up the soil in your lawn and allows the flow of nutrients to penetrate the soil. I have heard that some people skip this step when winterizing the lawn, but our neighbors all do it--so we jumped on it, too.


Last thing we did was spread this Winterizer fertilizer over our entire lawn (we have 1/4 acre) using a classic fertilizer spreader.  We found this spreader (the Scott's Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader) to be particularly even when spreading with no clogging issues and it was large enough to get our entire lot done relatively quickly.

We are definitely not landscaping gurus, but we're trying to get the hang of a few things while we're ahead. Winterizing--we can do that! The weird thing about this whole process is, well, we can't really see the results until Spring. But we're trusting! Anyone else finishing up the last of the outdoor projects?
Also, (fun!) we are giving away a Scotts® Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader ($55 value) and a $25 gift card to Ace Hardware for one reader (in the US or Canada) so we can have nice lawns together. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway runs through Tuesday, November 19th at 9pm MST, and we'll announce the winner right here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

We’ve partnered with Ace Hardware as a part of their Ace Blogger Panel.  Ace provided us with the rakes, Scott's spreader and winterizer to complete our project and all opinions are our own. Find the right winterizing products for you at your neighborhood Ace Hardware.
filed under: 
— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Kudos to you and to Ace!

    We live in a small town (as in no-stop-lights small town) and our Ace is about 3 miles away. We were there shortly after we moved in (September) and are back regularly. The folks at our Ace are absolutely the best and the prices are about the same or cheaper than the Big Box stores which are a further drive for us.

    All of this reminds me that tonight is Ladies Night at our Ace!

  2. I've been wanting to do this too but wonder about the safety of the fertilizer on my dog - what has been your experience with Charley? Do you just keep her out of the yard for a few days or wipe her paws before she comes in? Would appreciate your insight!

    1. We were told that the Ace brand winterizer is exactly the same as the Scott's in that it is safe to walk on immediately. But it is always a good idea to read the label to double check. No problems with Charly!

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

The Marcum family dressed as characters from the classic edition of Clue: The Game.
Entertaining

Our Halloween Family Costumes 2024: I'll Give You One Clue

It was Professor Plum, with the knife, in the Conservatory. Happy Halloween from Clue characters: 1986 edition! Shop Costume Inspiration Over the years, we've dressed as everything from dolls and monsters to Peter Pan, E.T. characters, and The Wizard of Oz. But in the last several years, one of our kids has usually chosen our costumes. If you look back, you […]
Wayfair Holiday Christmas collage round up
Decor

The Best Holiday Finds at Wayfair

This post is sponsored by Wayfair We bought this gorgeous, extremely realistic tree from Wayfair in 2019. It may be my best Christmas find ever because it has moved across the country with us, and it's the first thing we decorate every year (and that last thing we put away when the season is over). […]
product lines

Meet the New Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Pillows for Fall 2024

With the Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Rugs launch this season, we just had to add some new pillows too! For this collection, like all of our lines, we designed the pillows colorwise and pattern-wise to all work together. But there are some fun surprises too (including new floor pillows and a brand-new ruffle pillow […]
Outdoor dining table scene in front of ivy brick wall with a beautiful beige geometric outdoor rug
product lines

The Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Rugs Fall 2024 Collection

I can't believe this is our fourth year working with Loloi! For this season's rugs, we are bringing in new styles that haven’t been seen before, which is really fun. It's also exciting to be able to expand popular collections like the Jules rug, which offers beautiful vintage-style rug patterns at an affordable price. For […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES