Does my lawn need "winterizing"?

What does “winterizing” mean, and does my lawn need it?

“Winterizing” is a buzzword that gets around a lot this time of year. Mostly because there are products currently on the shelf that say “winterizer” on the label.  

With Bermuda and St. Augustine, the ONLY thing you need to be doing right now is putting down a pre-emergent.
Like I’ve already said…we’ve got two weeks till the end of October, and you want to get your pre-emergent down before then. The pre-emergent is what gives you weed control and prevention through the winter and early spring.

The other aspect of “winterizing” is something that should have already been done, which is the fall fertilization. With slow release fertilizers, the “fall feeding” is done in July and August…that’s the feeding that gets you through the fall and winter months.
If you’re not using a slow release (which you should be), the fall feeding should be put down in September. Either way, we are already past the fall feeding time.

Bottom line…don’t buy the “winterizing” products, and don’t buy any “winterizing” hype that isn’t strictly the fall pre-emergent! That is the only “winterizer” you need right now!