Putting the Mower Away for Winter: End-of-Season Care for Lawn Equipment

In this guide

1. When is the last mow?
2. The fuel problem
3. Step-by-step: the mower
4. Trimmers, blowers and spreaders
5. Take stock while you're at it
6. A note on dates and fertilizer
7. Common mistakes to avoid
8. Sources

Most people find out their mower was stored badly in April, on the first warm Saturday, with a pull cord that does nothing and a repair shop with a three-week backlog. The cause is usually the same: old gasoline left in the tank and carburetor all winter. The fix takes about an hour in late fall, and it also happens to land at the same time as the last mowing of the year. This guide covers when to make that last cut and how to put every piece of lawn equipment away so it starts in spring.

When is the last mow?

Keep mowing as long as the grass is growing, which in most of the Northeast means into early-to-mid November (a little earlier in northern New England and the hills, a little later near the coast and in southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania). Once growth stops and leaves are down, you can finish the season.

• For your last one or two cuts, lower the deck to about 2.5 inches. Very long grass going under snow is more prone to matting and snow mold, as covered in our snow mold guide.
• Don't scalp it. Going lower than that exposes crowns to winter damage. Our mowing height guide explains the one-third rule.
• Shred the last leaves with the mower rather than bagging them, as long as the grass shows through (see mulch-mow or rake). That's also a good way to use up the last of the fuel.

The fuel problem

Gasoline doesn't keep. The biggest small-engine storage problem, according to University of Georgia Extension, is ethanol-blended fuel: ethanol attracts water, and the gummy residue it leaves can clog the tiny passages in a carburetor within a few weeks. University of Georgia Extension also advises winterizing any small engine that won't be used for a few weeks. That applies to your mower, string trimmer, hedge trimmer, leaf blower alike.

You have two sound options:

If you can buy ethanol-free fuel for small engines, that's the better choice for storage, and your owner's manual will tell you what fuel your engine is rated for.

Whatever you choose, never store a machine with the fuel cap loose or gas in a container inside a living space. Keep fuel cans in a cool, ventilated shed or garage away from pilot lights and heaters.

Step-by-step: the mower

Always disconnect the spark plug wire before working on the blade or underneath the deck, so the engine can't start by accident. Tip a gas mower so the air filter and carburetor side face up, as shown in your manual, to avoid oil and fuel running where they shouldn't.

1. Deal with the fuel using one of the two options above.
2. Change the oil while the engine is still warm (after the last mow). Used oil can be taken to most auto parts stores or town recycling centers.
3. Clean the deck. Scrape off the caked grass underneath with a plastic scraper or stiff brush. Wet clippings hold moisture against the metal and cause rust.
4. Sharpen or replace the blade. A sharp blade cuts clean in spring instead of tearing the grass. Do it now, while the shop isn't busy, or swap in a spare and take the dull one in later.
5. Check the air filter and spark plug. Replace a paper filter that is dirty or oily. Replace the spark plug if it's old or fouled, or follow the interval in your manual.
6. Take care of the battery on riding mowers and electric-start models: remove it or disconnect it, keep it somewhere cool, dry and above freezing, and put it on a battery maintainer if you have one.
7. Store it clean and dry, ideally indoors or under a cover that lets air circulate. A plastic tarp that traps moisture can cause more rust than leaving it uncovered.

Trimmers, blowers and spreaders

Take stock while you're at it

This is also the best time to make a short list for spring:

• Is the mower deck set where you want it? Measure from a flat driveway to the blade edge so you know what each setting really cuts.
• Do you need a new spreader, a new bag of seed or a soil test? Our calendar shows what's coming in March and April.
• Are the wheels, belts and cables in good shape? Fix them in winter, when repair shops have time.
• Write the date of fuel treatment or oil change on a piece of tape on the machine so you remember.

A note on dates and fertilizer

If you haven't done your late-fall feeding yet, do that before you put the spreader away. Check your state's cutoff date first, because some states have one (New Jersey, for example, bans homeowner fertilizing from November 15 to March 1). Use a quick-release nitrogen product with no phosphorus unless a soil test says otherwise. See the winterizing guide for details.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving a full tank of untreated gas in the machine "because it's easier." It's the number-one reason a mower won't start in spring.
• Storing a stabilizer-treated tank for more than one winter without fresh fuel. Stabilizers only buy a limited amount of time.
• Working under the deck with the spark plug wire connected.
• Putting the spreader away with fertilizer in the hopper.
• Leaving hoses attached to outdoor spigots through the first freeze, which can split the pipe inside the wall.
• Covering equipment with a sealed plastic tarp that traps moisture.
• Skipping the owner's manual. Models differ, and the manual's instructions come before any general advice, including this guide's.

Sources

• University of Georgia Extension, publications on winterizing outdoor power equipment and ethanol fuel in small engines.
• Your equipment manufacturer's owner's manual (always the final word for your model).

An hour of work now means the first mow of April starts on the second pull. For the full list of what else to do before the ground freezes, check this month's lawn calendar.

Free · monthly-ish

Get the checklist before the window closes

A reminder email a week or two before each key window — fall seeding, fall feeding, winterizing — so you don't find out you missed it.

Email address Subscribe