Why You Should Avoid Walking On Frosty Grass As Temperatures Drop

As the temperature cools down, the air is filled with that chilly sensation that means it's time for holiday decorations and cozy nights with warm drinks. However, this exciting seasonal change also means you'll be experiencing more cold morning frosts, which can wreak havoc on your lawn and garden. Although you might already be diligently preparing to winterize your lawn as cold weather approaches, there's a crucial rule for cold-weather lawn care that many people don't think about: never walk on frozen grass. During those crisp mornings, an icy frost can form over your plants and grass. This frost looks beautiful and delicate and can set a dreamy morning scene for late autumn, but that layer of ice around your grass can actually cause some serious damage. The frost makes the blades of grass rigid, so if any pressure is put on it, whether it's a person's footsteps or a pet's paws walking across, the weight of their steps can snap the grass blades off, effectively ruining that blade of grass.

As TikTok content creator and lawn care enthusiast @ope.itsmowtime shares, this type of frost burn in grass can't really be corrected, so you'll be stuck with brown patches of grass until it regrows the following spring. Aside from the fact that stepping on frosted grass will damage the health of your lawn, this is also an aesthetic concern — a path of brown footprints and pawprints typically isn't the look that most homeowners want for their lawns. 

Protecting your frosted grass lawn from breakage shouldn't be too tricky, as long as you take the proper preventative measures. Firstly, if you can see any kind of frost on your lawn, don't walk on it. Stick to a paved path or driveway when navigating around your property, and wait until the frost has melted before stepping onto the grass. If you don't already have a path for getting through your lawn, now is a great time to explore installing a basic paved path or even some cute, whimsical garden stepping stones to protect your fragile grass during the colder season. You may also want to invest in a "keep off the grass" sign to remind passersby (and perhaps forgetful household members) that the lawn can't be used as a shortcut. And if you absolutely need to use the lawn in the early morning — such as to let a dog go to the bathroom — try to keep the activity curtailed to a small section of the grass to minimize potential damage.

While there isn't an entirely foolproof method for keeping your grass from freezing over in the morning, you can try to prep your lawn by watering it the night before a frost is predicted. The water will evaporate, warming up the grass and helping to ward off the frost. Of course, this isn't a guaranteed solution, so always check your grass for any hint of ice before taking a step.