Winter Tips for Your Ariens Zero Turn Mower (and Your Lawn)

Winter is coming…or depending on where you live in Australia, it’s already here.

That means it’s time to give your lawn a final tidy-up and take your Ariens zero turn for one last spin before it gets a well-earned rest. Whether you’re in the southern chill or the milder north, these Ariens-approved do’s and don’ts will help you breeze through winter with a mower that’s prepped, primed, and ready to go come spring.

✅ DO: Adjust Your Mowing Height

For your final mow of the season, raise your cutting height a notch. Longer grass helps your lawn soak up more sunlight and nutrients, which is key during the colder months. It also gives weeds less room to move in.

While your lawn’s growth slows down in winter, that doesn’t mean you can forget it completely. Depending on your lawn type and region, you might still need to mow every 3–5 weeks, just keep it light and high.

❌ DON’T: Mow When It’s Wet

Avoid mowing if the grass is wet or the ground is soggy. It’s not great for your mower it can leave ruts behind and clog up the cutting deck with damp clippings. And if you’ve got hills or slopes on your property, wet turf plus a zero turn is a recipe for a muddy slip’n’slide (not the fun kind).

✅ DO: Switch Up Your Mowing Direction

Mix up your mowing pattern each time you cut. Always mowing in the same direction might feel easy, but it can train your grass to lie flat in one direction and eventually carve permanent tracks into your lawn.

Changing direction keeps your lawn standing tall, looking sharp and helps you create those clean, crisp stripes just like the pro’s. 

❌ DON’T: Fertilise in Winter

Put the fertiliser away until spring. Most lawns go into dormancy over winter, which means they’re not actively growing, and fertilising at this time is a waste of effort and can actually damage your turf.

✅ DO: Clean and Store Your Mower Properly

Your Ariens mower deserves a bit of TLC before its off-season break. Here’s a quick checklist:

• Clean it down – especially under the deck. Dried grass and muck can lead to rust or performance issues later.
   
• Sharpen the blades – so you’re ready for that first cut back in spring.
   
• Store it somewhere dry – a shed, garage, or under cover. Throw a tarp or old blanket over it if it’s stored outdoors.
   

❌ DON’T: Leave Fuel Sitting in the Tank

Fuel left in your mower can cause all sorts of headaches, especially if it contains ethanol. Water condensation can lead to clogs and corrosion. The fix? Either drain the tank or stabilise the fuel.

How to Stabilise Fuel Before Storage:

1. If the fuel is fresh (less than two weeks old), work out how much is in the tank.
    
2. Add a fuel stabiliser, following the instructions on the bottle.
    
3. Start the engine and let it run for 10 minutes to circulate the stabiliser.
    
4. For carburetted engines: keep the engine running, close the fuel valve, and let it run out. For EFI engines: simply switch off and remove the key.
    

Final Cut

Your lawn might be going quiet for winter, but your Ariens zero turn mower still deserves some attention. A little prep now will save you headaches later and when spring rolls around, you’ll be ready to fire it up and get straight back to cutting clean, sharp lines just like the pros.