Winter Lawn Tractor Care Made Easy

Nov 05, 2025
By Farms.com

Simple steps to protect your lawn tractor this winter season

Winterizing your lawn tractor is essential to keep it in top shape and ready for spring. With just a few simple steps, you can prevent costly repairs and ensure your equipment starts smoothly after the cold season.

First, focus on your engine’s protection. Moisture inside an idle engine can cause corrosion, so “fogging” it helps prevent rust. Simply remove the spark plugs and spray an oily mist, known as fogging oil, into each cylinder. Replace the spark plugs after spraying to seal in the protection.

Next, take care of the battery. Storing a discharged battery in cold weather can cause permanent damage. Use a battery charger to fully charge it to 12.7 volts before storage. A charged battery remains healthy and lasts longer.

Then, protect your fuel system. Stored gasoline can form deposits that clog the system, leading to expensive repairs. Add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank before storage. Stabilizers help preserve the fuel and prevent gumming.

If you’re unsure whether your fuel contains ethanol, it’s safest to run the engine until the tank is empty.

Lastly, cover the air intake and exhaust openings with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep rodents and insects out during the winter months.

Following these simple steps will ensure your lawn tractor stays in great condition and is ready to go when spring arrives.

Photo Credit: pixabay-franck-barske

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.