Lawn Care Tips for Fall
It’s easy to slack on outdoor projects once winter approaches, but that’s a mistake. Learn the proper steps for how to take care of your lawn this fall so you can ensure it will look gorgeous again in the spring.
As the weather starts to cool, you’re likely looking forward to a break from tending to your lawn.
However, ending your lawncare duties too early in the season may lead to problems for next year’s growth. There are a variety of maintenance tasks that need to take place in the fall if you want a gorgeous lawn in the summer. Below are twelve fall tasks that are necessary to keep your lawn happy and healthy for next spring.
While a carpet of fall-colored leaves looks gorgeous on your lawn, they aren’t good news for your grass in the long run. Left untouched, they will take a long time to break down, blocking light and trapping moisture in the process. This slows down grass growth or even kills it.
Your best option is to rake the leaves and remove them or to mow them directly into the lawn. This breaks them down into smaller pieces, so they decompose faster.
Fall is the best time to test your lawn’s soil. Doing so will take the guesswork out of what your lawn is deficient in so that you can add the correct nutrients in the spring. Healthy lawns should be tested every three to four years so you can stay ahead of problems, while problem areas should be tested yearly.
It’s smart to add fertilizer to your lawn just as the grass is recovering from a hot summer. Applying fertilizer in the early fall helps the grass rebuild its root structures before cooler weather hits. This results in healthier grass in the long run.
Consider also a late-fall application of nitrogen-based slow-release fertilizer to give the grass the energy it needs to take off again in the spring.
Lawns take a beating in the summer months, especially if you use your grassy space to lounge and play.
There may be problem areas of your lawn that need extra attention now to prevent further damage. Treat these spots with extra fertilizer and grass seed to get them green again for next year.
While not necessarily related to lawn care, fall is the ideal time to take care of the gutters that run along your home and garage. This lets you pull out any autumn leaves that are clogging them before winter storms roll through.
By late fall, you want to change your mowing habits to keep the lawn an inch or two (3-5 centimeters) shorter than you did for the rest of the summer. Doing so will help put the lawn in hibernation mode, so the grass slows its growth and stores energy that is better used in the spring.
If you leave the grass too long, it’s more likely to develop disease problems from the wet, cold conditions of winter.
While it’s tempting to slow down on watering once the fall weather arrives, it’s best to continue giving your lawn an inch of water each week until winter. Any less, and the grass will become stressed just when it needs to store up energy for the winter.
Consider installing a rain gauge in your lawn so you can monitor how much moisture the grass is receiving through rain and other irrigation measures.
Note: If you deal with freezing winter temperatures, make sure you drain the water from your hoses and irrigation systems to prevent them from freezing and bursting.
Lawns do best with regular aeration, so plan to loosen the soil under the grass once every couple of years. This prevents the soil from getting overly compacted with thick layers of roots and stems that choke out oxygen and nutrients from the ground and prevent water from soaking through.
You can use a core aerator to punch regular holes into the thatch and pull up plugs of soil to give it more breathing room. These plugs will quickly break down on the lawn’s surface, but the holes they leave behind work well for getting air, water, and more nutrients to the grass.
Note: Maximize the benefits of soil aeration by fertilizing your lawn immediately after.
The denser your lawn is planted, the fewer issues you’ll have with weed seeds. Take advantage of the pleasant weather in the early fall to fill in thin spots and bare patches with fresh grass seed. This gives the seeds a chance to get established before the plants hibernate for the winter so you’re met with lush growth in the spring.
For best results, seed at least 45 days before the first frost is expected.
Putting in the effort to remove weeds in the fall will pay off in a big way in the spring. Getting this done early helps to remove the weeds’ seed banks from the soil. Hand pull what you can, and consider using an herbicide to get the pesky areas under control.
In the same way, you can treat your lawn for insects in the fall to prevent them from overwintering and laying eggs in the spring. A general insecticide should do the trick for most problem species.
The last task for preparing your lawn for winter is to put away all your lawn care tools for the season. Take the fuel out of your lawnmower and wipe every trimmer and pruner down so that they stay dry and rust-free. Be sure to research winter maintenance guidelines for every power tool you own to ensure you store them safely.
Taking care of the lawn in the fall doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Follow these tips to guarantee you’ve covered every category, and your lawn will look fabulous again in the spring.