Behold, autumn is upon us. There is something about the fall season that is just cozy, homey and magical. It is when everything turns a beautiful red, orange and gold, replacing all the green of the summer. However, with fall comes all the necessary preparations for winter. One of these is prepping our lawns before they go dormant in frost season. Here are some fall lawn care tips that will ensure your grass grows back beautifully next spring.
Golden Mulch
Fallen leaves with different shades of orange, yellow and red, can look really pretty in the fall. In addition, they are really fun to play with. However, leaving them on our lawns can be harmful to the grass. The fallen leaves block sunlight and trap moisture, resulting in lawn diseases, infestations and damage. To prevent this problem, you can rake the leaves up and dispose of them. A better alternative would be to mow over the leaves to turn them into mulch. Mulching gives your lawn organic nutrients. It is also a great way to recycle.
Don’t Put That Mower Away Just Yet
Grass still continues to grow even at the onset of the first snowfall. It is a good idea to keep mowing your lawn and not let the grass grow too long. The grass still needs to be kept at an ideal height of 2.5 to 3 inches. If you let them grow too long, they will become susceptible to fungal diseases like snow mold. However, keep in mind that cutting the grass too short is just as bad, as it will deplete the grass’ energy reserves. This makes them weak and unable to survive the stress of the upcoming winter.
You Still Need To Water
Just because the weather has gotten colder and wetter, doesn’t mean you can stop watering and let nature fully take over. Watering is still important to make sure your grass gets the water requirement it needs. Much of the growth that occurs during the fall season is in the roots. Therefore, your grass still needs watering. You just need to water a lot less. Make sure your lawn gets at least an inch of water per week, including rainfall. You can keep track of this by using a rain gauge. You can stop watering in the fall once the ground freezes.
Break Up The Soil
Another lawn fall lawn care tip is to aerate your lawn. Regularly aerating your lawn helps loosen the soil and reduce compaction during the cold, wet season. It prevents the build up of thatch, which is a thick layer of grass, roots, leaves and debris that block water and sunlight. Doing this allows your grass to just breathe, and to access all the nutrients that it needs. Aeration is done by punching holes through the thatch and pulling up soil plugs, creating holes all over your lawn. Using a core aerator will make this task a lot easier.
Fertilize and Overseed
When fall aeration is done, it is now high time to fertilize and overseed. Fertilizing will supply your grass the much needed nutrients and energy to be able to bounce back after winter. Fertilizing facilitates root growth, protection from diseases, and resistance to extreme weather. Many lawn and landscaping experts recommend the use of a slow-release granular fertilizer and applying it in the late fall. Learn more about fall fertilizing by checking out this post: How To Fertilize Your Lawn In Late Fall
Overseeding is the final step in fall lawn care. Autumn is the best time to overseed because the soil is still warm, the sun is not as scorching as the summer heat, and the nights are cool. Overseeding fills in sparse areas of grass, thickens the turf and gives it the best chance to survive the winter.
We hope these fall lawn care tips will help you out in your fall preparations. Wishing you a warm and cozy autumn!
Dealing with lawn care problems? This post will greatly help you out: Common Lawn Care Problems And What To Do About Them
