With the leaves changing color, the weather starting to cool, and Halloween just around the corner, it’s easy to feel the excitement of fall. Whether you’re looking forward to pumpkin spiced lattes and crunchy leaves underfoot or not, there are a few things you’ll want to know before it gets cold so that your yard will be beautiful all season long. This guide will show you how to care for your lawn during this beautiful time of year!
Preparation for fall lawn care
Fall is a great time to take care of your grass and prepare for the winter. Make sure your mowing equipment is in proper working order and if you have any trees on your property, make sure they are properly trimmed. Do all of this now to get ready and enjoy the benefits of fall.
1) The first thing to do is take care of your grass, as it will need extra attention during this time of year. You’ll want to fertilize, aerate, overseed, water, then apply pre-emergent herbicide (to prevent weeds).
2) Next, you’ll want to start adding some mulch around your lawn; this helps with moisture and prevents weeds from taking over.
3) Now comes the fun part! As soon as you see those leaves start to change color, rake them up and bag them! This will clear out room for other items in your yard while also ensuring that they don’t cause too much damage during winter weather.
4) Finally, trim any trees on your property during this time so that they are prepared for winter weather as well. Be sure to trim any dead branches so that their weight doesn’t break tree limbs come wintertime.
Fertilizing Your Lawn
Fall is a great time to fertilize your lawn. If you nourish your grass throughout the fall, it will turn that beautiful green color again in the spring. Fertilizing helps provide essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, which encourages root growth and healthier plants. Without these nutrients, your lawn will be dry and brown come wintertime. It’s important that you use the right type of fertilizer. Inorganic fertilizers can sometimes contain weed killers, which will kill off any weeds but leave behind a lifeless patch of lawn. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are made up of natural materials and won’t harm any surrounding plants or animals. So whether you’re looking for something to keep your lawn alive or just want to keep those pesky weeds at bay so they don’t take over next year- organic fertilizer is the way to go!
Lawn Care in Fall
Lawn care in fall is different from lawn care during the summer. The following are a few key things to remember when caring for your lawn this time of year:
* Your lawn may need less water in the fall due to decreased sun exposure.
* You should mow your lawn about every 2 weeks.
* You will want to fertilize your lawn about once a month or as needed.
* Fall is a great time to plant trees and flowers that will bloom next spring.
Mulching
Mulching is a great way to limit the time and energy you need to spend on your lawn during the fall and winter. Mulch protects your plants’ roots, which reduces their need for water. When it’s cold, mulched leaves also help keep the soil warm.
Aerating : An Important Lawn Care Activity
Aeration is a necessary part of lawn care. This is the process of creating holes in your lawn to allow for better drainage and air circulation. This is especially important during the fall because there can be heavy rainfalls that will saturate the ground, which can lead to unhealthy grass growth. These holes also help loosen up soil and encourage worms to come up from below, giving your lawn a nutrient rich boost. Aerating can be done with a machine or by hand, but it’s best to get an aerator machine if you don’t have time for the task yourself.
Soil pH
The first thing you need to know about is pH. The pH of your soil dictates what kind of plants will grow in your yard. A low pH, which is acidic, will allow azaleas and other acid loving plants to thrive, while a high pH will promote the growth of blueberries and other alkaline loving plants. Soil pH also affects how good your soil can be at absorbing nutrients from fertilizers or compost, so it’s pretty important!
Weeds and Weed Killers
Weeds are an inevitable part of lawn care. They seem to pop up no matter how often you mow them away or how much weed killer you put on them. However, just because they’re unavoidable doesn’t mean they can’t be managed. Weeds will grow more vigorously in the fall than they do in the spring, so if you want a weed-free lawn, it’s especially important to stay on top of them now before they get out of control.
To manage weeds, use a pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn about two weeks before it’s time for your first cutting of the season. A pre-emergent herbicide prevents seeds from sprouting and growing into healthy plants by wiping out their potential earlier in life. While this type of herbicide won’t affect any plants that have already sprouted (like weeds), it will prevent new seeds from taking root and help keep your yard free from future invaders.
If you’re looking for something stronger to eliminate stubborn weeds, invest in a post-emergent herbicide/weed killer to deal with those hardy little buggers that refuse to go down without a fight. This type of herbicide is applied only when needed, usually once every two weeks during the fall months while the ground is still damp and susceptible to absorption. This will allow the weed killer to penetrate through the leaves and roots where the weed resides without being absorbed by the earth around it.
Conclusion
Fall is the perfect time of year to prep your lawn for the colder months of winter. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, check to make sure it’s connected and working properly. If you need to fertilize, this is the time to do it. Be sure to fertilize with a fertilizer that promotes healthy and strong grasses, rather than just lots of growth. You also want to aerate your lawn and round up any weeds or weed killers you need.
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