Many times when thinking of home maintenance we automatically think of maintenance inside the home. It is important to take care of the outside of your home too. Lawn maintenance is not just during the spring and summer, you should do some lawn maintenance in the fall too! Be sure to follow these lawn maintenance tips to take care of your yard in the fall, heading into winter to ensure you have great growth the following spring. These lawn maintenance tips are fairly easy and will give you a step in the right direction in the early spring of next year.
Don’t Stop Mowing
Just because it is fall doesn’t mean you need to stop mowing the lawn. Grass actually does not stop growing until the first frost, so be sure to keep your mower out throughout the fall months. It is important to mow the lawn throughout the fall months to ensure the grass does not get too long and is prepped for the winter. Ideally, you want to keep the grass on your lawn between 2 ½ to 3 inches. This is the ideal height as it is not too short kill the root system and not too long to be vulnerable to snow and the elements.
Rake and Remove Leaves
As fall begins the trees begin to shed leaves. Make sure you use a good rake to clean up the leaves from your yard. It is very important to clear your grass of leaves to prevent them from trapping in moisture causing bacteria and so they can not block light that is very important for grass health. Raking is also very important for grass health because it removes extra build-up in the grass as well. It is a great idea to try to rake the leaves once a week to avoid them building up and continue to maintain the yard.
Do Not Automatically Stop Watering
In the fall, it is very important to pay attention to the amount of water your grass is getting. Just because it is cooling down does not mean you should automatically stop watering. Do your best to pay attention to how much water the grass is getting and if needed be sure to run your sprinkler from time to time.
Aerate the Yard
After a long spring and summer, the soil has compacted and became dense. It is a good idea to aerate the soil to allow fresh nutrients to flow through the soil and give it a proper foundation for grass to grow next year. Aeration helps to loosen up the soil and get it ready for any seed or fertilizer you add to your yard this fall too.
Fertilize in the Fall
The key to a rich and healthy yard in the spring is a fertilized yard in the fall. As a result of fertilizing now, you will set up your soil with the rich and healthy nutrients it needs to grow luscious grass in the coming spring.
Overseed
Fall is also the best time of year to overseed your yard. This simply means that you should apply additional grass seed throughout your yard to allow it to germinate before the first frost. The fall is a great time of year to overseed because the soil is typically damp and moist. Be sure when you overseed that you pay close attention to where you are spreading the seed and ensure that it is coming in contact with the soil so it can germinate. It is always suggested to aerate prior to overseeding to break up the soil and create the best foundation for the seeds.
After you have done all the lawn maintenance tips above, do not forget to take care of your lawnmower, put it away properly and complete any maintenance on it before spring next year.
Conclusion for Fall Lawn Maintenance
These are just some of the top lawn maintenance tips for this fall to help prepare your yard for the best start next spring. Be sure to set up a schedule that works for you and do your best to rake up the leaves each week to help keep up with them as they fall. If you are planning to utilize the lawn maintenance tips on fertilizing and overseeding, try to pay close attention to the weather and temperatures to make sure you have plenty of time to get things established prior to the first frost. Hopefully, these lawn maintenance tips are a great list for you to start and have the best lawn next spring!
Have a Happy FALL!
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