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The best defense against having a damaged, insect-infested lawn is to have a luscious and healthy lawn. The problem with maintaining a healthy and luscious lawn is that people tend to forget about lawn care in the fall. They worry about their lawn in the spring and over the summer, but when fall comes they stop taking care of it completely.
Unfortunately, fall is when you really need to pay close attention if you want to maintain a luscious and healthy lawn all year round. You can use this time to revitalize your lawn and get it ready for winter after using it as a playground and a picnic area all summer long.
Here are the top 5 ways to achieve that!
Fertilization
The fall season is one of the most important times of the year for your lawn. During fall, your lawn builds up energy reserves so it can be healthy and ready for spring. That’s why you need to use this time to feed and prepare your lawn for the following year.
The goal with fertilization is to promote root growth. Fertilization is an important part of fall lawn care, since it helps keep the roots healthy and strong during the fall and winter months.
Applying fertilizer mid-to-late-fall insures that your lawn will have all the nutrients it needs to grow strong roots and stay healthy during its dormant period. In order to see good results, you’ll need to spread the fertilizer to all grassy areas and make sure you get good coverage. You can either use store bought fertilizer or make your own compost pile and create your own organic fertilizer.
Seeding
Fall seeding is an important part of keeping your lawn healthy and luscious and is the best way to revitalize your lawn after a long summer. You can use this time to assess the damage caused by summer wear and tear and fill in all of the dead spots throughout your lawn so your lawn can recover in time for winter.
The best time to do this process is usually in September or October, which offer cooler days and nights as well as good moisture, so that the seeds can germinate properly and start growing faster.
Raking off Leaves
Rake off fall leaves that are piling up on top of your lawn. Leaving them on the grass will cause your lawn to die and you’ll soon notice yellow and brown patches starting to form. You can use the leaves you collect as good soil fertilizer by composting them. You can easily recycle your fall leaves into nutrient rich soil by mixing them in with your fruit and vegetable peelings, grass trimmings and coffee grounds, helping your leaves compost quicker.
Aeration
To control thatch and manage the condition of your lawn in the most effective way, you should aerate your lawn on a fairly routine basis. You can aerate your lawn using many different lawn mower attachments that you can buy at your local hardware store, which will do a good job if you have a small to medium size lawn. If you have a larger area you need to aerate, you’re better off using an aerator that will dethatch and aerate the lawn at the same time. If you want to make your job even easier, you can get a machine that has the ability to dethatch, aerify and seed your lawn all in one step.
Mowing
The first thing you need to have in mind when it comes to mowing your lawn in fall is to avoid mowing when the grass is wet. Not only do wet grass clippings cause a huge mess to clean up, but they can also damage your lawn and your mowing equipment.
Wet grass clippings can clump together and lead to dry and dead patches all over your lawn. Always wait until your lawn is dry before mowing it, and set your mower blade at a lower height as you prepare your lawn for winter. Set your blade to a height of 2-2 ½ inches for the last two cuttings of the season, so that sunlight can reach the crown of the grass. Never cut below 2 inches, or you’ll prevent the grass from getting all the nutrients and storing them in its root system, which will lead to dry, dead patches forming throughout your lawn.
If you’re having a particularly rainy fall and you’re worried about the damage the water accumulation can do to your lawn, here are a few ways you can avoid that from happening by properly managing your lawn during a rainy season.
Although the mowing season is coming to a close in fall, that doesn’t mean that it’s time to pack up your equipment and wait for spring to come. As grass still continues to grow throughout fall, it’s important to keep it at an ideal height so it can stay strong and healthy throughout the season.
Choosing the right mower for the job is another important factor in keeping your lawn in top condition. So before you decide whether to go with an electric, a petrol or an automatic robot lawn mower, make sure you consider the size of your lawn, the type of terrain you have, as well as your budget.
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