Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
When autumn rolls around it’s time to start prepping your lawn for the fall and inevitable winter. There are lots of things that can and should be done early. Here are some tips to help you with that!
Aeration
Early fall is prime time for aeration. Lawns grow compacted over time especially when lots of people or animals—especially dogs—make use of it. The soil becomes dense and healthy soil needs room to breathe!
“Since the aim of aerating your lawn is to take the pressure off, focus on high-traffic areas for best results!” - Dash Lawn Care
In basic terms, aeration involves making holes in the soil to allow air and water into the ground.
Dethatching
Just like aeration, dethatching is vital to help your lawn breathe. Thatch is basically a layer of dead grass on your lawn that hasn’t decomposed. Too much thatch can build up and become unhealthy for your grass. If you need to dethatch, autumn is the time to do it.
“Start with core aeration and dethatching, leaving about ½” of thatch to decompose” - Today's Homeowner
Even if the thatch doesn’t seem like it’s making your lawn that unhealthy, it’s always good to dethatch anyway to prevent a serious thatch problem.
Get Rid of Weeds
Once it starts getting colder, weeds won’t be germinating anymore. In early autumn, most weeds will have stopped spreading so now is the time to get as many of the existing ones out of there before winter comes. This will help lessen the weeds growing and spreading in the spring.
“This is my preferred month for a full lawn treatment as you will get most weeds AND prevent them overwintering and thus being harder to kill in the spring.” - Lawnsmith
Overseeding
It’s also a great time to overseed bare patches left by activity in the summer, drought, or any kind of treatment done—like the dethatching and aerating.
“In the North, the best time to overseed your lawn is in the fall, when the soil is still warm but the air is cooler, and there are fewer weeds for new grass to compete against. Since your trees are starting to shed their leaves, there's plenty of sunlight.” - Scotts
The warm air, autumn rain, and lack of new weeds provide a great climate for grass to grow.
Mow
The hot and dry August probably made it hard for your grass to grow, which meant not a lot of mowing. This all changes in the fall. With the temperature lowering and the moisture increasing, your grass is going to start growing again.
“Fall does not mean you are done mowing - keep mowing until your lawn stops growing, but consider cutting it shorter to prevent snow mould and other fungal diseases.” - Do My Own
This is good news for the people that love mowing, but sadly bad news for those that don’t. Still, it’s got to be done!
Until snow falls, your lawn is going to need maintenance, but don’t worry, it’s all worth it when you have the healthiest, greenest lawn on the block in the spring!
Need help with any of this or anything else for your lawn? Contact us today for a FREE quote! We’ll come in, clean up your lawn/gardens, and leave—while you sit back, relax, and do something you enjoy!