Fall Lawn Care Protection Tips for Homeowners

Fall means cooler weather and trees shedding their leaves. As fall turns to winter, your lawn care upkeep may require less time. Eventually, the grass will stop growing, and you won’t have to pull your lawn mower out until spring. While you may already be unwinding your lawn care duties, now is the time to complete or prepare for a few projects that will pay off come spring.

Remove Leaves

It may be tempting to ignore the leaves, but you’ll thank yourself in spring if you get the job done now. Leaves can be bad for your grass, as they block out sunlight and moisture. Left alone, leaves can grow mold and other bacteria, which can be harmful to your grass. Fall is also a good time to go through your yard and do a final weed pulling.

Don’t Put the Mower Away Yet

Don’t put your lawn mower away just yet. Fall can surprise us with a few more rainy, warm days, which helps your grass grow. However, you also don’t have to cut your lawn as frequently as you did during the spring and summer months. Too short of grass can be just as bad for your lawn as grass that’s too long over the winter.

Don’t Stop Watering Either

It’s also not quite time to stop watering your lawn yet. You may not have to water your lawn as frequently as you did in the middle of summer, especially as the days get shorter. However, regular water is still important as you seed and aerate your lawn in the next couple of weeks.

Stop Fertilizing

Ideally, you’ll want to stop fertilizing your lawn by early fall. One of the best times to seed your lawn is in the fall, and you’ll want to wait a few weeks before seeding. So, if you plan to have your lawn professionally seeded during the fall months, stop fertilizing now. As a general rule, you should stop fertilizing your lawn at least six weeks before you expect your area’s first frost.

Seed Your Lawn

Fall is one of the best times to add seed to your lawn. Seeding your lawn in the middle of summer dries it out, which defeats the purpose. Fewer plants and weeds grow during fall, so the seeds have a better chance of reaching your lawn’s roots. The cooler weather at night will also help the seeds settle and produce a better lawn. Don’t be afraid to over-seed because using more seeding during the fall is actually recommended for faster growth before the freezing weather comes.

Repair Damaged Parts of the Lawn

Fall is also a good time to repair any damaged parts of your lawn. You might try using fertilizer first on parts of your lawn that don’t grow grass as easily. You can also add extra seeds to parts of the yard that dried out over the summer or that were covered by vehicles or toys, preventing them from receiving sufficient sunlight.

Lower temperatures and fall rain can do wonders for damaged lawns. Fall is also the season when most homeowners store lawn furniture and decor, giving the lawn underneath them time to recover. Try to keep foot traffic to a minimum during fall, especially as you focus on seeding and aerating your lawn. This gives it the best chance of recovery, promising a thriving green lawn come spring.

Even better, taking the time to improve and repair your lawn now can pay off next year by boosting your home’s curb appeal and overall value. You’ll be able to enjoy your yard sooner in the season.

Aerate Your Lawn

Fall is also the best season for lawn aerating because it gives your grass time to recover during winter before coming back stronger and fresher than before in spring. Lawn aeration can be another excellent technique for repairing your lawn, especially if it suffered a lot of damage during the summer months.

Try to schedule your professional lawn aeration service for early fall so you have time to seed and water before it gets too cold. Seeding and aerating your lawn around the same time can lead to lush green grass. Lawn aerating involves putting many small holes in your lawn, which allows water, nutrients, and air to reach the roots easier. When you schedule a lawn aeration service at the same time as seeding, it also makes it easier for the seeds to reach the lawn’s roots.

Homeowners may get a break from lawn care during winter, but stopping your routine too early can lead to damaged grass. Take advantage of the cooler weather now to schedule your professional seeding and lawn aeration service. In return, you’ll be left with a beautiful, ready-to-use lawn in spring.