Fall Lawn Care Tips

If you’ve been diligent about lawn care through the summer months and your yard is in a “good spot,” the last thing you want to do is shirk on fall lawn care and lose that progress.

Fact is, fall lawn care is an integral part of the equation. Fall is an opportune time to rejuvenate your lawn after the hot summer months, and at the same time get it prepped and protected for the seasons ahead.

Follow these tips to help ensure a strong and healthy lawn next spring.

1. Get ahead of the weeds

Did you know those annoying spring and summer lawn weeds can be preempted with fall lawn care?

A fall weed control treatment will soak to the root levels of your lawn and have a lasting impact. Your yard will be far less prone to weed growth during the spring months with a fall treatment.

2. Fertilize

Spring and summer months are typically associated with lawn life and vibrancy, but environmental factors like hot temperatures, occasional dry spells, and consistent direct sunlight take a toll on your lawn.

The cooler, oftentimes wetter fall months are a bit of a respite for your lawn, and that can be augmented with added fertilization.

3. Throw down some seed

Fall is an ideal time to reseed your lawn, revitalize any dead patches, and fill in gaps. Particularly in combination with thatch removal/aeration.

4. Aerate

A thatch layer tends to build up over summer. This is a layer of grass clippings and other organic materials that creates a barrier level on your lawn. Thatch can work to block fertilizers, weed control, seeds, other important nutrients, and even water from reaching the root level of your lawn where the beneficial effect occurs.

A mechanical core aerator, which can be rented from a home improvement store, essentially pokes holes through the thatch layer and allows water and treatments to reach the root level of your lawn once again.

5. Some grass clippings and mulched leaves can be a good thing

If you take pride in your yard, then the fall cleanup and raking process is probably pretty thorough.

Some mulched leaves and organic materials can be a good thing, though. Like fertilizers, they provide beneficial organic nutrients to your lawn.

6. Don’t winterize your mower too early

You want your lawn to be at normal height, if not a bit shorter before going “dormant” over the winter months.

This is the opposite of some common thinking, which is the lawn should be grown out prior to winter. The problem with this approach is long grasses can be matted down by snow and ice and suppress the growth of new grass in the spring. Longer grass also increases the likelihood of snow mold.

7. Don’t forget to blow out your sprinkler lines

All these fall lawn care tips will be for naught if your sprinkler system is busted when it’s time to resume watering in the spring. Be sure to have your sprinkler lines emptied to avoid damage, burst lines, and a spring repair headache.

Fall is also a great time to evaluate your lawn equipment tires and make sure you’ve got sufficient traction for next spring.

Check out our selection of tires for lawn mowers and equipment