Proper lawn care in fall will give you a healthy yard, increased value of your home, and a healthier body.
We get it: The summer is over, the kids are in school, and football graces television sets around the country four days a week. A glorious season, indeed. However, this is no excuse to ignore your lawn. In fact, your yard needs some special attention this time of year. Ignoring your lawn in autumn will result in extra work in the spring.
Here are five tips to handle your lawn care in fall.
1. Mow Lower
You want your grass to produce more nutrients in the summer. In autumn, however, drop it back down to 2 inches. This is the standard deck height for most mowers.
Don’t mow too short. A lawn cut too short in the fall will be a breeding ground for weeds.
If you don’t mow low enough, your yard will be ruined by leaves, winter snow, and be a safe haven for field mice.
2. Rake on the Reg
Some people love the appearance of fall. And yes, the leaves turning colors is pretty and will have an artistic look scattered around on your grass. However, allowing leaves to pile up on your yard is a bad idea.
Raking leaves is lawn care in fall 101. As they become wet and stick together, they form a mat-like surface that suffocates your grass. This will result in springtime patches, making your yard an eyesore.
3. Yoink Those Weeds
Many weed varieties go to seed in the fall. If you want to avoid a lawn in spring that’s full of weeds, get them in autumn.
If you’re averse to using chemical herbicides, a simple vinegar and water solution will do the trick. Just do your best to keep it on the weeds and not your grass.
4. Aerate the Soil
This isn’t an annual thing. Aeration is a part of proper lawn care in fall, but you really only need to do it every couple of years.
Essentially, this is just poking holes in your lawn. You can do it by hand with a border fork or rent a machine. The purpose is to loosen up your grass and create channels for water, oxygen, and fertilizer to ensure your lawn grows healthy and strong in spring.
5. Fertilization for Lawn Care in Fall
You shouldn’t care about the growth of your yard right now. For lawn care in fall, you want to worry about what’s going on beneath the surface.
Your lawn should be properly aerated. Now’s the time to capitalize on the previous labor. Fertilizing your lawn in the fall will allow your roots to grow quickly and be healthy. This is when you want to lay seeds in bald or thin spots. You’ll want to rake the soil so your seed and fertilizer can work quickly and effectively.
These are the secrets to building an amazing lawn. What you do in the off-season matters just as much as what you do in the spring and summer.
If you would like to find out more about our Milwaukee lawn care services, have questions, or would like to utilize our services, contact us today.
