The leaves are beginning to change shades, Sundays are set for football, and pumpkin-spiced lattes are everywhere. This is the season of fall. You may be tempted to cozy up in warm sweaters or even go leaf-peeping (yes, it's an actual thing). Be sure to take care of your lawn. With the changing seasons, so do the requirements of your lawn. This is why we've compiled our top autumn lawn care guidelines.
This guide to fall lawn maintenance can assist you in preparing your lawn to be able to enjoy winter and have the springtime greening up.
The most effective method of prepping your lawn for autumn depends on the type of grass you choose to plant, whether warm-season as well as cool-season grasses.
These grasses are typically seen in warmer parts of the United States, like the Southern states and the southern region of California. They peak during summer before becoming dormant during the autumn. The most common warm-season grasses are:
Bermuda grass
Centipede grass
Zoysia grass
Bahia grass
These grasses typically grow in the U.S.'s northern and midwestern areas and many areas of Canada. The grasses are at their peak during the autumn and can include:
Kentucky bluegrass
Perennial Ryegrass
Continue to mow your lawn.
Maintain your cool-season lawn all through fall. Consider raising your mower's height to half an inch or even a full inch. When daylight hours decrease, the grass with more leaves will be better able to take in more sun. With winter approaching, cut the grass again to avoid fungal disease.
Be aware of your lawn in the summertime. Once it has stopped growing, it is possible to store the mower for the remainder of the year in autumn.
Get started with the raking.
The vibrant leaves symbolize fall, but it's not fun to see them pile up over your lawn. Routinely raking your property to eliminate the amount of leaf debris is crucial whether you're in the warm or cool season lawn.
Leaves on your lawn may block the nourishment sunlight your grass requires for survival through winter. The leaves can also hold in water, inviting fungal growth.
Make Your Lawn Aererated
The soil can become complex and compressed during the long, hot summer. If you've got an excellent season lawn, the fall months are ideal for aeration. Aerating creates holes in the soil to let oxygen, water, and nutrients reach the grass's roots. (For grass in the warmer season, it is recommended to aerate in spring.)
Fertilize Your Lawn
Feed your grass in the cooler months and aid in preparing the lawn to be ready for winter by giving it an application of fertilization. In the case of most cool-season properties, the most effective time for fertilization is approximately six weeks before the frost. This usually refers to either October or November.
Feeding your lawn during the warm season in the fall is unnecessary. You'll have to wait until springtime to apply your preferred fertilizer.
Be Sure to Keep Weeds Out
Perennial weeds, like dandelions and henbits, sneak into lawns in the fall. Many times, the seeds that are dropped during summer grow in autumn. Properties in the warmer season are particularly susceptible to weeds when they move into the fall dormancy.
Select the weedkiller you prefer and apply it to your lawn thoroughly. Controlling weeds in autumn can help keep weeds from sprouting next spring.
Take into consideration whether you can overseed
If you have grass that is hot-season, it's possible that you don't like an unattractive brown lawn during autumn. If you're looking for a lush green lawn in the fall, consider overseeding it with cool-season grasses like Ryegrass.
Homeowners with cool lawns who have noticed areas of thin or bare grass may want to overseed their lawns to increase thickness. Be sure to oversee it for about 45 days before the freezing point. It will allow the seeds time to grow roots.
Make Adjustments to your irrigation.
If you are watering your lawn using an irrigation system, hose or other automated irrigation system, it is necessary to alter your watering schedule throughout the season. If your property isn't developing, you may stop the watering process (unless you've managed your grass).
The lawns in the cooler months will require irrigation throughout the year. However, the property can be drier with irrigation frequency as temperatures cool. Integrate rain from the fall into your routine irrigation program to save the water bill and not overwater your lawn.
