The best way to ensure that your yard possesses thick, luscious grass in the springtime is to get a jump on lawn care during the cool fall months. Make sure the grass is greener on YOUR side next spring by practicing these lawn care tips!
Clear Out the Fallen Leaves
The carpet of colorful fallen leaves may look gorgeous, but they are really bad for the health of your grass. The leaves trap moisture and block out light. It is best practice to blow or rake away fallen leaves to avoid the soggy, decaying mass you will find come springtime.
Don’t Put Away the Mower Just Yet
Your grass will continue to grow and flourish until the first frost settles on it. Keep your grass cut at an ideal 1.5-3 inch length. Any longer and the blades will twist and tangle, causing them to mat. Matted grass is a great place for snow mold to grow. Mowing your grass in the fall is also a good way to chop up straggling leaves, a soil-enriching mulch!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
While the cooler weather typically comes with more rain, more dew, and less evaporation, that doesn’t mean you need to stop watering your grass. If your grass isn’t getting at least 1 inch of water a week, you will need to continue watering until the end of November, or when you start getting frost.
Shake Up the Soil
Every few years, you should fill up your soil so that it doesn’t become compacted and covered in roots, stems, and debris that are blocking water.
Add Some Fertilizer
Just like your grass needs water to last through the winter, it also needs to be fertilized! Grass benefits from sugars that protect roots from freezing and give the energy to bounce back in the spring. Those sugars are produced by chlorophyll, which grass produces in abundance when there’s enough nitrogen. This lessens in the wintertime so it is important to manually add fertilizer.
Spread Some Seeds
Fall is a great time to overseed your lawn because the ground is warm, there is plenty of moisture, and the sun isn’t as draining during the day.
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Stick to a Schedule
Make sure you research your area’s weather conditions and the best lawn care according to your region. You will want to make sure you’re watering, fertilizing, and seeding at the correct times to get the results that you want. Play it smart in the fall so you can enjoy a thick carpet of green grass in the spring!