Fall weather marks the season when temperatures gradually lower, causing significant changes in the natural world. It is the season between winter and summer when the lawn requires extra care to minimize its changes.
While we cannot guarantee that the winter will be kind to your grass, we can help mitigate the harm with our simple lawn care tips, especially if you use quality lawn care tools and equipment.
Our suggested tips below will help avoid winter damage, safeguard your lawn, and prepare your grass for excellent dormancy before the cold weather arrives.
1. Aerate the Soil
Moist and aerated soil ensures the grass actively grows. Lawn aeration breaks up compacted soil, making it easier for grassroots, water, fertilizer, and air to reach the ground. When lawns are aerated, the grass grows thick and healthy.
Aerating is best done in autumn and spring to help your lawn recuperate, prepare for summer and winter stress, and prevent stunted root development.
2. Mulch the Lawn
A shorter grass cut can help prevent lawn diseases. Reduce the mower’s height in small increments until you reach the best low setting.
Incorporate the fallen leaves into your lawn by mulching them. Raking them up and throwing them away wastes organic matter and nutrients that would benefit your lawn.
3. Plant New Seeds on the Lawn to Fill Any Gaps
Plant new seeds and cover up any gaps. By repairing and reseeding your lawn now, you can give it natural defense against weeds and other grass problems this spring. Overseeding lawns is best done in the fall, especially in regions with mild winters.
Patching barren places with sod, seeds, or plugs is a fantastic project for the milder fall weather, particularly in areas where weeds have been recently hand-pulled or treated using spot treatments. Therefore, your lawn will be thick and lush next spring.
4. Apply Fertilizer to Stimulate Growth
Consider the climate and weather forecasts while applying the last timing. In Sunday’s fall nutrient formula, seaweed extract promotes strong roots, iron stimulates late-season greening, and calcium fortifies plants against pests and diseases.
Apply the fertilizers before autumn arrives since applying nutrient pouches or any fertilizer too late in the year leads to pollution and runoff. The soil may be too frozen for the fertilizer to be absorbed.
5. Water the Lawn
You should water the lawn correctly to prevent it from becoming either too thirsty or too soggy, but not at any other time than when it first appears to be dry. Moreover, watering your grass at night can encourage disease, so try to refrain from doing it.
6. Edge and Mow
The season of the year and the climate will determine how frequently you should mow. Grass needs less cutting in the winter because of frost but more in the summer since it grows more rapidly.
You should cut a third of the lawn length each time you mow with appropriate tools and equipment from John Deere, based on the size of the field and the condition of its vegetative cover.
For example, lawn tractors will handle any mowing needed to keep the grass in your field at a desirable level.
7. Drain the Lawn Adequately
Poorly drained lawns might sit under water for several hours or even days. If the lawn’s drainage is not fixed, it could lead to other health problems. Design the lawn with a gentle slope that directs water away from your home.
Taking on the obligations of a lawn care provider or homeowner can be daunting. You should adjust your lawn maintenance schedule as the season changes. When you adopt these maintenance measures before the fall, the weather results in healthier, greener grass in the next season.