Winter is rapidly approaching, and for some of us, that means so is the snow.
There are things you can do to both help your lawn survive the winter and get a head start on your spring yard maintenance!
By following the below tips your lawn will come back and be lush and green quicker.
Leaf Removal
It is not always necessary to completely remove your leaves, however, if you have an excess amount of leaves on your lawn, you should remove some of them.
If you only have a thin covering on your lawn, you can mulch them with a lawn mower and leave them on the lawn. They will break down and add organic material and nutrients to your lawn.
If you leave too many leaves on your lawn it could lead to mold growing, or to them suffocating your grass. So be sure that if you have an excess, remove some before you mulch the rest!
Don’t Stop Mowing!
Keep mowing your grass until it stops growing.
During your final two mows of the year adjust the blade to the lowest setting. But remember, just as the 1/3 rule applies during the rest of the year, it still applies in the fall! Be sure that you only cut 1/3 of the blade at a time, and cut it 1/3 each mow until you reach the lowest level on your mower. This will protect the blade from having too much stress put on it at once.
Mowing the grass on the lowest blade setting leaves less of the grass leaf to turn brown during the dormant months.
Aerate Compacted Soil
Prepare your lawn for the winter by doing some core aeration!
If your soil is compacted this will be very beneficial for helping keep your lawn healthy during the colder months.
Core aeration involves removing a plug of the soil this allows the compacted soil to spread out, it also allows oxygen, water, and nutrient to easily reach the root systems of the grass.
Over Seed
This is a great time to over seed your lawn. Especially if you have bald spots. Obviously you will want to do this early in the fall to prepare your lawn for the winter so the seeds have time to grow a little bit.
Spread the grass seed over your yard in the bare areas and care for it as recommended.
Fertilize
After your final mow, it’s time to fertilize!
Fertilizing in the fall is a great idea, and it’s the time you should fertilize if you only do it once a year.
Be sure that you apply a consistent layer of fertilizer over your entire yard.
Fertilizing in the fall will help the roots of the grass stay healthy while they hibernate and will help your grass come back quicker in the spring. The quicker your grass comes in, the less weeds you will have!
To help you out even more, there are specially made winterizing fertilizers that you can purchase to give your lawn the best treatment!
Take care of the weeds
If you have a problem with weeds, tackle it now!
If there are dandelions or other broadleaf weeds taking over your yard, apply herbicides now, and they won’t grow back in the spring. Wouldn’t that be nice? No fluffy dandelions to deal with when you’re trying to keep your lawn lush and green. Be sure to read the instructions on the herbicide before applying.
These tips are sure to help your lawn come back quicker and healthier! Don't slack just because it's fall. Take care of your lawn now to save yourself some time in the spring.