As your grass prepares for the winter dormant season, you can help prepare it for its spring wake up call! A healthy lawn requires maintenance every season, so here are some fall lawn care tips to help you put your yard to bed.

Fall Lawn Care

In order to get the grass looking its best later on, there are some things you need to now.

• Remove fallen leaves. You don’t have to rake them into huge piles or bag them up as trash, but you shouldn’t just leave the leaves alone. Left on your lawn, the blanket of fallen leaves collect moisture that leads to disease, blocks light from getting to the grassroots, and weighs down the blades. Whether you blow them, rake them, or mow them, you just need to get them off your grass. It may be easier to chop them up with the lawnmower and let the remains act as natural mulch. You can also use shredded leaves along with grass clippings in the compost pile.
• Mow more. The grass will continue to grow until the first hard frost. Until then, you need to maintain the right grass height to help prevent long blades from matting under leaves and attracting fungi.
• Keep watering. Grass roots need to be well hydrated going into the winter. Even though the cooler fall temperatures won’t evaporate rain and dew as much, you still need to be sure the soil is properly quenched with at least an inch of water a week.
• Aerate. Loosen the soil that may have become compacted under high lawn traffic all summer long. This way the roots can benefit from all the water, nutrients, and oxygen coming its way.
• Fertilize. Once you’ve opened up your soil, fill it with food for your plants. A slow-release fertilizer helps distribute nutrients throughout the winter.
• Overseed. Bring in the reinforcements to help prevent future weeds. By filling in any bare lawn spots, you’ll help prevent weeds from filling it in for you.

Keeping a Maintenance Schedule

In order to make the most of your lawn care chores, schedule the steps above at the appropriate time. Fertilizing early or seeding too late may lead to baby blades sprouting and not surviving the winter. The specialists at Cardinal Lawns can help you determine the best time for lawn maintenance. Plus, with the right equipment and professionals to do the job, it gives you less to worry about this season. You’ll be one step closer to enjoying a lush yard next year