Fall is a season of family, football, festivities, great food, and pleasantly cool temperatures. But fall is also a season of change in nature, and that means adjusting your lawn care regimen. Don’t worry, though, because your lawn actually loves fall! It’s a nice break from the intense heat and dryness of summer. And while you might think that your grass is about to go dormant, there are 3 long months between summer scorching sun and winter frost. Good lawn care means tending to your grass appropriately during this season of change.
So, what can you do to ensure your grass stays in top shape? Follow these tips from lawn maintenance professionals, and your grass will be beautifully, intensely green and thick all autumn long.
Continue to Mow
Mowing your grass in the summer can seem like a chore that never ends. You mow one day, and the weeds are back the next day. But in the fall, growth slows down to a more comfortable pace. But that doesn’t mean it stops growing! Mow as needed but enjoy the fact that you may not have to mow quite as often. Grass continues to grow until the first winter frost, so try to keep it at a nice, neat-looking height throughout autumn.
Adjust Your Watering Schedule
Your lawn sprinklers won’t have to be as active in the fall, especially if you have a rainy season, because the sun and heat don’t burden your grass as badly anymore. However, you should still monitor its moisture levels. Consider installing a rain gauge to determine how often you should water. Try to keep your grass at about 1 inch or more of moisture per week to keep it green and happy.
Feed Your Lawn
Grass gets hungry too. This fall feed your lawn some nutritious, nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Bone meal and cottonseed meal are some great options that your grass will love. You should fertilize in the fall to help your yard stay healthy through the winter and to promote healthy new growth in the spring.
You can also seed your lawn this fall. Long, hot summer days can create bare or dead patches in your grass, so replace what was lost with new seeds. It takes skill to seed a lawn and ensure full, healthy germination, so consider asking a professional landscaper to help identify areas that need seeding, then have them treated accordingly.
Consider Winterizing and Other Maintenance
Autumn is a good time to look into winterizing your lawn. Preparing in advance can ensure a safe winter for your lawn. For one, find a landscaper who can help you winterize your mower. That means adjusting its settings and maintaining the machine. Then, consider other annual lawn maintenance tasks, such as aerating your lawn. Aeration is the act of treating plugged or compacted soil so that your grass has access to more nutrients. Aerating by late fall can guarantee a greener, thicker, and more even yard without bare patches by spring. Remember that all those nutrients help your grass survive the winter too. Most professional landscapers have aeration equipment that gets the job done. Remember that aerating isn’t tilling, nor is it just stabbing holes in your soil, so turn to a professional for appropriate aerating machinery.
These are the best tips to help your lawn healthy and green throughout fall and to prolong its life as future season challenge your grass. While you can DIY lawn care, we recommend that you turn to a professional for the best lawn maintenance in Reno, NV. Call Action Lawn & Landscape LLC. at 775-323-7488 for more information on fall lawn care.