A beautiful, lush lawn can improve the look and curb appeal of any home. It does take some work, but a little planning ahead and a bit of maintenance this fall will yield a healthy lawn for your neighbors to envy and your family to enjoy. Follow these lawn care tips this fall to be sure your home’s front lawn will be looking lovely by early summer!
- Rake those leaves! : This may sound like an obvious step to take, but can prevent damage due to suffocation and disease causing organisms which can thrive in moist piles of yard debris. Being diligent about removing fallen leaves will prevent your lawn, as well as your garden beds from suffocating.
- Aerate: An important step to ensure the health of your grass. Performing this service to your lawn reduces soil compaction, and removes excess thatch. This improves the ability for sunlight, air and fertilizer nutrients to infiltrate the soil. This stimulates the root growth, allowing the grass plant to reach and store more water and nutrients. This will result in a higher quality grass growth, for a more lush lawn in the summer.
- Fertilize grass: Nitrogen and Potassium are essential “foods” which will help your grass improve root growth and resist damage from disease. In the cooler autumn months, the grass plant begins to store sugars and other nutrients to prepare for winter. These are reserves which will maintain the plants health. “Winterizing” your grass with the proper amount of fertilizer this fall, will directly affect the quality and appearance of your lawn in the following spring and summer.
- Mowing: As soon as the cooler autumn weather hits, help your grass prepare itself for winter by adjusting the height of your mower blade. Raising the blade about one half inch above the recommended summer mowing height will stimulate growth in any roots that are stunted. Then, for your final fall mowing, lower the blade down to one half inch below summer level. (If you are using a mulching mower, leave the final clippings on the lawn, as this will provide nutrients and protect the delicate crowns of the grass plants.)