The weather is growing cooler and the leaves are changing color, which means it’s time for fall landscaping tips from the lawn and tree care experts at Swingle.
Continue to mow and water regularly
There’s a common misconception that when fall arrives, your lawn doesn’t need as much attention as it did in the summer months. Not true. It still needs a fresh cut and steady watering in order to keep it healthy and strong as it enters dormancy. Because of the cooler temperatures, you can begin mowing a little shorter to prepare the blades for when snowfall arrives, and scale back, but don’t eliminate, your watering practices.
Allow your lawn to breathe
After months of enduring the summer heat, the fall is a great time to allow your lawn to breathe. By aerating, or removing tiny portions of soil throughout your lawn, water, oxygen and fertilizer will penetrate deep within the root system providing optimal absorption for a green lawn come the spring.
Get rid of fallen leaves
Raking leaves is a chore few people enjoy. But it’s important that you don’t leave them piled high on your lawn to rot. Doing so encourages fungal diseases to start and spread undetected throughout the winter.
Feed your lawn with fertilizer
Your fall fertilization is perhaps the most important of the year. This specially blended fertilizer is designed to release slowly, providing the nutrients that your lawn will use to survive the winter and for maximum green-up next spring. While grass blades are not growing during the dormant season, the root system is still very much alive.
Now’s the time to fill in those bare spots
Few lawns are spared the occasional bare spot here and there. The fall is the best time to repair those areas with overseeding, as the winter snow will keep the seed moist and enable it to better germinate come the spring.
Take care of weeds now
Weed control is part of your last fertilization for the season. By taking care of them before your lawn goes into dormancy, there’s a better chance they won’t return in the spring. Weeds are most vulnerable in the fall – so make sure you’re taking advantage of that.
If you have any questions regarding any of the information above, contact us today – we’re always here to help.
