Summer’s end is not a signal to stop taking care of your turf. In fact, fall lawn maintenance has a direct effect on how your lawn looks come spring. With winter around the corner, what matters most is getting the grass healthy enough to handle the harsh weather. Follow these fall lawn maintenance tips before you hang up your tools and hideaway the mower for the next season.

Raking Is Rule One

It’s necessary to remove that carpet of colorful leaves that covers the lawn each fall. Although it looks lovely, that leafy blanket blocks out sunlight and prevents air and nutrients from getting to the turf. Don’t wait until all the leaves are down to save yourself from repeating the task. Damp leaves smother the grass and create a breeding ground for fungal disease. The sooner you remove leaves, the better.

Mow What Grows

Don’t put the mower away yet! Keep cutting the grass while it’s growing, which is usually until the first frost. On the last mow, make sure to cut grass about 2-1/2 inches high, which is a healthy height for cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. Be sure not to cut more than a third of the blade’s height at each mowing. Watering is another task that should be continued into fall. Make sure the grass gets about an inch of water per week, including rain, up until the end of October.

Feed Your Lawn in Fall

Fertilizing is a fall lawn maintenance must. It helps the grass heal from summer’s hot, dry weather and extra traffic, while getting it hardy enough for winter. If you fertilize in early fall, grass gets the nutrients it needs to survive the winter and thrive in spring. Fall is also the right time to kill certain weeds. Combine your efforts and put down a weed-and-feed product to handle the two tasks simultaneously.

Clean Up

Besides raking leaves, other cleanup tasks remain. Aerate your lawn to remove excess thatch and loosen up compacted soil. The process places holes in the turf making it easy for water, oxygen, and fertilizer to reach the grass roots. Now is also the time to put away lawn furniture, toys, and yard tools. Reseed the bare spots left behind where these items sat for long periods of time.

Fall Lawn Maintenance Matters

Is your lawn ready to weather the winter ahead? If you need help with fall lawn maintenance, call the experts. Contact Free Spray Lawn Care today at 419-529-5296. We’ll get your grass in good health so you can enjoy a beautiful yard in spring.