By Jenny Biczak, Lawn Central
Photographs courtesy of Lawn Central
Now that we’ve officially said our goodbyes to summer, it is time to switch gears. Autumn is the ideal season to get your lawn in shape for next year. You’ve spent the summer carefully cultivating a pristine lawn with thick, green turf worthy of all the stares. With some basic maintenance leading up to the winter, you can rest assured that come spring, you will have a lawn sure to impress.
Low and mow. Continue cutting your lawn but go about one to two inches shorter than you have leading up to fall. Keep up the mowing routine until your grass stops growing in early winter. Shorter grass prevents it from becoming matted down under leaves and snow.
Continue watering. With the seasons changing and temperatures dropping, you may think that watering is no longer needed. Not true, my friend. Even with the cooler weather rolling in, your lawn still needs about one inch of water per week. Watering in the fall can help revitalize the areas that may have seen better days due to high traffic or short bouts of drought.
Tidy is key. Leaves left on the lawn block sunlight, trap moisture and may encourage disease. Get out your favorite leaf removal accessories and keep up with clean up! Rake your leaves often or try a mulching mower to keep your grass clear of debris. If you have an abundance of leaves, now may be the time to try your hand at composting!
Fall feeding. Fall is the absolute best time to feed, helping your lawn through the winter and into the spring. Feeding your turf will act as an insurance policy on that lawn that you’ve been working so hard on all summer long. It will provide nutrients essential for the remainder of the growing season and encourage root growth for a strong comeback in spring. Fertilizing also helps your lawn recover from any injuries or neglect that may have happened over the summer.
Fill and chill. Take advantage of the cooler days by repairing unsightly bare or bald areas with Harmony Sod. It’s available by the piece or pallet from your favorite lawn improvement center. If you see some thinning areas, overseeding can encourage a thicker, greener grass come spring. Patching and overseeding will improve the look and health of your lawn with minimal effort.
Pollinators are vital to our continued existence. But you may respond - Winter is here, the pollinators are gone. There are quite a few pollinators that overwinter in or near our garden. click here. for an article that will tell you more about how to encourage pollinators in the winter months.
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