Fall is fast approaching. This is prime time for homeowners to prep their lawn and garden for the next season. This might seem like a no brainer for many expert diyers who perfected the methods to madness. This article, however, is to go over the basics and to-do check list for many new homeowners out there. Once you learn to the fundamentals, it will come naturally year-after-year!
Fertilizing and Over seeding
It’s a feeding frenzy! According to our friends from Scotts, an early fall feeding replenishes the nutrients lost in the harsh summer months. Late fall, when leaves have fallen, is the best feeding time because it builds strong deep roots and prepares the grass for winter. This is also the time you want to over seed your lawn to repair the damage during the summer heat. If you are in the southern area of the country, you might not need to worry about this as much as those in the northern area. There are many great products to address bare spots in your yard. Sutherlands is happy to give you recommendations on what’s best for your yard condition.
Keep Mowing. It will be your last one of the season soon!
You need to keep up with mowing during leaf dropping seasons. Excessive leaves could suffocate your grass. If you can stay on top of it and leave the yard clippings instead of bagging the leaves, the clippings will break down very quickly and return nutrients back into the lawn.
Recommended Mowing Heights (source: Scotts)
·Cool-season grasses: Those living in colder sections of the country with cool-season turfgrass should maintain their grass at a height of 1.5 to 2 inches.
·Warm-season grasses: Those residing in warmer areas growing a warm-season turfgrass should maintain their grass at a height of 2 to 2.5 inches.
Aerating your lawn. Let it breathe, let it grow.
It’s like fluffing your hair to refresh! You need to let the lawn breathe for better nutrient absorption. It helps reduce lawn thatching. You know just like you want to loosen the soil and roots before planting flowers. Lawn is the same way too to help promote root growth. The thicker and heather it grows, it helps crowd out the weeds.
Garden manicure at its best.
Get out your handy lawn tools, trimmers, chain saws, loppers, ladders, garden gloves. It is time to trim your trees and shrubs back. Cutting back dead tree branches will only ensure a more luscious spring. Trim your perennials to the ground. It will give your plants more energy to build stronger roots. This is also ideal time to split perennials and bulbs. Make sure the foliage has died back.
Fall Planting
You might notice the soil remains moist longer in the fall. That is why it creates a great opportunity to get a head start on planting foundation plants like trees and shrubs. Before it freezes, be sure to mulch all your landscaping, especially around young trees and shrubs.
Irrigation
You still want to keep watering grass before freeze. A fall must do list addition is to winterize your irrigation system if you have one. Check for leakage, drain out the sprinkler system for the end of the season.
Stop by your local Sutherlands for all the supplies you need to get going on your fall lawn care started:
- grass seeds
- fertilizer
- lawn mowers
- trimmers
- blowers
- wheelbarrows
- dump carts
- rakes and lawn bags
- lawn power tools
- lawn hand tools
- mulch
- soil
- hoses
- sprinklers
- trees and shrubs
