Fall Yard & Lawn Care

With autumn upon us and winter rapidly approaching, you're probably not spending much time thinking about your lawn. But autumn, with its cooler temperatures and occasional rainfall, is the perfect time to prepare your lawn for next spring.  Cooling temperatures slow above ground growth, and moist soil encourages strong root development.  Many homeowners think lawns need less care in the fall because the grass grows more slowly. In fact, just the opposite is true. During autumn, grass is busily absorbing energy, moisture, and nutrients in preparation for a long, dormant winter.

Here are some steps to help get your lawn ready:

Aerate your lawn:   A lush and thriving lawn requires the right amount of air and water penetration to allow vital nutrients to enter the soil. If rainfall pools on the grass, it's time to aerate compressed soil so oxygen, water and nutrients can reach the roots. A garden fork can do the job on a small yard. For medium size yards, use a walk-behind aerator that pulls out 2½-to 3-inch-deep soil plugs, which will break down naturally by spring. If you yard is very large, you may want to rent a power yard aerator by the day for a small fee.

Feed your Grass:   Cutting back on fertilizer in late summer prevents perennials from wasting energy on leaf production, however, grass roots keep growing until the ground gets down to around 40 degree.  If you fertilize your lawn only once a year, do it in the fall. A fall application of fertilizer delivers essential nutrients for the grass to grow deep roots now and to keep nutrients on reserve for a healthy start next spring. Wait until mid-to-late fall, then apply a dry lawn fertilizer to all grassy areas; be careful not to miss any spots. Fertilize with a high-phosphorus (12-25-12) mix to encourage roots, so turf is healthier and greener in the earlier spring. You could use a crank-style broadcast spreader, but for optimum coverage, consider using a walk-behind drop spreader. It takes a little longer, especially on hilly yards, but a drop spreader provides the best way to apply an even, consistent layer of fertilizer.

One Final Mow:   Continue to water and mow your lawn, as needed, throughout the fall. Then as the season draws to a close and the weather gets cooler, drop the mower's blade to its lowest setting for the last two cuttings of the year. That will allow more sunlight to reach the crown of the grass, and there will be less leaf to turn brown during the winter. You should trim your lawn down to about 1.25” for the last cut of the season. Fallen leaves blow easier across short grass when there is nothing to cling to and diseases have a harder time growing on shorter blades of grass.

Collect Fallen Leaves:   Be sure to collect all fallen leaves form your lawn (as well as your gutters I know raking leaves is no one's idea of fun, but it's important to remove fallen leaves from your lawn as soon as possible. Don't wait until all the leaves have fallen from the trees to start raking. If you do, the leaves will become wet from rain and morning dew, stick together, and form an impenetrable mat that if left unmoved will suffocate the grass and breed fungal diseases. To make fallen leaves easier to transport, rake them onto a plastic tarp.  If you really want to be yard friendly, add them to a compost bin—a simple chicken-wire pen will do. Flip the leaf pile every week with a garden fork to aerate; the "black gold" that results next year can nourish lawns, flower beds, and shrub borders.

Here are some steps to help get your yard read:

Trim Dead Limbs:   Lifeless branches can succumb to winter snow and high winds, endangering you and your home. For large jobs, make sure to call a professional “Tree Care Specialist” who will be able to remove limbs in a safe and efficient way. But you can protect small ornamental trees from further damage by cutting cracked, loose, and diseased limbs close to but not flush with the trunk. You can leave the wounds exposed to heal. Pruning too soon can harm your trees and shrubs. So, when it comes to fall pruning, procrastination is the way to go. Wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or November.

Cut Back Perennials:   A little work now results in healthier spring beds: Evict tired annuals, as well as the snails and slugs that feed on them, which breed in fall. Trim spent perennial foliage down to the ground; this sends energy to the roots, for next season. Every three years, divide crowded tuberous plants, like irises and daylilies: More space means more flower.

Plant new Shrubs:   In many parts of the country, planting shrubs in early fall gives the plants a head start at establishing roots in the season's cool, moist soil. Make sure to dig a hole twice the diameter and to a depth of 2 inches less than the full height of the root ball; position the shrub in the hole but make sure the top of the root ball remains at, not below, ground level; fill in with soil; water to settle soil; add more soil to top of root ball (don't pack soil down with foot); finish with mulch to help keep plants moist and offer a protective layer.

Mulch Your Plants:   Give new beds a layer of mulch—chopped leaves, weed-free straw, or wood chips—after a light frost, but before the ground freezes. Till decomposed layers of organic mulch into the soil, then apply a fresh 2- to 4-inch layer to keep new plantings warm and to control water runoff and soil erosion. Applying more than 4 inches of mulch may result in mothering the roots of your plants and is not recommended.

Dry Out Water System:   Standing water can freeze and crack drip-irrigation tubing in the colder months as well as give mosquitoes a perfect habitat in warmer fall weather. For simple systems, it’s recommended to turn the water off, unscrews the tap-joint adapter, and, using a high-volume, low-pressure setting on a compressor, inserts an air hose where the system normally attaches to the tap.  Blowing the water out avoids having to uproot the entire system.

Give your yard and lawn a little attention now, and you'll be rewarded with lush, healthy grass, trees and flower gardens come spring.