Step 1: Take a picture of your lawn to the local garden center
Making a picture of the areas of your lawn that look like they may need special attention will help you get information about the kind of fall fertilizer you need and any other product that may be required to eliminate diseases in your lawn. You may want to take a piece of turf with you that exhibits a particularly troublesome condition. You can get advice on how to repair damaged turf.
If you’re new to fall lawn care then it’s always good to get a second opinion and an educated professional will be able to give you the information you need to give you a durable lawn that will endure through the seasons.
Step 2: Continue to water
Your lawn will need water in the fall if the weather has been dry. Be sure to water enough for the water to penetrate deep into the soil. A good depth is six inches. Your lawn is beginning to store nutrients and repair areas that have been damaged by the wear and tear that a lawn typically experience during the summer.
Step 3: Aerate the lawn
This step can be handled a variety of ways. You can aerate your lawn by taking a pitch fork from your garage and sticking it into the ground. That’s the cheapest way to do it. However, a pitch fork is not necessarily the most efficient tool to use to aerate your lawn.
Step 4: Remove the thatch
You can buy thatching rakes that are designed to remove thatch from your lawn. Removing thatch is a good step because too much thatch will slow the penetration of fertilizer and water to the grass roots. You can measure the amount of thatch in your lawn by cutting out a small piece of the lawn and checking the depth of the thatch. Any amount more than one-half inch indicates that thatch removal is necessary.
Step 5: Apply a fertilizer that includes a weed prevention product
Use a fertilizer with the right mix of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The amount of each will vary depending on where you live and the soil type. Your local garden center can advise you on the best mix of these chemicals for you lawn. If you really want to get the right mix, you can have your soil tested for its pH content. You can prevent most weeds in the spring by using a fertilizer with a weed prevention product included.
Recommended: Scotts Turf Builder, Scotts Winter Guard
Step 6: Eliminate weeds in the lawn
This is an important step to prevent weeds from sprouting in the Spring. Weeds can quickly destroy your lawn if you don’t take action. Too often homeowners spend all their time getting rid of the weeds but your focus should be on prevention.
If you want to eliminate weeds you have to grow and nurture a healthy lawn. Weeds are a sign that your lawn in unhealthy. A lush lawn with thick deep roots won’t allow weeds to flourish. It’s important to understand why and how weeds develop.
Once you get rid of your weeds you then have to turn your attention to strengthening your lawn as you would focus on improving your immune system after suffering from an illness. Strengthen you lawn in order for it develop an immunity to weeds.
Step 7: Cut the grass at a shorter height
If you increased the height of your mower blades for the summer, then reduce the height for Fall cutting. The point of this step is to prevent the grass from matting under the weight of snow, but don’t cut the grass so short that it exposes the base of the grass blades.
Fall is the only time of year that you should cut your lawn between 1.5″ to 2-inches. There are two main reasons why you want to keep your lawn short. First, it will greatly reduce the it’ll lessen the chance of snow mold forming when the snow melts at the end of winter. And, by keeping your grass shor, tall grass blades won’t fold over and choke your new grass when spring arrives.
Step 8: Spread grass seed over your lawn
Fill in bare spots and thin areas with grass seeds developed to grow with your grass. Keep the seeds watered until they sprout. This will help to establish a lush lawn.
Step 9: Apply a thin layer of top dressing
After you have completed Steps 1 through 8, apply a thin layer of premixed top dressing. You can wait until the grass is growing slowly, or you can apply a top dressing right after you have aerated your lawn. Either way will work, but most experts prefer to apply it when the grass is growing slowly.
Step 10: Plan ahead
Remember that fall lawn care prepares your lawn for the long winter and for creating a full lush lawn In the spring. Fall is the time when the grass is absorbing moisture, energy and the nutrients needed for the long winter months. This is also the time when the lawn is preparing to create that beautiful lush green carpet.
Proper fall lawn care is an important step in maintaining a healthy lawn all year round. Just because summer ends doesn’t mean you can start neglecting your lawn.