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Fall Lawn Care: 6 Great Tips!

Fall Lawn Care: Tips From The Pros!

Like most people in the South, you probably have a warm-season grass lawn. This means that your lawn thrives during the warm seasons of spring and summer then goes into a dormant state during fall and winter. It’s easy to be lured into a false sense of security once you put away your mower for the season, but the cooler seasons are just as important for maintaining a beautiful lawn year round. Luckily New Image Lawn & Scapes can help! Follow these 6 simple tips and rest assured that you will enjoy a more beautiful lawn than ever in the spring! Many of these tips are easy “do it yourself” procedures but feel free to contact us for professional services. ~ New image Lawn & Scapes

Seeding

Laying new seed is common among anyone who has cared for a lawn, but there are a couple of different ways to go about it. Traditional push seeders have a limited effect on overall turf density, and can harm existing turf. It’s best to go with power seeding, which will increase turf density while maintaining current turf. Then, if it’s necessary, you can do minor touch-up seeding.

Aeration

Lawn aeration is the process of removing plugs of soil to allow oxygen, water, and nutrients to enter the soil. Aeration relieves the strain of grass compaction, and is especially helpful for yards with high traffic areas. For minor thatching needs, simply rake your lawn.

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(A pitchfork used to be a common tool used for aeration)

Fertilizing

Though the blades of grass grow at a highly decelerated rate during fall and winter, their roots are still growing. Fertilizing your lawn during the fall ensures that roots keep growing and keeps turf strength high.

Rake leaves weekly

If you live in an area with a high volume of deciduous trees, then it may be tempting to wait until most of the leaves have fallen before going to rake, but this can be very damaging to a lawn. Leaves block sunlight, preventing the grass from performing the processes necessary to store food, and leads to unsightly spots of dead grass. To prevent this, rake weekly or use a leaf blower.

 

Leaf collection New Image Lawn and Scapes

Winterize equipment and plants

After you mow your grass for the last time, you should winterize it for safekeeping to ensure that it runs again in the spring. Most owner’s manuals contain a section on how to safely winterize your equipment, but guides can also be found online by searching for what style lawn mower you own. In a similar vein, you should also consider winterizing your trees and shrubs. Some trees, especially evergreens, have a tendency to dry out in the winter, so applying an anti-desiccant can help.

Pest Control

Fewer pests are active during cooler seasons, but fall is a great time to launch a preemptive strike against the nuisances. Some insects can burrow into soil and decrease turf density, so it is a good idea to have an inspector examine your lawn for pests.

Pest control New Image Lawn and Scapes

(Mice are a common fall pest in Virginia)

Sources

  1. www.lawndoctor.com Fall Lawn Care Tips Author: Unknown (Article) Retrieved from: http://www.lawndoctor.com/fall_lawn_care_tips.html
  2. landscaping.about.com Fall Lawn Care Tips Author: David Beaulieu (Blog Post) Retrieved From: http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lawns/a/fall_lawns.htm
  3. www.lowes.com Fall Lawn Care Tips Author: Unknown (Blog Post) Retrieved From: http://www.lowes.com/projects/lawn-and-garden/fall-lawn-care-tips/project

There are one comment

  • Chuck Lebar

    Keep in mind, while you will definitely want to rake leaves, you may not want to remove them entirely. Leaving some behind can serve as food for your plants and shrubs. Depending on what type of leaves you have in your yard, you may have to shred them before you spread them, as not all leaves will decompose by spring. If you’re planning on planting a new bed in the spring, you can also use a leaf pile to clear out the area (it will suffocate everything beneath it). Something to consider!

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