Fall Lawn Maintenance Projects

Posted on: Oct 12, 2022Luis M Pérez

We always say that a healthy spring lawn starts in the fall, and we cannot stress this enough. Below we will discuss the important projects you need to consider to ensure that your lawn grows thick, green, and healthy next spring. 

Fall Clean Up

The most important fall maintenance project is to rake your lawn before the first snowfall. If you do not rake the leaves and debris before snowfall, they will rot in the spring and produce fungus and disease in the lawn.

Do Not Wait Until Spring

Moreover, you will still need to rake it all up in the spring. It will be much harder because the debris will be wet and heavy. When doing your fall cleanup, remove all leaves, twigs, garbage, and even some of the dead grass (also known as thatch). This will ensure that your lawn is able to breathe better in the spring and reduces your chances of developing a fungus problem. 

Fall Fertilizer 

It is important to fertilize every fall. When you fertilize in the fall, your grass will take in the nutrients before it goes dormant, strengthening and protecting it through a difficult winter. Additionally, any nutrients not absorbed by the grass will remain in the soil and be taken up by the grass in the spring. This will lead to a speedy recovery after winter. 

Fall Seeding 

Fall is the best time to seed your lawn. Seeding helps your lawn recover from a difficult summer by thickening up thin and bare spots. A thicker, healthier lawn is an important step in preventing weeds and crabgrass in the following season. 

Fall Tree & Shrub Maintenance

This is also a great time to do your tree and shrub maintenance. Including trimming, pruning, and fertilizing. We choose the fall for these important activities because the cooler conditions put less stress on the plants. And because they help protect your landscape over the winter. In addition to pruning, trimming, and fertilizing, fall is also a great time to pull weeds and replace the mulch. 

Fall Pre-Emergent 

In southern climates, where snow is less common, fall is a great time to apply pre-emergent weed control to prevent winter weeds. Winter weeds would never grow in a climate like Illinois or Indiana because it’s too cold and there is too much snow. However, in a place like Texas, for example, winter weeds thrive. Good pre-emergent weed control will prevent 70% or more of these weeds from even growing in the first place. 

Questions?

For information on Fall lawn Maintenance Projects, don’t hesitate to contact our Doctor Green Lawn Care Expert, Luis Perez, via email at luisp@doctorgreen.com.