8 Simple Steps for Complete Fall Lawn Care

Winter is looming, and you need to get your grass prepped before the snow falls. Step one: rake those leaves!

 

While it’s not always the most exciting undertaking, finishing your fall lawn care tasks is oh-so-satisfying. If you can take an afternoon to get through these steps, you’ll ensure your grass will look lush and green next spring! 

 

Make Time This Fall to Complete These Necessary Lawn Care Tasks

Go through these eight fall lawn care steps, and you’ll see a noticeable difference in the health and vigor of your turf grass next year. 

 

Stop Mowing by Late October

There’s no reason to keep mowing the lawn in November! Growth has slowed down, and your grass is entering dormancy. Avoid cutting your grass too short—keep it to a minimum of 2.5 inches. 

 

Rake or Mulch Those Leaves

Leaving big clumps of fall leaves on the lawn can create a breeding ground for bad bacteria and attract pests. Rake or mulch those dead leaves before the snow falls! Leaf mulch can be added to the garden and spread across the soil to help insulate your plants’ roots, and it offers a place for pollinators to burrow and hibernate over the winter. 

 

Dethatch the Grass

Pulling a thatching rake through tangled grass and ripping up the matted areas will let air and water through and make it much easier for your lawn to regrow. After you rake your leaves, go over the lawn once again with the thatching rake and watch all the dead grass come to the surface. You’ll practically hear your lawn sigh with relief!

 

Test Your Soil

A soil test will tell you if your soil lacks any essential nutrients or if the pH balance is off. By testing in fall, you can add the necessary amendments before the snow falls. By amending your soil in advance, your lawn will have plenty of time to soak it up, so it comes back healthy, fortified, and balanced in the springtime. 

If you’re interested in testing your soil, pay us a visit! Primex Garden Center offers free soil testing if you bring in a dry soil sample from three inches deep.

 

Eliminate Weeds Before They Go to Seed

Weeds are tenacious, and many of them are still growing and preparing to go to seed in the fall. Always pull weeds before they go to seed, or else you’ll have a much bigger weed problem the following year. Avoid using chemical weed controls unless completely necessary, and be sure to use them sparingly on a calm, dry, windless day. Remember that weed killers can kill grass and inhibit new grass seeds from germinating, so you’ll need to wait a few weeks before reseeding if you use herbicides. 

 

Aerate the Soil

Soil naturally gets compacted over time from rainfall and foot traffic. This prevents moisture from properly draining through, resulting in pools of water across the lawn. You can use two types of aerators: spike aerators and plug aerators. Spike aerators poke holes deep into the soil and loosen it up, whereas plug aerators pull out little tubes of soil. Both methods are effective in loosening the soil and improving air circulation. 

 

Apply Fall Fertilizer

While most landscape plants don’t need any more fertilizer in autumn, applying fall lawn fertilizer is a great idea. It won’t interfere with the dormancy cycle of your grass. Instead, it will provide the nutrients it needs to bounce back in spring!

 

Reseed Where Necessary

A few weeks after you’ve used your fertilizers, herbicides, and amendments, you can overseed your lawn and fill in any bare patches. Water the landscape thoroughly after spreading your seeds to help it get nicely established. 

 

If you have any questions about fall lawn care in Pennsylvania, or if you need to stock up on any grass seed, soil amendments, or supplies, you know where to find us! Primex Garden Center in Glenside has everything you need to get your lawn off to a great start in 2023.