Fall Lawn Care Tips: 5 Steps to a Beautiful Lawn Next Year

Aeration is the process of removing plugs from your lawn and allows water, air, and nutrients to penetrate the roots more effectively. If you have a lot of clay in your soil, aeration is especially important. With soil compaction and heat stress, your lawn may have experienced brown or thinned grass last season. This process will allow your grass to grow back thicker and greener in the springtime!  

Pro Tip: Marking flags are a great way to identify lawn hazards or sprinkler heads during aeration & dethatching so that nothing gets damaged!

#2: Dethatching

Dethatching is also important because it helps remove built-up thatch from the lawn. Thatch is a layer of dead and living grasses, leaves, and other organic matter that can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass.  A small layer of thatch provides insulation from temperature extremes as well as helping keep moisture in your yard's soil.  The problem arises when too much accumulated thatch builds up.  This reduces effectiveness against pests/disease by blocking oxygen distribution throughout its surface area.  Also a thick thatch layer makes it difficult for any new grass growth.  Dethatching every 2-3 years is a great way to keep your lawn at peak performance!

#3: Overseeding

The best time to reseed your lawn is in fall, when the ground still stays warm and there's plenty of moisture. Fall also offers you an opportunity for new growth before winter sets its grip on everything around us! Not only does that fill thin spots or bare patches; it allows aspiring plants like resilient drought-tolerant grasses their chance at life by giving them enough sun during autumn days without being too hot.  

#4: Fertilizer

Fertilizing your lawn in the fall is a great way to make sure that it has enough nutrients throughout winter and into spring. Fall's cooler temperatures and higher moisture helps the fertilizer spread into the soil.  The impact of fertilizing can be greatly enhanced when combined with the aeration & dethatching steps above, and the watering step below.

#5: Continue Watering

Finally, it's important to continue watering your lawn through the fall, even after the weather starts to cool off. The roots of the grass need to stay hydrated in order for the plant to survive winter. For a healthy lawn going into winter, make sure to give it at least an inch of water per week. If you're not getting that much or any rain during the season then running your sprinklers until October will be necessary for keeping grass roots well hydrated and in good shape come April when we get our first real warm day!

By following these five tips, you will be well on your way to having a beautiful lawn next year! Aeration, dethatching, overseeding, fertilizing, and watering are all important steps in fall lawn care. So don't wait until spring to start!