Winterize Your Lawn
Mother Nature is reminding us that summer is over and winter is on its way! When it gets chilly outside, many of us automatically think our lawn work is done for the year. No more mowing, no more weeding, and no more trimming. No so fast! Before you put away all of your gardening tools and equipment, there are a few tasks you’ll want to complete to ensure your yard will be in great shape when the snow melts next spring.
Repair bare spots. The cooler weather helps grass germinate, so now’s a great time to green up those bare spots in your yard. Toss some grass seed in the exposed areas and lightly rake it into the soil. Gently water it now and then to help the seed germinate.
Cut the grass short. If you’re no longer seeing visible growth, your lawn is mostly done growing for the season. By cutting it one last time, you’ll ensure that new grass can grow freely next spring.
Feed your grass. Over the summer, your green carpet of grass has depleted essential nutrients from the soil. Fertilize your yard now to replenish the soil and strengthen the root system.
Give your grass some space. Dirt can be packed down by foot traffic, so if you aerate, you’ll open up space for water and fertilizer to flow down to the roots.
Rake the leaves. This is the classic fall yard activity, and a great one for the whole family to do together. Left on the lawn, wet, fallen leaves can damage your grass as it emerges next spring. Feel free to wait until your trees have lost most of your leaves, and don’t forget to make a couple of big piles for the kids!
Clean up. With cooler weather, there’s no excuse for not cleaning out those flower beds now! Rake to remove dead debris and leaves, go around the edges to stop invading grass, and cut back annuals.
Trim down. Reshape your shrubs and bushes with a trimmer, and remove dead branches, too.
Keeping your lawn healthy takes some work, and a final push when the weather cools down is important. By doing fall maintenance now, you’ll have a super head start on a beautiful lawn next spring.
