Fall lawn care secrets for healthy

Take advantage of the cool fall weather to fertilize, control weeds, and improve the health and appearance of your yard. A little work now will pave the way for a lush, green carpet when temperatures warm up again in the spring. Try these fall lawn care ideas to ensure a healthy lawn next year.

1. Adjust your mowing height

If you raise the height of the mower in the summer to reduce heat stress on your lawn, return the mower deck to its normal height in the fall (about 3 inches is ideal for most grasses). Mowing your lawn a little shorter in the fall helps prevent the grass from sinking under leaves and snow. However, avoid cutting the grass too short. Tightly mowed turf has fewer roots and allows weeds to gain a foothold.

2. Water your grass a lot

If a summer drought persists into the fall, consider watering your lawn twice deeply before the onset of frost. Fall lawn care, which includes several inches of deep soaking, helps transition the lawn to winter before the soil freezes. Often, autumn weather will change, and nature will provide you with moisture. But if you must water, do it in the morning when there is less wind, which will limit evaporation.

3. Apply compost

If you live in the north, fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Cool-season grasses such as bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass respond well to feeding in early September and late fall (late October or November). This helps them to be green earlier and beautiful in the spring. On the other hand, in the South, avoid fertilizing dormant warm-season grasses unless seeded with winter rye.

4. Invasive weeds

The best way to control weeds is to create a healthy, green lawn without relying on chemical herbicides. Focus on mowing at the right height, aerating as needed, and adding compost to provide the necessary nutrients. Smaller weeds are usually shaded out when your lawn is in top shape.

For bigger weeds, break out your weeders and pull up these pesky plants, roots and all. If you must use a weed killer, follow the label directions carefully and target only the weeds you want to kill rather than treating your entire lawn.

5. Fix dead patches

Early fall lawn care includes reseeding dead or thinning patches in cool-season lawns. If you sow in the fall, there will be fewer weeds next year. Seedlings are established before the onset of oppressive hot weather. A mulch embedded with seed and compost is a convenient way to fill product gaps. Prepare the soil bed with a rake before sowing and encourage rapid germination by watering the new seed continuously for two weeks after application.

6. Lay Sod

Fall is a great time to start a new cool-season lawn or supplement an existing lawn with turf. Mild temperatures and plenty of moisture will set in quickly. A high-quality lawn is thick, dense and weed-free. It is a convenient way to get an instant solution for blank spots. Be prepared to water the new lawn daily if conditions dry out.

7. Check thatch

Thatch is a layer of dead organic matter near the soil surface. A thick layer of thatch can lead to disease and insect problems and damage from drought and cold weather. Plaque can form when you fertilize your lawn or water too often. Check thatch by turning a small area of soil with a spade. An inch of straw or less is not a problem. If it's more than that, your lawn will benefit from removing some.