Fall is the time to prepare your lawn to ensure that it will be at its best when spring arrives. Homeowners often believe that when they are finished with taking care of the lawn in the summer, there is nothing more to do. We have put together 5 steps that are required in the fall to make sure that your lawn is healthy and beautiful in the spring and on into the summer.
5 Tips For Lawncare In The Fall
- Mow the lawn to a height of 2 inches. It is best to reach this level gradually; don’t cut the lawn to 2 inches in one cut since this will hurt the grass. Cut to 2 inches gradually so that this is the height when the grass stops growing. This height will help deter the growth of winter lawn diseases in Cincinnati. Snow mold is an example of a disease that is harmful to grass, but can be prevented.
- Homeowners often let leaves set on the grass well into December. All of the effort put into maintaining a beautiful lawn will be wasted if leaves are left on the grass too long. Leaves will suffocate the grass to death, making it very difficult to bring the grass back in the spring.
- Many homeowners don’t realize they should apply fertilizer in the fall. Fertilizer is needed for root growth! You can use a fertilizer formulated for a late fall application which will stimulate root growth and help with winter color. This fertilizer will boost the lawn’s spring color with green grass. This fertilizer should be applied before the ground freezes.
- If the soil is compacted, it may be time to aerate the soil so that the fertilizer and water can get to the roots. This will also benefit the grass when fertilizer is applied for the spring feeding.
- Removing the thatch buildup may be required if the thatch is more than one half inch thick. If the thatch is close to being one half inch thick, it might be a good idea to remove it since it will become too thick very soon after the spring mowing begins. Thatch will prevent the nutrients from reaching the roots, and this thwarts the fall lawn preparation. The nutrients will also have a difficult time reaching the roots in the spring. Many homeowners follow all of the right steps in lawn care except removing the thatch, and they wonder why their lawn doesn’t look like it should.
Having a beautiful lawn in the spring and summer is much easier to accomplish when the proper steps are taken in the fall to prepare the lawn for a long period of rejuvenation including root growth, which beautiful and lush Cincinnati grass requires.
