You might think fall is the time to take a break from lawn care until spring rolls around again, but fall is actually the most important season for Kentucky Bluegrass.
Fertilization treatments applied in autumn help your lawn bounce back from winter dormancy the following year, and aerating in the fall strengthens your lawn’s root system for the next growing season.
This fall, help prepare your lawn to thrive next year by following these steps:
- Aerate and overseed
- Fertilize correctly
- Pull out pesky weed grasses and reseed in those areas
- Remove wet leaves and clumps of dead grass from the lawn’s surface
- Mow your lawn slightly shorter than in the summer
- When snow falls, avoid shoveling large piles of it onto the grass
1. Aerate and Overseed
Is your lawn looking thin and weak in spots? Aeration and overseeding may help fix that. Aerating opens up the soil, allowing nutrients to sink in. It also makes overseeding more effective because the seeds can penetrate deeper into the soil. If you overseed your lawn directly following aeration, your lawn will grow back thicker and healthier in the springtime.
Stewarts offers a professional aeration service during the fall. We clean and disinfect our equipment after each use to prevent the possible spread of soil diseases that commonly infect Utah lawns.
2. Fertilize Correctly
Fertilizer should be applied to your lawn periodically throughout the year. However, one of the most important times to fertilize your lawn is during the fall. Your lawn needs fall fertilizer to help it recover from summer damage. Lawns that are fertilized in the fall are also more likely to have strong root systems and green up faster in the spring.
Stewart’s 6-time lawn service includes professionally applied fertilizer specially designed for specific seasons. With our fertilizer applications, you can rest assured that your lawn is getting the nutrients it needs when it needs them.
3. Pull out Weed Grasses and Reseed
Are you sick of seeing weed grasses in your lawn every summer? Killing weed grasses is a pain because the only products that will work against them will also kill your bluegrass. The best time of year to pull weed grasses out of your lawn is in the fall.
Once you pull out the weed grass, be sure to put down plenty of grass seed that will help thicken those areas and prevent weed grasses from taking root there again.
4. Remove Wet Leaves & Clumps of Dead Grass from the Lawn’s Surface
Try to remove wet leaves and any clumps of dead grass from the top of the lawn before the first snowfall. If you leave dead grass or leaves on the surface of the grass during the winter, you make it more likely that your lawn will develop a snow mold fungus.
Snow mold develops beneath piles of snow or during consistently cold, moist weather conditions and can damage your lawn. You likely won’t notice the mold growth until the early spring, but the best way to treat it is to prevent it in the first place.
Removing leaves and debris from the top of your lawn in the fall will also help it recover more quickly in the springtime.
5. Mow Your Lawn Slightly Shorter than in the Summer
While you want a longer lawn during summer months to help keep grassroots cooler, in the winter, a slightly shorter lawn is better. Long grass can easily become matted down in the winter, trapping moisture there for long periods of time. This can make the grass susceptible to snow mold and other winter damage.
Keep your grass about 2–2.5 inches long in the late fall, and stop mowing when it reaches freezing temperatures because this is when the grass begins to hibernate.
6. Spread Snow Piles Throughout the Lawn
When you shovel snow off your driveway in winter, try to keep the piles small and spread them evenly throughout the lawn. This will help prevent snow mold from developing and allow your lawn to grow back healthier in the spring.
If you follow these guidelines, your lawn will get the most out of the cool seasons and bounce back more quickly than other lawns in the spring.
Could your lawn benefit from aeration and overseeding this year? Call or text Stewarts at 801-226-2261 to inquire about our fall aeration program and get a free service quote!
Check out our aeration & overseeding video: