It’s nearly time to say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn, but don’t put away your lawn care equipment just yet. Before you pack away your lawnmower for winter, it’s important to consider fall lawn maintenance steps. This is actually one of the most vital times of the year for your lawn and landscaping. If you take these easy lawn maintenance steps now, your grass will be greener on the other side of winter!
Love your lawn
While the summer sun is beating down, it’s best to keep your grass height a little longer because this protects it from high temperatures and keeps moisture near its roots. However, when it’s time for that final mow of the season, lower your blades and cut your grass to about 1-1.5 inches in height. This will help to prevent disease and keep fungal growth at bay. While you’re at it, give your grass a boost and sprinkle fertilizer around your lawn. Feeding your grass in autumn will help sustain it over the long winter.
But lawn maintenance is more than just cutting and fertilizing. You need to make sure all that fertilizer can reach your lawn’s roots. You can do this by aerating your grass, which breaks up dense soil and allows nutrients to penetrate the ground. There are several methods to accomplish this, including aeration shoes, plug aeration tools or a professional aeration company.
Prep your plants
Your landscaping should be included on your fall lawn maintenance list, too. First, consider your trees. Remove dead branches now before heavy winter snow arrives. That way, you won’t have any limbs hanging over the house. For larger projects, you can hire a professional tree-cutting business. However, if you have smaller, more decorative trees, give them a trim now to keep them safe in cold weather. Also, by trimming back your perennials, they will be ready to bloom again next spring.
It’s important to remember that your young plants will need a little extra attention. Deposit mulch around younger plants and trees before the first frost. This will keep them warmer this winter and help control soil erosion. Wood chips, straw or chopped leaves will do the trick too. Plan to place a 2-4-inch layer around your immature plants.
Last but not least lawn maintenance
Nothing conjures up images of fall like a big, colorful pile of leaves. Once the kids are done jumping and playing in the pile, it’s vital that you rake up all those leaves. By keeping fallen leaves off your grass, you are preventing them from getting wet and moldy. In other words, with no leaves rotting under the snow, your grass will be free of dead patches come springtime.
After all your yard maintenance tasks are complete, you’ll want to winterize your lawn care equipment. You can start by turning off water to your outdoor hoses. Next, drain all the water from drip or irrigation systems. By making sure water is removed from hoses and irrigation lines, you’re ensuring the water won’t freeze and burst. Now is also an excellent time to sharpen the blades of your mower and clean all of your tools.
Find a lawn you love to care for
Keeping your lawn in excellent condition is a labor of love, and autumn lawn maintenance today will create summertime memories tomorrow. The experts at First Centennial Mortgage can help you find a lawn you love to care for. Contact a mortgage loan officer today to find a financing plan that suits your unique needs.