It’s easy to understand that people put more love into their lawns during spring and summer. During fall however, it’s just as important to care for your lawn and put in some well timed care for the growing season. If you are eager to have your lawn green, and healthy for spring then it’s important to keep up with lawn care during fall. An easy mistake from homeowners is to do the same fall lawn care as usual, but not see excellent growth/results come spring. Lawn maintenance is key for the fall season!
In this blog, we are going to outline some essential fall lawn care tips that can have your grass looking fresh and full come spring.
Keep Your Lawn Clean & Tidy
Be sure to clear your lawn of any childrens toys, garden tools, and tree leaves that more often than not, appear on a lawn throughout the year. A common misconception is that tree leaves protect your lawn from the impending snow. This is not true. Tree leaves actually have a negative impact, and rob your sod of the much needed fall sunshine.
These leaves will block sunlight and trap moisture, and become a soggy mess when the snow melts. Take time this fall and rake away those leaves to protect your lawn.
Continue Cutting
Don’t put away your mower quite yet. It’s important to keep cutting your lawn until grass stops growing. Grass continues to grow up to the first hard frost. That’s why you will need to give your lawn regular cuts to keep it at an ideal 2½- to 3-inch height. Letting turf grow too long will leave it vulnerable to fungi like snow mold. It’s also just as important to not cut it too short.
Cutting your lawn too short impedes the lawn’s ability to withstand winter cold and dryness, and also curtails the root system.
Feed Your Lawn
Fall is an excellent season to give your lawn much needed nutrients to keep it strong during the winter season. With the change in cooler temperatures, your lawn’s top growth will slow, but the roots will continue to grow. While the plants are still absorbing nutrients it’s the perfect time to apply fertilizer.
Your sod has up until winter, when the ground is frozen, to accept fertilizer. Within the Okanagan, you can expect frozen ground come the end of October to early November. It’s important to act soon, as giving your lawn the proper nutrients before the long winter means a healthy lawn come spring.
Loosen The Soil And Let It Breathe
It’s important to determine if your lawn requires aeration. Typically your lawn will require aeration every couple of years. This prevents soil from becoming compacted and covered with thatch, a thick layer of roots, stems, and debris that blocks water, oxygen, and nutrients from reaching the soil.
Even more ideal, aeration can be easily done with fertilizing – creating those holes in the turf will allow fertilizer to reach the roots quickly.
Conclusion
Don’t let the chill in the air fool you – lawn maintenance this time of year is still important. After all, sod needs to be cared for and nurtured up until the ground freezes.
At Lavington Turf Farms, we understand the importance of preparing your lawn for the winter season. Our team of experts will tell you how to look after your grass so you don’t have to waste valuable water resources. Pair our services with our drought tolerant turf and sod, and get a healthy and green lawn each spring and summer.
Service Area
We proudly serve the following areas: Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Kootenays, and Caribou, all the way to the USA Border.
For more information or a free quote for your project, please visit this page on our website.
