4 Ways to Take Care of Your Lawn this Fall
The key to a beautiful landscape is planning ahead, and that includes your lawn. Here are 4 ways to tend to your lawn this fall to ensure a full and healthy lawn come spring:
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Don’t stop watering or mowing, yet!
Although the days are cooler, it’s not uncommon for Northern Colorado to still experience warm, dry days. Your grass is still growing, so regular watering (at least twice a week) and mowing will keep your lawn healthy. Keep your lawn 2.5–3 inches long to retain moisture.
When should you plan to stop watering your lawn? Plan for after the first freeze. For Northern Colorado, this typically occurs in late October or early November.
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Fertilize
“If you can only fertilize one time a year, fall is the best time,” says Dr. Toni Koski, Turf Specialist at Colorado State University.
During the winter months, your lawn will go into dormancy. Think of it as feeding your lawn before its winter hibernation. Giving it a boost late in fall will help your lawn grow back faster in the spring, as well as aid in preventing disease.
Check your forecast and avoid fertilizing before a heavy rain. The best time to apply fertilizer is in the early morning.
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Aerate
Aerating your lawn speeds up decomposition, and helps sod grow new, deeper roots, creating a thicker lawn the following season. We recommend core aeration. Leave the cores on your lawn, as they will naturally break down.
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Weed
It might not eliminate weeds forever (we wish!) but weeding in the fall will mean fewer weeds in the future. Even if you’ve been diligent about pulling weeds throughout the summer, it’s likely that you’ve missed a few. For any weeds that have gone to seed, dead head first. Then proceed to remove any weeds, making sure you’ve removed the root (easier to do if you water your lawn ahead of time). Pick up all pieces: leaves, roots, and stems.
If you’d prefer to use herbicide, be careful to buy a selective herbicide to avoid killing your lawn.
Follow these 4 tips and you’ll enjoy the benefits of a beautiful, green lawn next year!
Already dreaming of updating your landscaping next spring? Give us a call!