Fall Lawn Care

Our recommendation is to mow "tall". Short lawn allows sun to dry out the soil, burn or freeze roots, and welcomes weeds. Mow turf taller to shade the soil and the lawn will thank you.

Water less... less often, that is. Water a bit longer if you need to, but avoid runoff and watering every day. Soggy lawns breed insects, grubs and deprive lawns of air to breathe. When you mow turf taller, it holds water longer.

Water in the morning. Lawns wet overnight are prone to diseases and fungus, so be sure to water early in the day.

Fertilize carefully. Lawns want nitrogen, but they can’t survive on nitrogen alone. Our experts recommend GreenAll® Fall and Winter Feed for your lawn this fall. It offers a formulation of nitrogen that performs well in cold weather to help with greening. In addition, the phosphorus and potassium levels in this mix will encourage strong, healthy root growth during the winter and the overall performance of the plant functions—setting your lawn up for a successful spring.

Thatch is a brown layer of living and dead lawn material
at the soil surface. A thin layer is beneficial to the lawn, but thatching may be needed if the layer is greater than one-half inch deep. Our thatching rake is perfect for this fall lawn chore. Use the rake to pull out thatch. Tread lightly, as raking too deeply will accidentally pull out good lawn.

Soil that has become compacted benefits greatly from aerating. Use an aerator that removes a plug of soil, and leave that plug on the lawn to decompose. If the soil is exceptionally dry, aerate the day after a water cycle.

To suppress weed growth, apply pre-emergent to your lawn. Pre-emergent works for several months of weed suppression. For maximum results, apply after thatching and aerating.