Fall is the time to start prepping your yard for winter. Following a few steps now will help revitalize and repair your lawn to keep it looking its best come Spring.

Remove Leaves:

Remove leaves from your lawn shortly after they fall. Either by raking or using a lawn mower collection bag, it is important to not let leaves accumulate on your lawn. Wet or thick layers of leaves can prevent your grass from breathing and can breed fungal diseases.

Fertilize:

September is the best time to fertilize your lawn. This allows nutrients to soak into the roots throughout the cooler temperatures, so they will be healthier come spring.

Espoma Fall Winterizer is a great organic option, and Scotts Step 4, Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Weed & Feed or Jonathan Green Winter Survival and Grass Magic are great synthetic options.

Water:

Continue to water your lawn until the ground freezes. Mornings are the best time to water, but always check your soil to make sure you are not over or underwatering.]

Learn more about Watering Your Lawn.

Mowing:

Continue to mow your lawn weekly to every two weeks. Try letting your grass grow to 3 inches and cutting 1/3 of that each time. Towards the end of the season, you may want to lower your blade to get a close cut to allow more sun to get to the roots before the snow. Keep your blade sharpened to prevent tearing or fraying of the grass.

Disease, Weed and Insect Control:

Now is a great time to treat for weeds, insects and diseases. Applying an herbicide now for things like dandelions and other broadleaf weeds will help prevent their growth in the spring. Talk with an English Garden Pharmacy expert to get specific treatments for your yard.

Grubs are a common insect problem in the fall. If you notice dead areas, or grass pulling up easily then grubs are most like the culprit. Use a product like Bio-Advanced Season-long Grub Control or Grub Killer Plus to eliminate the problem now.

Aerate and Seed:

Fall is the ideal time to aerate the soil and seed your lawn. Aerating allows oxygen, water and fertilizer to easily reach the roots.

When seeding your lawn, add a layer of organic matter like Garden Magic, Peat Humus or Peat Moss before spreading the seeds. Then spread seeds by hand or with a spreader. Add fertilizers and water your seeds 2 to 3 times daily until they are established or until the first frost.

Doing a little prep work in the fall can help ensure that you have a beautiful lawn in the spring.

Come by any English Gardens location and talk with an expert for more information.