Keep up with lawn care even as seasons change
With fall arriving soon, you won’t need to weed or mow your lawn quite as often.
But don’t neglect your lawn care just yet.
In fact, the actions you take in the next several weeks play a big role in ensuring a healthy lawn for years to come. Here are some steps that will help keep your lawn in the best shape possible: warm soil conditions make late summer to early fall an optimal time to sow grass seed. Just don’t wait until too late in the season, or the grass won’t establish by the time temperatures drop.
To repair dead patches in the lawn, remove the dead grass down to the bare soil, use a rake to rough up the dirt so seeds will stick better, and then add grass seed.
Germination usually takes around 10 to 15 days. It’s important to keep the soil moist but not drenched during this period. After it starts to grow, you should continue to water on a daily basis to encourage root growth and prevent drying out.
If you don’t already have a compost pile, now is an excellent time to start one. First, select a dry, shady or partly shady spot near a water source outside. You can use a bin or just designate an area of ground for your pile. Next, gather branches, leaves, twigs, wood chips, coffee filters — the “brown stuff” — and spread a layer several inches deep. Then add the “green stuff” — fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, and coffee grounds. Water the layers so they’re damp, then rotate the pile every few weeks. In a few months, you’ll have crumbly, dark brown compost to fertilize your garden.
Mulch feels like a spring job, but you can help your yard by doing it in fall. Mulch insulates soil and plant roots to help your garden survive the cold weather. It also helps prevent erosion. Lay mulch when the temperature is dropping rather than going up for an easier project. Plus, you’ll get ahead on your spring tasks.