After a protracted summer the lawn can look a bit the worse for wear. You may be at a loss as to what you ought to be doing in order to put your grass in good stead for next year, or how to go about getting a thicker, greener lawn in the spring with any certainty of results.
We have been fielding such questions from homeowners in the Greater Philadelphia area since 1983 here at Willow Tree and Landscaping Service. Give our team a ring at (267) 653-6382 and we will discuss your lawn.
One would think the growing season is done with, yet fall is prime time for tending to your grass. In fact, the work you put in during autumn will do more for your spring lawn than anything else. We offer the following to our customers, all of which are supported by the kind of custom lawn treatment plans our degreed horticulturist puts together.
Why it is so important in the fall
As the weather cools the grass devotes its energy to roots instead of blades; those robust roots are what will see you through to a sound spring after winter. With the soil still holding some warmth and the weeds on the wane, not to mention more consistent moisture, fall is the time to make repairs and get prepared. Some homeowners let their guard down once the weather changes, but that is when a modicum of effort is most worthwhile.
Mow, but mow with some sense
The grass will continue to grow well into the season, so put the mower to work until it does not. Do so with care:
- As the season comes to an end, trim your height a little
- A single pass should not take off more than a third of the blade
- Make sure your mower has a sharp blade for the sake of a clean cut
- Wait for the grass to dry before you mow to preclude clumping
- Let a few clippings lie to put nutrients back in the ground
Stress the grass with too short a cut and you will be sorry for it; small adjustments are better than making a show of it.
Leaves need to be raked and put in their place
They may be festive but a heavy layer of leaves will smother the lawn and hold in moisture for disease to run rampant. Do not let them accumulate. You can mulch a light covering with the mower, but where there is a lot of leaf matter it has to be removed.
Relieve the compacted soil with aeration
All the heat and foot traffic of summer will have left the soil in no shape by fall. Core aeration is the way to open it up and let air, water and nutrients in. For a lawn that has had a hard summer it is among the best things you can do in the fall and a good lead in to what follows.
Overseeding for density
There is no better time to overseed than now, particularly in the wake of aeration when the seed has proper contact with the soil. It is the means of filling in the bare spots so the lawn is denser in the spring. Pick a seed for our part of the country and be sure to keep the new growth moist as it takes hold.
Give the roots a feed
This will allow the grass to put away energy for the winter and put on colour quicker come spring. But you have to have the right product and timing or you could cause more damage. Our horticulturist will devise a program for your grass and soil as it is, not some generalised notion of what might work.
Do not overlook your trees and shrubs
An overgrown tree will put the grass in shade and litter the place, and one under stress is not going to fare well in winter. An arborist with ISA certification from our side can make an inspection and deal with pruning and plant health issues before the cold arrives. We leave no mess behind us.
Have an expert put together a plan
It takes a certain knowledge of the local climate and soil to do fall lawn care properly. We have catered to tens of thousands in Bucks, Montgomery, Mercer and Hunterdon Counties. Licensed in PA (LIC #PA039735), we can provide a free quote and consultation and put financing on larger projects. There is a referral program as well.
Call (267) 653-6382 to have us put a plan in place for your lawn. The office is open 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday and we will be happy to oblige.