If you thought your landscaping days were done for the year, not quite yet. In Michigan, fall lawn care tips (like the ones you’re getting here) are applicable through the end of October. Yes, we could see some frost this month, but now is the time to prep your yard for next season.
Many people don’t realize how great a time of the year this is to work on your lawn. Winterizing it will give your grass a much better chance of thriving when the weather warms up in the spring. You’ll also decrease the risk of some lawn diseases and ensure your grass has all of the nutrients it needs.
So, don’t put away that lawnmower and spreader just yet. Let’s go over a few, last-minute tips you try that your yard will thank you for.
Feed Your Grass
Late fall is the perfect time to fertilize your lawn. That’s because your grass is already preparing to store nutrients for the winter. You’d be giving your lawn just what it’s looking for this time of the year.
As long as the ground hasn’t frozen yet, you’ll be in great shape to apply fertilizer. This will also help with weed control because many weeds are going dormant, so treating them in the fall helps to eliminate the chances of them coming back in the spring.
Overseed Thin Lawns
The fall is also a great time to overseed your lawn. You should really consider overseeding if your grass looks like it’s thinning out. This is the perfect time to do it because soil temperatures are still warm enough for planting (the ground is not frozen), and cool-season grasses (which dominate Michigan yards) germinate better in cooler air temperatures.
The warm soil and cool air at night provide the perfect conditions for your grass to grow.
Repair Any Bare Places
You should also take this opportunity to repair any bare patches that you have in your yard. Repairing them now will give the areas the winter to recuperate and then bounce back strong in the spring.
Dethatch Your Grass
Any list of Michigan fall lawn care tips is going to have dethatching on it. If your turf is feeling spongy, that’s a telltale sign that you have thatch. Too much can affect the health of your grassroots, increase the risk of insects and disease attacking your lawn, and up the chances of scalping.
Scalping happens when you set your lawnmower blade too low and cut your grass all the way down to the soil. Lots of people make the mistake of getting rid of thatch by “cutting it out” with the lawnmower, but it doesn’t work that way.
You’ll have to get a thatch rake or a dethatcher (that almost looks like a lawn mower) to solve the problem.
Aerate Your Soil (If It’s Compacted)
Core aeration in the fall is highly recommended, especially if your soil is compacted. Grass does not grow as well in compacted soil because water and the nutrients your grass needs can’t penetrate the soil.
Aerating will open up holes in the soil for the nutrients to get down to the roots. It will also help to loosen the soil and create better conditions for growing.
Fall Is An Important Time For Your Lawn
It’s always a good idea to do some last-minute maintenance on your lawn in the fall. Early fall, or late fall, it doesn’t matter. The important thing to remember is how important lawn fertilization, overseeding, dethatching, and aerating are to optimal root growth.
If you need help getting all of this work done, Lush Lawn offers fall lawn care services to fit your needs. If you’re interested in partnering with us to keep your lawn looking its best—contact us today.