Autumn is already upon us and winter rapidly approaching, but the chilled wind of the fall is not any excuse to neglect lawn care. Most of us think, end of summers means end of lawn care too- but it is not true. In fact, this is the best time to start preparing your lawn for the next spring because this time of year grass tends to absorb more energy, moisture, and nutrients throughout the winter.
Take the following simple steps with your grass at this fall to get rewarded with healthy lush green lawn next spring.
Fertilizing:
Mostly lawn experts advice to fertilize your lawn during the fall. Although the grass top stops growing this season due to cold, but its roots continue to grow rapidly. Fertilizer must be used only after the soil test to provide the best fertilizer ratio. If you don’t want to go for the test, then use a fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphate-potassium (NPK) ratio of 3:1:2 or 4:1:2.
Follow the instructions given on the fertilizer to spread correct amount at a particular time. Use a push spreader to evenly spread the fertilizer across the lawn area. Try to fertilize the area in a gap of 2-3 weeks before the ground begins to freeze. So, the grass can get enough nutrients to absorb throughout the fall.
Aerating:
Aeration is very essential so hat carbon dioxide, water and fertilizer reach grass roots in appropriate quantities. Moreover, it also increases the growth for soil microorganisms that further helps it nutrient penetration. Spiked shoes or spray-on liquids can be used to penetrate the soil, but for more effective results attach a dethatcher, or a plug aerator behind lawn mower to remove soil plugs of soil for atleast two to three inches deep.
Mulching or Raking the leaves:
Well, raking leaves is no one’s idea of fun, but it’s important to remove fallen leaves from your lawn as soon as possible. This is because a huge cluster of fallen leaves can block sunlight and nutrients to reach grass roots. However, a thin layer of mulched leaves is perfect to help add nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for fertilizer.
So, to allow limited mulched leaved on the ground- select a mower or tractor (which allow you to choose to mulch, bag or allow side-discharge) with right mulching attachments to save time as well as maintain a consistent layer of mulch across the yard.
Weed Control:
Weeds are the plants that absorb nutrients even from the roots of the grass, resulting in its poor growth. This season is the best time to remove all weeds and use proper herbicides so that it won’t come back even the next spring.
Composting:
Compost piles with decaying yard matter, such as vegetables, grass clippings and leaves are best for providing nutrient-rich soil for spring planting. Use a rear bagger with your lawn mower or tractor to add compost pile simply onto the yard. So, the nutrient-rich soil allows better growth of the grass when the temperature will begin to rise next year.
These were some simple yet beneficial tips to maintain your lawn this fall. If you’ll start following these steps regularly this season then you’ll certainly have greener grass within your lawn during summers, as compare to your neighbors.
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