Crisp air, foliage changing colour and hoodie weather – yes, fall is in full swing. And much like how we have to prepare ourselves for the Fall months ahead, our lawns and gardens need to be prepped as well. Following a few simple steps now will ensure our plants, gardens, and lawns will be able to survive the cold season around the corner and be ready to rise again come Springtime.
Ways to prep your lawn and gardens for fall
Besides being a more comfortable time to work outdoors, performing Fall maintenance on your lawn and garden will help save you time on work in the Spring. It also helps prepare your grass and plants to enable them to withstand the harsh elements that winter brings.
Follow any number of these tips to help get the most out of your gardens and lawn come springtime:
Give your gardens a good once over
This may seem simplistic, but inspecting your gardens for bald spots, pulling weeds, cutting down overgrown plants, digging out bulbs and moving any plants that need to be brought indoors is important. This inspection will help you know what you’re dealing with and help to avoid any last-minute work before it gets too cold.
Plant bulbs
Spring isn’t the only time to plant bulbs. Getting things into the ground, such as daffodils or crocus before the frost hits is integral to their survival and will encourage their growth come spring.
Add nutrients to your soil
You want the soil in your gardens to be as strong as possible, so throw in additional nutrients to give your gardens an added layer of strength. And what could be a better organic component to add than shredded leaves? Rake up and shred with your mower all the leaves on your lawn and spread them around two inches deep on top of your garden beds.
Cut your lawn low
Unlike the summer months where you want to raise your mower blade, fall is a great time to cut your grass short. This helps sun and moisture reach the crown of the grass. Strong grassroots will help it survive through the winter.
Rake and dethatch
Fall is a wonderful time to clear your lawn of any plant debris and dead organic matter. Give your yard a hard rake before dethatching it to break up any material that may suffocate your lawn. This helps it to breathe better, as well as allowing increased water and airflow.
Apply fertilizer
Again, you want your lawn to build up strength and defenses to help it make it through the winter and thrive in the Spring. Apply a fall fertilizer to your lawn to make sure it gets the right nutrients and is at the proper pH level before it goes dormant.
If you’re looking for a professional team to get your lawn ready for Fall, contact Weed-A-Way. We’re the lawn experts who care.
