Autumn has arrived in full force, which means you should be thinking about how to keep your yard healthy through the harsh winter ahead. You need to prep your lawn for winter when the leaves turn colorful, and before winter starts bringing snow. In order to have a healthy lawn come spring, give your grass some TLC! This season is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for a lush, green yard next year. Start now on our list below and you’ll have everything ready when winter rolls around!

Mow

Your lawn should be mowed until the grass stops growing. This will make raking easier and present a more attractive appearance for your home or business property! Keep your grass in good shape by keeping 2 inches of height. This will help prevent snow mold, protect the roots from cold temperatures, and will cause more leaf surface area on each blade to capture sunlight again next year. Keep in mind that cutting it too short all at once can be stressful on your yard. Instead, mow throughout each week in small increments.

Aerate

It’s important to aerate your lawn once a year, especially if you’re going for maximum impact. This will help break apart compacted soil that blocks nutrients and stunts root growth, helping grass grow back healthier than before! You should do this in early fall or spring. It’s important to aerate grass before it enters its most active growth phase. For some grass types, the fall or winter months is when lawns need extra nutrients to fuel recovery from damage caused by frequent freezes. You can also aerate in the fall when you don’t have to worry about walking on soil plugs that are removed for springtime. Contact us to schedule your next complete aeration service.

Fertilize

Fertilizing is an important part of winterizing your lawn. Using a fertilizer made specifically for the winter will strengthen grass roots before frost, making for greener and healthier growth in the spring. Apply fertilizer with early morning dew to help it absorb into the soil. Never use it right before a heavy rain since it will be washed away. You can also give another dose when your yard needs an extra boost in spring!

Weeds

Fall is the perfect time to get a jump on pesky annual weeds such as dandelion and henbit. Treating your lawn with an herbicide works especially well with cool season grasses as it can prevent seeds from coming up next spring. This is most important with perennial weeds.

Rake

For lawns that are actively growing in the fall, it’s important not to allow leaves on the ground for more than a few days or they risk damaging grass blades. Accumulated leaves can cause decay and block sunlight needed for roots to store food that will help your grass survive the winter months. If you’d rather not do the monotonous task of raking up every leaf, you can mow them into your yard. Shredded leaves and clippings from mowing your lawn are perfect as compost material because they provide rich nutrients for the soil and grass.

Compost

Speaking of compost, the benefits of adding compost to your soil are many. Compost is especially useful after aerating a lawn because the organic material can fill in the leftover gaps. The fall rains should help work the beneficial microbes and nutrients further into the ground!

Irrigation/Sprinklers

A common cause of homeowner frustration is sprinkler systems. Every year, homeowners neglect to winterize their sprinklers, and as a result, have costly repairs done on what should be an annual maintenance item. When you sign up with SunCo, our outdoor specialists will make sure the water in your sprinklers is removed to prevent this from happening! Don’t let a single freeze ruin your system by neglecting regular maintenance.

If you don’t have the time necessary to complete all these tasks this fall, that’s okay! Our outdoor specialists at SunCo are here to take care of it for you. If you find yourself needing help or more information, contact us! That’s what we’re here for.

402-972-8603