With fall on the horizon, it’s time to start preparing your lawn for next spring. The right fall lawn care can mean a world of difference for your lawn once spring comes around, so it’s important that you take care of your lawn now to ensure its health during and after the winter months. We’ve put together 5 strategies you can use this fall to ensure a lush, beautiful lawn next spring.

1. Remove Pesky Weeds

Weeds are detrimental to the health and appearance of your lawn. If you haven’t rid your lawn of weeds by the fall months, make it a priority to do so before fallen leaves and snow make them difficult to remove.

Many weeds are more aggressive during the fall months when your grass begins to go dormant, and they can become increasingly difficult to manage near the end of the year. By removing weeds before winter, you can ensure a weed-free lawn the following spring – at the very least, you’ll have fewer weeds to manage once the snow melts and your grass begins to grow again.

2. Rake Leaves and Moss

Fallen leaves define the trademark beauty of fall, but they’re detrimental to the health of your grass. A blanket of leaves left unattended can:

  • Prevent sunlight from reaching the grass below.
  • Lead to a build-up of moisture, which can cause mold and rotted roots.
  • Provide a home to unwanted pests and insects, which can harm your lawn.

Before winter sets in, it’s important to thoroughly rake your grass. Remove all dead material from your lawn to ensure its health during winter and the early spring months. You can take the raked material and use it for compost as well, giving you fresh, nutritious soil to use for your springtime gardening!

3. Loosen and Aerate the Soil

Over time, your lawn’s soil may become compact, which can cause a host of problems for your lawn. Compacted soil can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of your grass, impacting its health greatly over time.

Every two years, take the time to loosen your soil with an aerator. Core aerator are designed to punch holes in your soil, which will allow for air and nutrients to more efficiently reach the roots of your grass. In addition, aeration prior to fertilization can make your fertilizer more effective, as your grass will be able to absorb it more efficiently.

4. Fertilize Your Lawn

When your grass gets proper nutrition, it can more effectively protect itself from freezing temperatures. Like other plants, your grass produces chlorophyll, and chlorophyll produces sugars which allow your grass to stay healthy during winter. Grass produces more chlorophyll when it’s exposed to enough nitrogen, which is found in fertilizer. By fertilizing your grass during the fall months, you’re helping it protect itself from the freezing temperatures of winter, giving you healthy grass in the spring months.

The lawn care experts at Bur-Han recommend a late-fall application of our winterizer, which is a low nitrogen high potassium fertilizer that will help the grass thicken its cell walls, harden off and store food to stay healthy throughout winter.

If you are unsure of your lawn’s fertilizer needs, contact our experts to learn more about which fertilizers are best for your grass.

5. Sow Plenty of Seeds

Over time, your grass will begin to reproduce more slowly than during its younger years. When your grass begins to age, it becomes prone to unsightly weeds and destructive pests, as your grass is less resilient than before.

By planting grass seed before the first snowfall of winter, you can encourage the growth of new grass during springtime. This will help your lawn fight against weeds and pest, as well as make it thicker and more lush in appearance.

By using the right fall lawn care strategies, you can prepare your grass for the harsh winter months, and ensure a healthy, lush lawn for next spring. If you have any questions about your fall lawn care routine, contact Bur-Han to get an expert opinion. We are the lawn care experts, and we’d love to help you prepare your lawn for next spring.