If you’re wondering when to plant grass and fertilize your lawn, fall is the best time. Fertilizing your lawn in the fall results in building deeper roots for the winter. This is because the fall brings a mix of cool air and warm soil which allows time for new grassroots to develop before the winter. Building deeper and stronger roots in the winter will help develop a thicker and greener lawn for next spring. Here are some ways to take care of your lawn before the winter so you can create the most beautiful lawn for next spring and summer.
Remove Existing Weeds
Start off by removing any existing weeds from your lawn. You can pull weeds and roots by hand or with a handheld weeder. If the weeds are out of control you can purchase herbicide spray that can kill the weeds for you.
Repair Bare Spots and Overseed Thin Lawn
Summertime usually brings a lot of activity to your lawn. By the time summer is over, your lawn will probably need some maintenance. On your lawn’s bare spots, use a rake to loosen the top layer of soil so that the new seeds can make their way into the soil. Next, apply grass repair seeds over the spot. Do this to all the bare spots in your grass so that you can recover any dull areas of your lawn. Make sure to water the seeds every day to keep them hydrated so they can grow to their full potential.
Overseeding your lawn is only necessary if you have thin grass. If that is the case, rake your whole lawn to remove dead grass and to loosen up all the soil so once again the new seeds can make their way into the soil.
Aerate Your Lawn
Aerating your lawn is the process of creating small holes to allow water, air, and nutrients into the soil. This helps if you have compacted soil that needs to be broken up a bit. Compacted soil doesn’t fully allow water and nutrients to get everywhere they need to be. You can aerate your lawn manually or with an aerator machine.
Feed Your Lawn
You should fertilize your lawn a couple of times a year. Fertilizing in the fall before the winter ensures to build strong, deep grassroots for the spring. It also provides nutrients to help repair damage from summer heat and activity.
Don’t wait until after winter to take care of your lawn! Taking care of it in the fall will allow the roots to develop over the winter months so when spring comes around you will have a beautiful and healthy lawn!