To say this summer was tough on our lawns is an understatement for sure. So we have a list of fall lawn chores to help your grass recover from the summer drought and have it looking its best come next spring.
- Rake out any loose material from the grass and toss it in the compost. This will prevent any dead material from smothering new growth.
- Next, aerate. You can hire a service to do this job for you or rent an aerator yourself. Aerating punches holes in the lawn to allow moisture to sink in deeper. It also help with compaction.
- Pay attention to rainfall and keep watering as restrictions allow. Your lawn needs a good soak of 1” of water per week. More frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots that will haunt you in the future.
- When you mow, make sure your mower is set to its highest setting or at least 3.5” off the ground and leave the fresh clippings to act as fertilizer. Don’t scallop the lawn to remove the brown grass.
- Remove any weeds by hand-pulling or with a natural herbicide. You do not want to use a weed and feed product that will give an unsustainable flush of growth this time of year. Be sure to follow directions carefully on the label of any products you use.
- A slow-release, organic fertilizer with low nitrogen can help. Again, you don’t want to shock the lawn with a synthetic based fertilizer at this point.
- If you’d like to overseed, choose a blend of fescues and Kentucky bluegrass. Buying 100% seed is a better option than buying a mixture of seed and filler material.