Why are maintenance adjustments in autumn necessary?
Like with any other time of year, there are critical elements of lawn maintenance that you should have as part of your fall routine to ensure the health and vitality of your lawn all year round. Of course, the routine itself doesn’t change until a certain point, but once weather and temperatures start to change, so does the way you perform some of these tasks.
This is to make sure any trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and even your soil will stay as healthy as it can be when the temperatures reach their lowest during this season and into the wintertime.
Should weeding occur before the cold comes?
Though it may not seem like it would make a difference, getting rid of the weeds you find or see in your lawn most definitely does! While yes, when the coldest times of year hit the grass, and most plants go into a form of being dormant, that doesn’t mean things like weeds disappear.
Weeding in the fall time will make sure you don’t have any popping up all over the place when it starts to warm up again. Weeds are hardy, invasive plants that will spread like wildfire if you’re not careful – and yes, they will spread even during the fall. However, the more weeds you pull up now, the fewer weeds will grow to begin with the next growing season!
How do we adjust our mowing?
Contrary to what you may have thought, mowing doesn’t stop until the first “frost” hits, or until the first major cold fronts, in your area, of the winter season. This means that, unfortunately, yes, that lawnmower is going to be in use up until that point too.
In general, the ideal height of your grass is about two to two and a half inches tall; any longer, such as a full three inches or more, and you run the risk of your grass becoming matted. Of course, letting your grass get too long is no good at any time of year, but when you add lower temperatures or frost to the mix, it increases that damage by a lot!
On the flip side, if you instead try to cut it shorter than that to save yourself from mowing again for a while, it can limit (and inhibit) the ability to create and store the food it needs to survive.
How should you be watering?
While yes, it starts to rain a lot this time of year in many areas, that’s not the case everywhere. It most definitely is not reliable enough to depend on it to water any greenery you have around your landscape. Because of this, you should still be making sure you have a watering schedule in place to ensure those plants and flowerbeds are getting precisely what they need throughout the fall!
It’s not just about making sure your lawn is getting a sufficient amount of water, either. Often one of the best things you can do for your lawn this time of year is giving the trees and shrubs a deep watering before too many more leaves begin to fall, before shutting off your outside water.
What about pruning or trimming during the fall months?
Spring isn’t the only time you’re going to want to make sure your plants and flowers are getting pruned of any dead or dying stalks. However, it’s even more essential to do this particular job during the fall, as those temperatures everywhere are dropping – and sometimes rather quickly!
The pruning you do this time of year will be more drastic because if you don’t trim them up enough, they could succumb to damage later on in the season. In addition, most perennials should be cut back close to the ground, so they’re more protected until the following year’s growing (or blooming) season.
This will ensure even and healthier growth as well. Finally, usually approaching the cooler time of year, the plants will slowly start to go more dormant, often making it easier to see which areas need this service the most.
Tell me more about seeding or fertilizing work.
The summertime can be hot and consist of a lot of outdoor activity around your property, which is why the fall is the perfect time of year to give your lawn a little bit of extra special attention. Think of this time of year as a much-needed spa treatment for your landscape after a lot of hard work!
This treatment includes having seeding and fertilizing treatments done across your whole property. Fertilizing is often associated with growth, as it should be, which leads some homeowners to believe it should be done during the spring when growth is at its peak.
However, if you want your grass to grow back just as lush, if not more so, than this last year, those treatments have to start now. Both of these maintenance jobs will not only encourage this new growth but also help fill in any thinning or barren spots around your lawn, so you have even amounts of grass across the board!
What’s the best way to avoid equipment damage?
One of the most significant ways you as the homeowner can do yourself and your lawn a big favor is making sure any equipment you have is adequately cared for and stored away from how it should be. Of course, any equipment you find yourself using for your lawn should be put away in a safe, dry location that will stay that way throughout the winter, too.
However, another vital part of your lawn care routine is the equipment that may lie beneath the surface – such as irrigation systems you may have installed. Outdoor water lines should be turned off at first signs of frost or intense cold fronts to avoid freezing in the pipes that lead to cracks and damages.
Those irrigation systems could also benefit from having the lines blown out with compressed air to clear any remaining water that could also potentially freeze!
Why it’s helpful to involve the professionals?
It’s good to note your limitations in fall lawn care: what you can afford, what equipment you already have, and how much time you can invest are essential factors. Some of these jobs require larger pieces of equipment that many homeowners don’t have and are pretty costly to rent.
To some people, it’s simply not affordable to do it themselves. They also require plenty of knowledge on how to do the job without causing more damage to your landscape.
That’s why the hard-working folks at Copperhead Landscaping are here and just a phone call away! They have all that knowledge and then some, accompanied by the tools to get the job done correctly and the hustle to get it done efficiently. In addition, they can take care of your fall maintenance, so you don’t have to!