If you’re thinking fall is the perfect time to kick up your feet when it comes to your lawn care, think again. “No matter your weather conditions, giving your lawn proper care now can help it thrive in the spring,” says Brian Feldman, senior director of field operations at TruGreen. “It’s also your lawn’s last big opportunity of the year to recover, rebuild, and prepare for winter.”
But knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do if you really want to help your lawn roll out the green carpet come springtime. Here, Feldman and Stephen Hall, Eastern region VP at Moon Valley Nurseries, share the things you should never do to your lawn during the fall.
Over Fertilize
Overuse of high-nitrogen fertilizers encourages late-season growth, which can compromise root development and make your lawn more susceptible to winter damage. “It is best to choose a fall fertilizer that is higher in potassium, which can help with winter hardiness and aids in spring green-up,” says Feldman.
Warm-season grasses like zoysia, centipede, Bermuda, and St. Augustine go dormant in the fall, so the lawn expert says properly timing your fertilization is key. The best time for it is a few weeks before your area’s first expected frost. To ensure you apply the right fertilizer to your lawn at the right time, consult a lawn care expert, as they can consider both your specific region and turf type when creating a well-suited lawn care plan.
Neglect Your Soil
Your lawn showed off all summer long for you; now it’s time to give the soil that helped it do so some love. “Before adding fertilizer or grass seed, make sure your soil is ready to support healthy grass,” says Feldman. A professional soil test is a great way to gauge what nutrients your soil might be lacking, so it can stand up to the winter weather ahead. Healthy soil also promotes better nutrient absorption, allowing your lawn to better withstand disease and weeds. Should a soil test find your pH levels need correction, applying lime or sulfur to help support nutrient uptake and overall soil health, Feldman says.
Leave Your Leaves
A few leaves scattered on your lawn can look charming—but a thick layer of soggy fallen foliage can block sunlight, trap moisture, and smother your grass, warns Feldman. If you want to recycle dry leaves instead of bagging them up and sticking them on the curb, consider using them to create mulch instead. “Wet leaves don’t mulch well and can mat down, suffocating the turf,” Feldman explains. “However, mulching dry leaves with a mower is a beneficial process that supplies the lawn with natural fertilization and improves overall soil health.”
Cut Your Grass Too Short
Buzzing your lawn before we head into the winter months can make it more susceptible to cold weather as it won’t have the insulation it needs, says Hall. How short to mow your lawn will depend on whether you have warm- or cool-season grass.
“It’s important to keep in mind that you never want to cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade off at a time, as doing so can stress your lawn and result in yellowing or scalping damage to your grass,” explains Feldman. “If mowing tall grass, more than one session may be required to get your lawn to the optimal height.”
Overseed Warm-Weather Grass
Only cool-season grasses like ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, or tall and fine fescue are safe for overseeding in the fall, which means you need to ensure you’re well educated on just what kind of grass you have. “This is not the time to be seeding warm season grass types, nor the time to be sprigging, plugging or sodding warm season grasses,” warns Feldman. “Wait until the late spring of the following year, allowing the grass to grow in ideal conditions.”
Stop Watering
“You don’t want to completely stop watering, but you can actually kill your yard with kindness by overwatering,” says Hall. Consider rainfall when determining whether you need to provide supplemental water. About 1 inch of water every week to 10 days can help your grass stay hydrated. A well-watered lawn is better prepared for winter dormancy, says Feldman, as it’s less prone to winter kill and desiccation.
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