Strategies for Getting Your Lawn Ready for Cooler Weather Ahead

Although the month of August is in what people call the dog days of summer, you have to realize that the first frost is right around the corner. The season’s first frost might well come at the end of August or early September.

When the first frost of the season hits, most of your annual plants will wilt and perennials will be sent into their dormant phase for the hardier winter months ahead.

While these effects can’t be avoided, there are a lot of steps that you can take to fortify your lawn for winter. 

Keep Up Irrigation 

Your lawn has a kind of wisdom all its own. In the fall, the grass will stop putting so much energy into growing new blades and put those resources into creating a resilient root system to survive the coolet months ahead. 

The thing to realize is that you have the chance to significantly strengthen your grass’s root system by watering your lawn right now. Xeriscape is a landscaping and irrigation company that can give your yard the nourishment that it needs.

Your lawn will naturally grow less bounteously in the late summer and early fall. That said, your lawn will still benefit from giving it the three main ingredients that it needs to grow – nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. Xeriscape can help here as well. 

Repair and Weed  

There’s an expression that when you fail to prepare you actually prepare to fail. That might sound harsh but what’s undoubtedly true is that homeowners who have an eye towards the future usually have the best yards. 

Think of late summer and early fall as your opportunity to create a lush landscape for spring next year. Xeriscape can help you fill in bald patches, or you could look into a grass repair kit that includes seed, fertilizer, and mulch. 

After you’ve done the real heavy lifting by repairing bald spots, you might want to look into uprooting weeds so that everything can grow to its full potential.

The thing to bear in mind is that weeds can fortify themselves and regrow with renewed vigor in early spring next year if they’re not dealt with soon. 

Rake Up Leaves 

A lot of people are loathe to rake up their leaves because they have such a beautiful appearance in your yard.

That’s true – a defoliating maple tree, for instance, can be breathtaking….and, at the same time, be ruining your yard and actually jeopardizing your health! 

Lawns have to breathe in the sense that leaves that are allowed to linger on your lawn will prevent sunlight and air from getting to your lawn, which will cause your grass to be less healthy than it otherwise would be had you raked right away. 

Leaves also decompose very slowly so that, if you don’t rake leaves in the fall, you’ll have a layer of basically intact leaves over your yard all winter. Snow mold and brown patch are both serious possibilities if leaves are allowed to linger all winter. 

Fungal infections and health problems could also crop up if you don’t rake away leaves. Xeriscape can help with all kinds of landscaping, including getting leaves off the property. Leaves that get matted now could prevent fresh grass from growing in the spring. 

Use Leaves to Compost 

All of those leaves that you’ll eventually rake up can be put towards composting in the spring. You might want to consider putting fallen leaves in a compost bin and allowing decomposition throughout the winter. Turn the compost over regularly to have consistent temperatures, or simply rely on Xeriscape for your lawn care needs! Contact us for more information.

Tagged: Landscape Maintenance, lawn care, xeriscape