There are some important landscaping chores to carry out as the summer draws to a close and winter approaches to ensure a healthy lawn and lush garden next spring. Here is a guide to help you stay on top of your fall lawn care and maintenance.

Continue Mowing the Grass

Even as the days get shorter, your grass will continue to grow, requiring watering and mowing. Keep cutting the grass over the season, gradually lowering the blade on your mower until it is at its lowest for the last two cuttings. As a rule of thumb, try not to cut more than a third of the blades at once so as not to stress the grass and stunt its growth.

Rake Leaves as They Fall

You may be tempted to let fallen leaves pile up and scoop them all up at once, but it’s best to rake them regularly over the season. When fallen leaves become wet and compacted, they can suffocate your grass and harbour all sorts of pests and bacteria. As an alternative to raking, you can use your lawnmower to cut the leaves into dime-sized pieces, turning them into beneficial mulch instead.

Aerate Your Lawn

Over the summer months, the soil in your lawn can become compacted, limiting the supply of air, water, and nutrients to your grass. Aerating the soil helps to loosen it up and allows your grass to grow greener and healthier in the spring. It also helps to prevent the formation of thatch and will encourage a freshly seeded lawn to take root.

Fertilize Your Lawn

Fall is an ideal time to fertilize a lawn. The grass blades may be growing more slowly, but the roots can still grow much deeper into the soil if provided with the right nutrients. With a fall fertilizer application, the roots will anchor themselves securely into the ground, allowing your lawn to grow back much more quickly in the spring.

Remove Annuals and Prune Perennials

Once annual plants are spent, taking the time to remove them before too long will help your yard look tidier and keep pests from taking up residence in your yard. Simply pull annuals out of the ground, roots and all, and compost them. Perennials, on the other hand, should be pruned back. Cut away any dead or wilted growth to allow your perennials to grow even healthier next year.

Plant Spring Bulbs

Fall is the best time to plant spring bulbs like tulips, crocus, hyacinths, daffodil, and alliums. This is because the soil will still be warm and the bulbs will be able to get some extra moisture from rain. Bulbs should be planted about six to nine inches deep in an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day.

Lawn care might seem like a lot of effort, but it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors in the cooler fall weather. By putting in the necessary lawn and landscaping work before winter comes, you’ll have a much easier time getting started up again in the spring.