Have you started conducting your annual fall maintenance tasks? Now that it’s November, it’s a good time to start checking off those items on your to-do list. Taking care of your lawn in the fall is important to avoid headaches come springtime. Also, your yard is an extension of your home; therefore, many homeowners enjoy relaxing and entertaining in these spaces.
In this post, we’ve compiled some of the most important fall lawn maintenance tips for Georgia homeowners.
Fall Lawn Maintenance Tips for Georgia Homeowners
In simple words, fall lawn maintenance is a good preventative action. It ensures that your lawn stays healthy and safe from diseases and pests. If you’re a Georgia homeowner, here’s 4 ways you can prepare your lawn for the upcoming season.
· Increase the Height of Your Lawn Mower
If you’re still cutting your grass in the fall, you’re off to a great start. However, you should adhere to proper guidance when mowing your lawn.
Raising your mower blade is the best way to cut your grass during the fall months. In the late fall and winter, most types of grass enter dormancy, and there is no active growth. Therefore, you’ll only want to take off the top layer of grass and not cut it too short. Doing so can cause your grass to lack nutrients due to it’s inability to conduct photosynthesis.
· Put Fertilizer in Your Lawn
Summertime heat can be harsh on your soil and grass. Therefore, around October, Georgia homeowners should fertilize their lawn. Doing so can help your lawn recover and it also provides your lawn with proper nutrients to grow back strong and healthy next summer.
Your timing is very important. Ideally, you should fertilize your lawn 2 to 3 weeks before the ground freezes.
· Keep Watering Your Lawn
Watering the lawn may seem unnecessary during the fall, but the grass needs hydration to remain healthy. You may not be aware of this, but increased rain during the fall may not be enough to keep the grass hydrated. Most grass needs one inch of water weekly. If you aren’t getting enough rain, it’s okay to run your sprinkler system through October. Once you start seeing freezing temperatures in the forecast, flush the irrigation system and disconnect the hoses.
· Winterize the Irrigation System
To winterize your lawn, first you need to turn off the main valve. You’ll need to do this to prevent water from entering the irrigation system and freezing. After that, any water in the irrigation system needs to be drained out. Also, your clocks and timers that open the valve need to be turned off. Lastly, the irrigation system’s controller needs to be shut off so any pressure inside can be released.
It’s important to take the above actions to prevent your pipes from cracking and breaking. Ideally, these actions need to be taken before the first freeze. Make sure to keep an eye on your weather forecast to avoid any headaches.
Sources
https://housemanpest.com/the-guide-to-fall-lawn-maintenance-for-a-flourshing-yard-next-spring/
https://sodsolutions.com/lawn-care-guides/fall-lawn-maintenance-tips/