Fall lawn care Archives - The Lawn Review

This November, I am shocked to say that my grass looks greener than it does at the beginning of Spring. You read that right – it is about 45 degrees out this morning and my grass is greener than the Grinch’s bottom.

Here are three ways I’m getting extremely green grass this November:

I prepped with a really good dethatching, aerating, and overseeding regiment back in October
Keeping all of the leaves off of my yard (which is a constant battle)
Putting down a winter pre-emergent

If you want to learn more about keeping your grass green this Fall, I’ll go into more detail below!

Step One: Prior preparation prevents poor performance (in your lawn)

If you are a first time reader of The Lawn Review, then you may not know that I am all about preparation. Preparing my cool season grass for seeding in the Fall starts with a good routine. Here’s mine (with links to other posts I’ve written that explain more):

Using a dethatcher to get the dead grass off of my soil and give it room to breath
Followed by renting a core aerator to pull up plugs of soil and create a nutritious environment for seeding
Getting a nice spreader to evenly distribute grass seed in my lawn

If you don’t want to read all those different articles, check out my Youtube video highlighting exactly what I did to get my lawn prepped for the Fall.

Step two: Get the leaves off of my lawn

It is truly a never ending battle to keep leaves off of your lawn in the Fall. But keeping the leaves off of your lawn is a crucial step in getting your grass to thrive in November.

I have a huge Oak tree out in my backyard that absolutely dumps leaves around early November. If I don’t stay on top of it, then my entire yard will turn into a leaf pile. It is pretty, sure, but it destroys your grass’ chance of success to get fully seeded and grown in in the Fall.

All that work we did for prior preparation to prevent poor performance? Out the window.

It may seem tedious to keep the leaves off your lawn, but using some tools can help. I recently got the worlds most powerful handheld blower and it made the weekly clean up a breeze. Pair that with a standing leaf mulcher or getting a leaf vacuum and mulcher combo? The whole thing is a cake walk.

Step Three: Put down a winter pre-emergent

When I think pre-emergent, I almost always think of the Spring: trying to get the weeds killed before they really start shooting up with the warm weather. But here’s something that will blow your mind:

Weeds still grow in cold weather, just at a slower rate.

Weeds will infiltrate your lawn, start to slowly grow, then the second the soil temperature starts rising – BOOM you have a huge mess on your hands.

Putting down a winter pre-emergent like this one from our friends at The Andersons will give you a huge head start on your Spring routine. Better yet, it will make your lawn stick out compared to your neighbors. Isn’t that what this is all about?

Maintaining a beautiful lawn is a source of pride for many homeowners (me), and it’s no secret that a lush Spring lawn starts with proper care in the Fall.

In a recent Youtube video I made titled “The TRUTH about FALL Lawn Care that the PROS know. (5 STEPS),” I share my valuable insights into Fall lawn care. Let’s dive into the main points of my Fall lawn routine to uncover the secrets the pros swear by.

Here are the steps for a perfect Fall lawn:

Clearing the surface of your lawn
Mowing at the right height
Aerating your lawn with a core aerator (you can rent from Home Depot)
Overseeding with a spreader
Implementing weed control and a consistent watering schedule

Too late? Already November? Check out our guide for getting green grass in November.

Clear the surface of your yard of debris

I cannot overemphasize the importance of clearing the surface of your lawn. This means removing debris, sticks, dog poop, leaves, and any clutter that may have accumulated over the summer.

A clean surface provides a fresh start for your lawn as your grass prepares to enter the dormant winter phase. This step takes a few minutes, but its impact on your lawn’s health is invaluable.

Pro tip: You can clean up the leaves and shred them into a mulch using a leaf mulcher.

Mowing lower before aerating and overseeding

One of the sneakiest but most crucial steps for maintaining a healthy lawn in the Fall is proper mowing. In my video I delve into the importance of mowing at the right height. The pros recommend gradually lowering your mower blade height with each cut as fall progresses.

This technique ensures that your grass doesn’t become too long and susceptible to diseases like snow mold. Additionally, I recommend not removing more than one-third of the grass blade’s height in a single mowing session to maintain the lawn’s vitality.

Aerating the lawn with a core aerator

Aeration is a key practice that helps your lawn breathe. Aerating your lawn involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow nutrients, water, and air to penetrate the roots. Aeration is essential in reducing soil compaction and thatch, both of which can hinder your lawn’s growth. This step is essential for ensuring that your grass receives the nourishment it needs to thrive.

You can pair this step with dethatching, which is the process of removing thatch (dead grass) from your lawn’s surface. Combined, these two will allow your lawn to become fully oxygenated and receive sunlight and nutrients that give you.. You can read more about my experience with dethatchers here.

Pro tip: You can rent this thing from Home Depot (like I did) for super cheap.

Overseeding your lawn

Overseeding is a vital aspect of fall lawn care to ensure that your grass grows back thick. Thick grass chokes out and prevents weeds and invasive grasses from taking root in your yard. The best defense is a good offense.

I suggest overseeding in the Fall to fill in any bare patches and encourage thick, lush growth. In my video, I explain exactly how I use my spreader in my yard to ensure that I get sufficient, even coverage of seed.

Pro tip: Follow my pattern above for ensuring even coverage throughout your yard.

Weed Control and Watering Schedules

The final steps in achieving a beautiful Fall lawn that sets you up for a beautiful spring lawn involve weed control and setting up a proper watering schedule. My video goes into detail about the types of herbicides and weed control products to use in the fall to prevent weeds from taking over your lawn during the winter.

I also share insights into the importance of keeping a consistent watering schedule: I recommend deep, infrequent watering rather than shallow, frequent watering, which can encourage shallow root growth.

Final words: My Fall Lawn Routine

By following these professional tips, you can ensure that your lawn thrives during the fall and emerges in the spring as a vibrant, healthy carpet of green. Don’t neglect your lawn this fall; follow these expert recommendations to enjoy a stunning lawn when warmer days return.

Tag: Fall lawn care

3 Things I’m Doing To Get Green Grass in November