Crisp air. Beautiful fall leaves. The fall in Milwaukee is an amazing time when there are plenty of things to do with friends and family. But this time of year you may neglect yard work for hayrides and bonfires, apple picking and hiking. But this is also a great time to spend evenings outside in your own yard, which means you’ll want a great lawn to hang out on. It’s also one of the best times of year to do some lawn care because it will help prepare the grass for the winter and ultimately rejuvenate it in the spring. Here are four lawn care tips you can use this fall for your lawn in Milwaukee.
Continue with regular mowing
During the fall, your lawn will continue to grow despite the cooling temperatures and shorter days. You’ll need to continue to mow regularly and you may even need to mow more often, as grass may grow quicker this time of year. Be sure to follow the one-third rule to keep your grass healthy, green and growing. If your grass is three inches tall, only mow one inch. This leaves two inches of the grass blade.
Aerate your lawn
If your lawn has had a rough summer of kids and pets running around and having fun, then it may be time to aerate. By aerating, you are breaking up the heavily compacted soil and allowing air, water, and nutrients to circulate. You’ll also break up debris and thatch layers, helping the roots and blades of the grass to renew their health this season. You can core (or plug) aerate or use a spike aerator to create the holes approximately two to three inches deep.
Rake fallen leaves
You have two options for removing the leaves from your yard: mow a few times to break up the leaves – and leave the pieces where they are – to create a mulch in the grass, or rake up the leaves. For easy cleanup, if you take option two, rake the leaves onto a plastic tarp or burlap square rather than just creating a big pile. You won’t have the fall photo op of jumping into leaves, but it will make for easier leaf removal!
Apply broadleaf herbicide
To reduce the chance of some of the late-season broadleaf weeds, you should head to the garden center and pick up a broadleaf herbicide. This time of year, those pesky weeds are preparing to hibernate for the winter by sending nutrients to their roots so that they can come back bigger and stronger in the spring. By applying herbicide now, the weed control elements will also be carried down to the roots, killing the weeds for the fall — and reducing the chances of them coming back next spring.
Do you need additional help with lawn care this fall? Don’t worry! Check out our Milwaukee lawn care services page to see what we can do to give you a little extra time with your friends and family this season.
Main Image Credit: debramillet / Adobe Stock / License
