Illinois weather never fails to throw us curveballs this time of year – from heavy precipitation, to peak heat during daytime hours and a cool earth by nightfall, we never quite know what to expect. But you can prepare your yard for all seasons, and now’s the time to give yours some extra TLC! Our Green Scene lawn care team recommends the following tips to make sure your autumn lawn is just as lush & beautiful as summer’s:
Continue mowing – Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t retire your lawnmower for the year on the last day of summer, since grass keeps growing until the first frost of the season. That’s why you’ll see our Green Scene lawn maintenance team out in your neighborhood until around November 15th year after year.
You’ll want to keep your lawn between 2 ½ and 3 inches in length until the first frost. Cutting it shorter than this can damage the root system and affect the grass’s ability to withstand harsh winter temperatures. On the other hand, letting your grass grow longer than 3 inches puts it at risk of fungi.
Water as needed – Although the autumn tends to bring more rain and dew than the summer, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should stop watering your lawn.
Green Scene recommends giving your grass some extra moisture via a sprinkler system or a hose on weeks when you don’t get at least an inch of rainfall. Continue doing this until the end of October to make sure your lawn is hydrated enough to survive the cold months.
Get rid of leaves – Leaf piles are fun for kids to play in, but they can be detrimental to your lawn. That’s because they keep grass from getting the sunlight it needs while locking in too much moisture. To avoid a damp, decaying lawn come spring, be sure to rake, blow away, or chop up leaves with the lawnmower throughout fall.
Give our Green Scene lawn maintenance team a call for your fall cleanup, and we’ll take care of it for you!
Monitor lawn spots and weeds – If you have brown or patchy areas on your lawn, now is the time to figure out what is causing them and fix it so these eyesores don’t persist. The same goes for weeds – they’re easiest to knock out in the fall because they’re absorbing the most moisture and nutrients at this time, meaning they’ll also eagerly suck up weed killer.
Our Green Scene lawn care team is always happy to provide a free estimate for lawn care services.
