As a Texas lawn transitions from
warm weather to cooler weather, it benefits from some seasonal care.
Taking the time to winterize a fall lawn prepares it to withstand
cold weather better, which means it'll come back healthier when it greens
up in spring.
Follow these eight steps to keep
your fall lawn in the peak of health:
- Remove matted leaves.
Leaf mulch is good for conserving moisture and keeping the soil warmer in
winter, but if you have a lot of trees, their fallen leaves can form a
solid mat that prevents water from reaching grass roots. Rake fallen
leaves or use a mulching mower to shred the leaves into small pieces that
allow water to reach grass roots.
- Increase the mowing height. Removing too much of the grass leaf blades late in the season stresses a lawn. Raise mower blades to the next level higher than what you use during the summer.
- Soil test. Don't second-guess what nutrients a lawn needs -- too much fertilizer is as damaging to a lawn as insufficient fertilizer. Apply fertilizer according to the results from a soil-test, performed by a professional lawn-care specialist or your local Cooperative Extension Service.
- Don't fertilize too late. Make your last fall lawn fertilizer application no later than 30 days before the first expected frost in your area. If you fertilize after this, new grass growth can be damaged by the frost, which compromises the overall health of your lawn.
- Aerate your lawn. Before making the last application of fertilizer, use a core aerator to loosen the soil and allow water and nutrients to move more freely to the grass roots.
- Dormant doesn't mean dead. When your fall lawn naturally turns brown, it's not dead but simply dormant. The roots are very much alive, and they need watering to keep the grass alive. If there's a particularly dry winter, use your irrigation system to keep the lawn watered.
- Keep on top of weeds. Winter weeds, such as henbit and chickweed, can take over an untreated lawn. Consult your lawn-care professional for best control options.
- Keep an eye out for diseases. Some turfgrass diseases, such as brown patch, thrive in the cooler weather of fall and winter, when nighttime temperatures dip below 70 degrees F.
With these tips, a fall lawn has a
leg up on returning green and healthy next spring!
