I need to get my lawn ready for fall. What services should I be looking for?
Fall is one of the most misunderstood times of the year when it comes to lawn care. Most people assume that because their lawn is just going to die or be covered in snow, they don’t need to take any effort to maintain it before winter. Avoiding lawn maintenance can actually harm the yard’s health. It also makes it more difficult to grow back next season.
Hiring a professional for fall services helps you maintain your property’s aesthetic and keep it resilient over the winter. There are quite a few different services you should be looking for, and many people get confused over where to start. Below, we’ll address the top fall lawn care services so that you can get started on the right path next spring.
The importance of fall lawn care
During the winter, your lawn goes into dormancy. It doesn’t die, but it doesn’t grow either. Dormancy is the lawn’s response to cooler temperatures and less sunlight. It makes it more resilient and hardy against harsh weather so that it can continue growing the next year.
Fall is the ideal time to take measures that promote resilience and growth. This is especially true in northern climates. If you skip lawn care services in the fall season, you could experience:
Debris buildup: Lawn clippings and other debris can build up on top of your lawn, suffocating it from airflow and preventing growth in the spring.
Soil compaction: Foot traffic can pack down your lawn and soil, creating problems with root growth, soil health, and grass growth.
Lawn diseases: Fungal diseases like snow mold can develop if your grass is too long when it enters winter.
Nutrient deficiency: Neglecting late fall maintenance can starve your lawn of essential nutrients. These are necessary for your grass to grow back in the spring.
Bare spots: Lack of maintenance can cause your grass to gradually die in certain areas. If it doesn’t recover, you might develop brown spots around your property.
Understanding differences in warm vs cold-weather grass types
Before you schedule fall lawn care, it’s important that you know the difference in grass types, because each type of lawn needs different care. Cold-weather grasses are those found in the north; warm-weather grasses are those found in the south. They have opposing maintenance cycles when it comes to things like aeration and overseeding, so you’ll want to keep this in mind. By hiring a professional, you won’t have to think about this, because they’ll already know what it takes for your property to have a beautiful lawn year-round.
Fall lawn services: Everything you need to know
There is a huge variety of fall lawn care services. Not every yard will need all of them, but you’ll at least need some. It’s important to know the purpose of each so that you can stay informed on the process, even if you are hiring a landscaping expert.
Core aeration
Lawn aeration is done in the fall in northern climates. It involves removing small plugs of soil across the yard to break up compaction. Once aerated, soil can absorb water and nutrients more easily. This is an important part of root development, and it helps promote future grass growth.
Overseeding
Overseeding is often done alongside core aeration. It’s the process of spreading grass seed around the property by hand or with a push spreader. It’s particularly beneficial right before the winter months, because it lays the foundation for new grass to grow in the spring.
Dethatching
Dethatching is the process of removing old, dead grass and debris from the top of the lawn. It gives the grass room to breathe and allows moisture to permeate the soil more. Doing it in the fall is a way to winterize the lawn and prevent diseases from forming.
Fertilization
Most lawns benefit from two-phase lawn fertilizer in the fall. Your first fertilizer application is during early fall, and it’s all about helping your grass recover from summer heat. The second fall fertilizer application is done during late fall, and it’s all about giving the roots enough nutrients to last throughout the winter.
Weed control
Post-emergent herbicides are applied during the fall to prevent the spread of weeds like crabgrass. Since these plants drop seeds that germinate once the temperatures drop, it’s important to kill them early before they have time to develop. The problem will only come back worse if you don’t.
Leaf removal
Leaf removal is what everyone thinks of the most when it comes to fall lawn care. It’s important that you have leaves and other debris removed after they drop from the trees, because if they’re left there, it will only damage the yard. Leaves trap moisture, block sunlight, and invite pests.
Final mow
Once it gets closer to winter, you’ll want to do one last final mow. The best time to do this is right before the ground freezes and when the growing season is officially over. The lawn mower should be kept at a shorter setting; around 2 inches is perfect.
Benefits of hiring a fall lawn care pro on Greenpal
As you can see, there’s a lot involved with fall lawn care. If you care about having a healthier lawn, it’s usually better to have a professional handle it all for you. GreenPal connects homeowners like yourself with highly-qualified lawn care experts in your area. The platform provides many benefits, including:
Affordability: GreenPal has a bidding platform that encourages lawn care providers to make competitive offers. This means you’ll often get the best prices for fall services.
Experienced professionals: The lawn care contractors on GreenPal know what it takes to achieve a healthy lawn. They understand the difference between cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses and will make sure your property is treated perfectly.
Convenience: All hiring, scheduling, and payment is handled through the app, helping homeowners save time.
How to schedule fall lawn care with GreenPal
GreenPal is simple for homeowners to use. Once you sign up for the platform, enter your information, and provide your property address, you can immediately start finding skilled contractors who are available to help.
After posting your property and the services you’re looking for, you’ll receive a variety of bids. You can compare quotes, qualifications, and timelines to find the best lawn care provider for your needs. You can also message each contractor to refine your search further. Once you’ve found the right contractor, you can hire them for a set date and time. They’ll show up, complete the work, upload a picture of it, and the app will process payment.
Get started today
Fall clean up and maintenance are important for making sure your lawn looks great all year round. Whether you need aeration and overseeding, fertilization, leaf removal, or a final mow, you’ll find an expert on GreenPal who can help.
From fall lawn care in Cincinnati to Baton Rouge, GreenPal is available nationwide. Get started today and sign up to find affordable and high-quality lawn care services.
