With summer giving way to the cooler days of fall, can you depend on your landscape contractor to take care of your lawn care needs in the fall in South Whitehall, PA? Now that the constant buzz of lawnmowers is dying down, you may wonder if your landscape contractor is still on the job of taking care of your lawn. Reputable contractors will be, because lawn care doesn’t end with the last of the lazy summer days. Here’s what a great lawn service should be doing this fall to prepare your lawn for lush new growth next year.
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If your landscape contractor’s version of lawn care is “mow and blow” then you aren’t getting your money’s worth because lawn care is so much more. If you are willing to take on the rest (soil analysis, dethatching and aeration, fertilizing and weeding, and disease and pest control) then “mow and blow” services are just fine. If, however, you want someone to do it all - so you can have your weekends back and/or you don’t have the expertise to give your lawn exactly what it needs, then you want to be sure that the company you are working with actually offers comprehensive lawn care.
Fall Lawn Care Basics
In early fall, grass is still growing and mowing to the correct height is important. You want your landscape contractor to avoid giving your grass a buzz cut that stresses the lawn and promotes too much evaporation. And, you don’t want the grass to be mowed too high, which could invite mold, mildew, and disease. It’s important for a lawn care company to recognize that shady lawns require different mowing strategies than sunny lawns. Of course, most lawns are a little of both, which means being sensitive to the lawn’s condition throughout the year.
As leaves begin to fall, it’s a golden opportunity to add nutrients to the soil. Mowing doesn’t stop until later in the fall when grass actually stops growing so mulching mowers can do double duty, not only trimming the grass but chopping fallen leaves into tiny pieces that will naturally decompose. Raking and bagging leaves is another option if you want a “cleaner” look - but this task must be taken on several times throughout the fall. Leaves left lying on the ground tend to form a slimy, rubbery and virtually impenetrable grass-suffocating layer once they get wet. Whichever you choose - mulching or raking/bagging - it’s an ongoing process throughout the fall. The “blow” part of “mow and blow” is a lazy way to remove leaves. The wind will just deposit them right back where they were!
Aeration is often necessary after the heat and drought of summer has compacted the earth. Once that’s done, application of a slow-release fertilizer will help roots absorb nutrients that will ensure the grass overwinters well.
Weed control doesn’t stop in fall, either, especially if the lawn has been stressed by heat and drought over the summer. Some weeds drop their seeds early and some wait ‘til fall, so weed control is an ongoing process.
Fall is the ideal time to overseed bare patches of the lawn - any areas that have been damaged will need a little TLC now as the grasses are preparing for winter.
Hopefully, your lawn care service also educates you on proper watering in fall. And, if there are any issues that the lawn is having, they should be on top of the situation and actively taking care of it.
Related: How to Tell Whether Your Lawn Care Is Meeting Standards in Lebanon and Allentown PA
