The Most Important Season
If you only pay attention to your lawn once a year, make it the fall. This is the prime growing season for cool-season grasses in the Midwest. The work you do now determines how your lawn looks next spring.
Aeration and Overseeding
Fall is the absolute best time to core aerate your lawn. This relieves soil compaction and allows water, air, and nutrients to reach the roots. Immediately after aerating, overseed your lawn. The holes provide a perfect, protected environment for new seeds to germinate.
The Heavy Feed
Your lawn needs nitrogen to recover from summer stress and build strong roots for the winter. Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer in early fall (September), and consider a "winterizer" application in late fall (November) before the ground freezes.
The Fall Action Plan
- Aerate & Seed: Do this in late August or September. Keep the new seed moist until it germinates.
- Fertilize: Apply your heaviest feeding of the year to promote root growth.
- Weed Control: Fall is the best time to kill perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelions and clover. As they pull nutrients down into their roots for winter, they'll pull the herbicide down with it.
- Keep Mowing: Gradually lower your mower deck back to 2.5 - 3 inches. Keep mowing until the grass stops growing.
- Manage Leaves: Don't let thick layers of leaves sit on the grass. Mulch them with your mower or rake them up to prevent suffocation and snow mold.