As you know, autumn is one of the best times to improve the condition of your landscape. Fall lawn treatments contribute to the health of your lawn, prepare it for winter, and set it up to thrive next spring. Among the important fall lawn treatments are fertilization, thatch removal, aeration, weed control and even the establishment of new lawns. Let’s take a look at the most important fall lawn treatments that will lead to a healthier, more robust and weed-free yard next spring.

1. Aerating: Your lawn needs to breath all year long. Using an aerator attached to your lawnmower will help it get the air it needs to produce healthier root structure, the key to your lawn’s strength. Aeration will also allow water and fertilizer to more easily get deep into the soil where it can do your lawn the most good.
2. Dethatching: Getting the dead material out of your lawn is one of the most important fall lawn treatments you can give your grass. That thatch is inhibiting healthy growth, absorbing water and nutrients that won’t reach the roots of living grass, and can be a habitat for pests you don’t want in your lawn. You can dethatch your lawn with a sturdy metal rake but that is a tough task. There are dethatching units that attach to your riding mower that make the job easier and more effective. This is one of those fall lawn treatments that makes all of the other ones more effective, especially the next one on our list.

3. Fertilizing: These fall lawn treatments should be done about the first of September and again near the end of October. Use a slow release lawn fertilizer for best results. It will feed your lawn now and also be ready to complete its work in early spring. For weed control use a fertilizer that contains a weed killer for the easiest approach.

4. Watering: Water your lawn prior to fertilizing so that the weed killer sticks to the leaves of the weeds. After 24 to 48 hours, start watering again. Gauging a half to a full inch of water is ideal to help the fertilizer do its work. This is one of those fall lawn treatments that gets overlooked but is essential, especially if the weather is dry.

5. Seeding: Fall is the perfect time to seed or over-seed your lawn. If your area freezes, get the seed into the ground 4-6 weeks ahead of the frost so that it can be established before it gets too cold and also before your last fertilizer application. For scattering seed or fertilizer, a spreader you can pull behind your riding lawnmower makes for quick and easy work.

6. Rolling: If you have rough or bumpy spots in your yard, using a lawn roller as one of your fall lawn treatments makes perfect sense. The ground is often soft in the fall because of the heavier rains most climates experience in these months. Use a pull-behind roller while you cut grass and get double duty from your lawnmower.

7. Mulching: Feeding grass clippings back into your lawn is a great way to add nutrients that would otherwise go to waste. Use mulching blades for your lawnmower for best results.

8. Composting: Another great way to make use of grass clippings is to place them in a composting bin along with leaves and the dead grass you remove while dethatching. This is one of those fall lawn treatments that is forward looking – the compost your produce in your composting bin will likely be ready when spring comes around so you can use it in your flower beds and around your trees and bushes.

These are the essential fall lawn treatments that will greatly increase the health and looks of your yard right now and will prepare it to thrive throughout the year.