Have the Best Lawn in Texas with These Fall Lawn Care Tips

Your lawn should be a source of pride. Make sure your lawn stays green into the fall and set up your turf for success in the winter with some maintenance now. We have gathered information on the best lawn treatments for fall, so you can feel confident in your lawn care as the summer comes to a close.

General Tips on How to Get Green Grass in Texas

Before delving into the specifics of fall lawn maintenance, you should know some general lawn care tips that can help keep your grass green even in the harsh summers and chilling winters of Texas.

As you read through the rest of this guide, some essential items to consider are what type of grass you have and the composition of your soil.

Lawn Mowing Tips

Mowing seems like a straightforward process, and for the most part, it is. However, there are some factors you should consider before you start trimming your turf. These tips can give you a good starting point and will have you mowing your lawn like a professional in no time.

• Do not cut more than 1/3 inch for each mow. – Taking too much off at once can leave your grass vulnerable to disease or weeds. If your lawn is too high, mow at a higher setting and return at a lower one the next mowing session. This gives your grass the time it needs to recover before another mowing.
• Alternate your mowing pattern. – Over time, mowing in the same pattern can create soil compaction areas that make it difficult for your grass to grow properly. Vary your pattern to ensure your lawn can breathe.
• Only mow if your lawn is dry. – Mowing a wet lawn is difficult and leads to uneven cutting that can give your turf a patchy appearance. If your watering schedule does not align with your mowing schedule, turn off your sprinklers the night before to set yourself up for success.

Pest Control Tips

Grubs in your lawn can damage your turf root systems and make it challenging to maintain a green lawn. Untreated lawns can also harbor disease vectors like mosquitos and fleas, making pest control that much more important. Because pest control is vital to a healthy home, we recommend contacting a professional to give you a consultation for your unique lawn.

Weed Control Tips

Lawn weeds can deprive your turf of vital nutrients and outcompete your grass, leaving you with an unsightly lawn. However, weed control is more than simply spraying a herbicide over pesky plants. To successfully remove weeds from your lawn, you should first identify which weeds you are dealing with and select an herbicide designed to tackle that specific weed. Pay close attention to the herbicide label as it will provide crucial information such as when to spray herbicide and how much to apply.

Lawn Treatments for Fall

There are several lawn treatments you can do during the fall to ensure your lawn survives in the winter and comes back green and healthy in the spring. From aerating to fertilizing to overseeding, you have a lot of options when it comes to fall lawn treatment.

When to Aerate

Aerating gives your turf fresh air by exposing the soil and loosening highly compact areas. When paired with fertilizer and overseeding, laying down seed over an established lawn, aeration becomes a powerful tool that can keep your lawn looking green and healthy year-round.

The best time to aerate your lawn is mid to late October. By this point, the Texas climate has cooled down enough to give your turf a chance to breathe. Additionally, you may want to dethatch with aeration, as this clears built-up dead material that could smother your lawn.

While you can aerate a lawn manually with a hand-held aeration tool, renting a powered aerator from a local hardware store might be more accessible and can save you time and money in the long run.

When to Fertilize

The best time to fertilize your lawn in the Fall is September. The weather has cooled significantly by this time, and your lawn will soon become dormant. A nitrogen boost at this time sets your lawn up for success when it returns in the spring.

Most importantly, you will want to use the proper fertilizer for your goals. If you simply want to boost your lawn, a general growing fertilizer will do, but if you are planning to overseed, you may opt for starter fertilizer.

Winter Grass for Texas

St. Augustine and Bermuda grasses are excellent lawn options for the summer, although they do become dormant in the winter. If you want a green lawn year-round, you may want to plant an annual or perennial ryegrass.

Ryegrass is popular in Texas as the climate is forgiving enough to allow for proper growth throughout the cooler months, and it helps maintain your soil composition.

You will want to plant ryegrass once all of your other grass has gone dormant, as it will start to outcompete your current lawn if you plant too early. Generally, you could start seeding your lawn in October along with your aeration.

Fall Lawn Cleanup Tips

As the weather starts to cool, you may want to spend more time outdoors. Keep your lawn tidy to impress your fall guests. During this time, you will want to keep up with mowing until your grass enters dormancy. Over the coming weeks, you may not need to mow as often, so keep that in mind. You will also want to focus on weeding during this time. Removing weeds now can set up a strong foundation for the following spring.

Ultimately, the task that takes the most time is raking leaves, but fortunately, we have several tips to make this chore easier.

Easy Way to Rake Leaves

Raking leaves is necessary to maintain a clean and healthy lawn, and it does not have to be a hassle. Take advantage of these leaf cleaning tips to be done in no time.

• Rake leaves onto a tarp to make cleanup easier and save your back from bending over constantly.
• Raking in piles is fun for children and dogs to jump into, but raking in rows makes your job of picking the leaves up much more manageable.
• If you are still mowing your lawn, you might consider mowing over the fallen leaves. The lawnmower blades will shred the leaves, creating a mulch that can help feed your lawn.
• A traditional rake makes quick work of leaves, especially if it is big, but an inexpensive leaf blower can do the job in a fraction of the time. Just be aware of local ordinances surrounding these power tools.
• If you do not have a tarp, consider bagging your leaves in smaller piles. This takes much less time to bag than one massive pile and ensures your stack does not blow away.

Are you ready to care for a lawn of your own? Find move-inready Texas homes with top amenities.