Why Is Fall the Best Time to Prepare My Albuquerque Lawn for Next Year?
The leaves are changing, and the temperature is dropping, which means it’s time to focus on your Albuquerque fall lawn care.
Proper care now will help ensure a healthy, green lawn this spring. ASAP Sands Outdoor Services’ guide covers some vital fall Albuquerque lawn care practices — from leaf removal to fertilization — that will help you maintain a great looking lawn all the way through winter.
Importance of Fall Lawn Maintenance in Albuquerque
These fall lawn care tips aren’t just about good looks — they’re also an investment in your lawn’s long-term health. In the fall, grass plants are actively storing nutrient and energy reserves for cold months ahead.
Good treatment will help roots grow stronger, and make them more resistant to disease, while getting grass off to a good start in the spring. Use the fall statistics lawncare management to ensure the heath of your yard.
Removing Fall’s Leaves and Debris
Leaves also cover the lawn, preventing sunlight and moisture from reaching the grass below. Regular leaf removal allows your yard to have the sun and air it requires to remain healthy for the fall season.
Raking Techniques
Consistency is key when raking. Try to rake your lawn for at least one week during the heaviest part of the fall. Work in the direction things grow, so you don’t damage grass blades; use a large splayed rake. Take care of it in pieces to make it less overwhelming if you have a big yard.
Using Leaf Blowers Effectively
If you’ve got one, break out a leaf blower for speedier cleanup. Begin at the house and move outward as you blow leaves into piles to collect.
Consider the direction of the wind and your neighbors’ property. Some leaf blowers also have a mulching function, which can shred the leaves to create organic matter that can serve as fertilizing mulch in your lawn or garden beds. Leaf blowers are available online, or at your local hardware store if you don’t already own one.
Mowing the Lawn in Autumn
Contrary to what you might think, the mowing doesn’t stop once summer ends. We suggest that you keep mowing your grass in the fall until the first frost in your region.
Ideal Grass Height
Throughout the fall, maintain grass at a length of 2.5–3 inches. This length of grass gives the leaves sufficient surface to carry out photosynthesis such that the grass will not get matted down underneath any amount of snow fall.
Cutting too low can reduce root system (since the root depth is directly related to cutting height), and hinder winter hardiness in your lawn.
Mowing Frequency
It is best to continue mowing on a regular basis until the initial hard freeze. The grass still grows in fall and winter (though at a slower rate).
Shoot for mowing one time a week, or as often as necessary to maintain the proper grass height. Frequent mowing also works as a method to mulch leaves and plant material, feeding the soil with essential nutrients.
Adjusting Lawn Watering for Fall Time
Cooler temperatures and more rainfall might lure you into watering less, but adequate hydration is one more key component of fall lawn care. Grass roots require moisture in order to go dormant for winter and wake up in spring.
Adjusting Irrigation Systems
Monitor watering as temperatures moves down and adjust accordingly. Water deeply, but less frequently than in summer, and shoot for roughly an inch of water a week including rainfall. Water intake can be measured with a basic rain gauge. Keep watering till the ground freezes, usually around the end of October in most places.
Signs of Overwatering and Underwatering
Watch for over watering signs. Lush green lawns may have fungal problems; brown grass may go dormant early. A little wilting, a touch of discoloration or those footprints that don’t rebound after a step on the grass are signs that your watering needs some fine-tuning.
Aerating Your Lawn is essential in Autumn
Lawn aeration can have big effects on the health of your yard, but it’s something that’s easy to overlook when you’re performing fall lawn care. Aeration aids in soil compaction relief and water, air, and nutrients are able to enter the root zone.
Benefits of Aeration
Aerating on a regular basis, generally every few years, prevents soil from getting compacted and layered with thatch — a layer of dead stems, roots and other matter that can prevent vital resources from reaching the soil.
Aeration improves drainage and the flow of oxygen to roots, and makes room for new grass seeds to germinate.
DIY vs. Professional Aeration
Although homeowners can aerate their own lawns with rented equipment, professional aeration services are recommended to achieve good results. Core aerators, which pull small plugs of soil, are best.
Core Aerators can be purchased online or at hardware stores. If you decide to aerate your lawn yourself, you’ll want the soil to be damp but not so wet that it becomes waterlogged, and go over your lawn several times for complete coverage. We suggest using professional lawn care services with their commercial grade tools and experience for proper aeration.
Fertilizing Fall for Winter Strength
Fertilizing in fall helps roots grow strong now and then store the reserves they need to jump-start spring green-up. A timely application can have a major effect on how well your lawn survives the winter and how quickly it recovers in the spring.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
Choose a slow-release granular fertilizer with an even number content of nutrients, such as a 24-0-10 solution. These numbers represent the weight percentage amounts of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash contained in that fertilizer.
Nitrogen contributes to leafy growth, while potassium is crucial for root growth and protection against disease and cold. A soil test can help reveal your lawn’s unique nutrient requirements.
Application Timing and Methods
Fertilize in late fall, after mid-October until early November as grass growth slows down but root development carries on.
Apply the fertilizer evenly with a broadcast spreader as directed on the product label. Water well after applying to ensure that the nutrients are properly absorbed by the soil.
Do not fertilize near waterways or runoff will contaminate them.
Overseed in the Fall to Encourage Thick Lawn Development
Fall overseeding makes the thin areas in your lawn less prominent, repairs bare patches and brings the latest species of more-resistant grass to your yard. This is essential to keeping a thick, weed-resistant lawn.
Selecting the Best Grass Seed
Buy grass seed that’s similar to your current turf type and suitable for your climate. Drought- or disease-resistant grass is also worth a look to add resilience to your lawn. Source good-quality seed with high germination and minimal weed content.
Proper Seeding Techniques
It is best to overseed when aerating your lawn. The soil holes are perfect for seed to soil contact for your seeds to germinate. Spread evenly with a spreader, then raked lightly to create good seed-to-soil contact. Keep area with seed constantly moist for seven to 21 days until germination, depending on the grass type. Try to keep new seeded area away from heavy foot traffic.
Controlling Weeds
Autumn is a good time to manage weeds, as some perennial weeds take in nutrients in fall for winter prep. Spray a broadleaf herbicide for dandelions, clover and other lawn weeds. Make certain to read and follow the product label and not use it over any new seed. To do things in a greener way, you can spot-treat weed hot spots or pull them by hand before they go to seed.
Get Your Lawn Equipment Ready for Winter Storage
As the growing season comes to a close, you will want to store your lawn equipment in such a way that it is ready for use again next spring. Clean mower blades and sharpen them, change the mower oil, add fuel stabilizer to avoid carburetor problems. Drain hoses and irrigation systems to avoid damage from freezing. Wipe down and oil garden tools, then store them in a dry area of your home (or one of the best outdoor storage benches). The time and money you invest in these actions now will save you considerable effort later when spring finally comes.
Addressing Common Fall Lawn Problems
You can encounter certain struggles with lawn health during the fall season. Dealing with them can help you avoid costly harm to your lawn.
Dealing with Fungal Diseases
Fungal growth is favored by cool, moist conditions in the fall. Probably the most common are snow mold and fusarium fungus. To avoid these, don’t overwater, mow at the proper height and consider applying a fungicide if your lawn has had fungal problems in the past. You also can better air flow by thinning out overgrown shrubs or trees around the lawn.
Managing Pest Infestations
A variety of lawn pests — grubs and armyworms, among others — come into their own in the fall. Watch for evidence of infestation in your lawn such as brown patches or more birds. Treat with pesticides or think about using nematodes if necessary. Observe all local pesticide guidelines.
How to Establish a Schedule for Fall Lawn Care
Creating a fall lawn care schedule can help you avoid the stress of winter and spring maintenance. Here’s a possible timeline:
- In early fall (September): Start mowing slightly lower, maintain regular watering and use preemergent weed control only if necessary.
- Mid fall (October) Core: aerate and overseed the lawn, apply fall fertilizer, and continue removing any leaves as necessary.
- Late fall (November): Have final wedding, complete last round of leaf clean up and winterize lawn equipment.
- Winter prep (December): Apply winter fertilizer, if recommended for your area; and remove all fallen leaves before the first snow.
Modify this schedule according to your own climate and lawn conditions. You’ll get the best results if you’re strict with your lawn care schedule.
Final Thoughts
If you follow the recommendations in this guide, you can expect a markedly better lawn come spring. If you don’t want be the one having to make your own backyard beautiful, then call us at ASAP Sands Outdoor Services at 505-293-4014 to get set up with our monthly home landscaping maintenance program.
