Fall Lawn Care Checklist

The weather is cooling down in Middle Tennessee, and you know what that means – time to prepare our lawns for the fall and winter months. Here is a quick checklist to get you started this month:

• Eliminate weeds. Fall is the best time for weed killers.
• Trim or remove dead branches and heavy leaf cover to protect the health of your plants.
• Aerate your lawn. Is rainfall pooling on your lawn? You need that water to reach the roots, and the only way to make that happen is to aerate your lawn.
• Fertilize. Feed your lawn in the fall after you aerate to prepare for spring.
• Continue to mow as needed in the fall. After your lawn has stopped growing, mow one last time. Our suggestion is to cut to 1 ¼ inches on your last mow.
• Plant new shrubs so they can establish a root system in the cool soil of the season.
• Cut back your perennials and get rid of your annuals. This gets rid of the pests that feed on them and will help establish healthier beds in the spring.
• Finish your beds and new plants off with a layer of mulch.
• Do you have an irrigation system? Don’t forget to shut the water off and blow out the water before the first freeze.

This short list should help you to promote a strong and healthy lawn next spring and remember we can help! Complete this form for a free estimate of any of these fall lawn care services.

Blog Contributor: John Hewell

John Hewell serves as Area Manager for Pure Green in Nashville, with 16 years of experience. He holds an Associate in Science in Turfgrass Science and Management from Penn State University, a Bachelor of Arts in History from Georgia Southern University, and pesticide applicator licenses in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. His background combines turfgrass education, multi-state licensing, employee development, and practical lawn care leadership.