Temperatures are dropping and the soil is perfectly moist thanks to the monsoons, which means fall is the ideal time to begin prepping your landscape for winter. A landscaper can help keep your lawn healthy, but here are some general tips to help care for your fall landscape. 

Leaves

If you have trees that leave a layer of leaves across your lawn, you’ll want to clear those leaves away. One way to do this is to rake them into a tarp or leaf bag to make transportation more convenient. The other option is to create a compost pen out of chicken wire and dump the leaves into it, making sure to turn the pile every week. Over time, you will be left with a fertilizer that you can use on your lawn and garden next year. 

Fresh Mulch

The best time to add fresh mulch to new plants is after a light frost but before the ground freezes. This will help to keep them warm, so they survive the winter. This can also prevent soil from wearing down and any water overspill.  

Aerating

If you find puddles on your lawn after it rains, you will need to aerate the soil so it can absorb the nutrients and water. If you have a large yard, a walk-behind aerator will be your best bet. For small lawns, a garden fork will suffice. 

Fertilizing

If you’re looking to have a lush green lawn at the beginning of spring, then fertilizing your yard before the frost comes is best. With this strategy the grass roots will have the opportunity to absorb those nutrients before they go dormant. 

Mowing

To prevent your grass from developing any diseases, it is a smart decision to mow your grass slightly shorter than you may usually, no shorter than 1 ¼ inches long. This ensures fallen leaves will easily drift across the grass. 

Complete Landscaping can help will all your landscaping and lawn maintenance needs. Learn more about our landscaping services in Tucson by calling (520) 323-8918.