Lawn care experts will tell you that the best way to get a green and healthy lawn in spring is to ensure you follow the best lawn practices in fall. The mistakes you make during fall before your grass goes dormant may adversely affect your lawn the following year. To avoid this, the following are some of the things you need to pay attention to as far as lawn care in the fall is concerned.

Remove the Leaves on Your Lawn

Leaving a carpet of colorful autumn leaves on your lawn may seem like a good idea, but it’s not very good for your grass. They trap moisture and block light from getting to the unlucky grass underneath. When the leaves begin to fall, it is a good practice to blow or rake them away as often as possible to prevent them from piling up.

Keep Mowing Your Lawn

A lot of people make the mistake of putting the mower away too early. Even with winter approaching, you don’t need to stop mowing just yet. Your grass will continue to grow until the first hard frost hits. You want to keep on mowing your lawn until this happens. But be sure to keep it to the correct height. The ideal height should be about 2.5 to 3 inches. Too long and the mat will be vulnerable to snow mold. Cutting the grass too short can be a problem as well, as it affects the root system of the plants and makes it difficult for them to withstand the upcoming weather.

Continue Watering

Most people tend to stop watering their lawn when they notice the temperatures begin to fall. They simply assume that nature will take care of things automatically. While it is true that there’s more moisture during this time of the year, it is usually not enough to keep the roots hydrated going into winter. You can keep the sprinklers running until the end of October to maintain a good supply of water for your lawn.

Add Fertilizer

Just as your grassroots need enough water for the winter, they will also benefit from some added nutrients. This not only ensures that the plants don’t freeze up during the winter, but also ensures that they bounce back strong after the snow clears. A late-fall application of slow-release 24-0-10 fertilizer will do your lawn a lot of good.