Fall has arrived once again. Last year, we posted the simple yet important steps every homeowner should take when readying their lawn for the fall. These included removing leaves, mowing, and fertilizing. These are fall yard maintenance steps you can perform yourself at home, but some fall tasks aren’t as easy.

DIY Mower Maintenance

You likely know that just because the cooler temps have arrived doesn’t mean it’s time to put the mower away. Grass will continue to grow until the first hard frost. You might need to cut it a little shorter than you normally would–ideally, 2 ½ to 3-inch blades. This prevents fungus growth and snow mold but leaves them long enough to keep healthy roots. Once you are done with your mower, however, you shouldn’t just push it in the shed and forget about it until spring:

• Drain the oil and replace it.
• Use a gas treatment or fuel stabilizer to prevent the gasoline in your lawn mower from going stale
• Replace the spark plug
• Clean dirt and debris from the entire mower- especially the blades

Call A Professional When…

When it comes time to sharpen your mower blades and you’re not sure how to do it, take it to a professional. Even dull blades are dangerous to a novice and can cause major injuries. When to sharpen your blade depends on how long it takes to mow your lawn. Smaller yards can go a year or two without being sharpened, but if it takes you more than an hour, you should be sharpening your blades 1-2 times a year.

Removing Debris

A beautiful layer of colorful leaves might look nice on your lawn, but they trap moisture, block light, and can badly harm your lawn. Rake or blow these leaves as they fall to prevent harm ot your lawn later in the season.

Call a Professional When…

You can do your own dethatching, but purchasing the proper equipment and putting in the extra effort isn’t often something homeowners want to do. Often, dethatching a yard is something only a professional can handle properly. You should also talk to a professional when you think about core aeration for your yard. This doesn’t need to be done every fall, but aeration is a great way to help your roots breathe, absorb water and nutrients, and break up compacted soil.

Weed Control and Fertilizing

There are plenty of weed and fertilizing options you can purchase from your local home improvement store or hardware store. If you are just looking to give your lawn a boost before fall arrives, feel free to tackle this project on your own.

Call a Professional When…

if you have having issues with your lawn in the fall, it’s a good idea to call in an expert. For example, if you haven’t been able to control weed or crab grass growth or you aren’t sure which nutrients your lawn is missing, don’t take a guess and hope for the best.

At Land Concepts, we offer an array of fall maintenance services. To get your lawn healthy and ready for another harsh Minnesota winter, contact the experts.