Tulsa Lawn Care Tips - Getting Ready For Fall

With fall approaching here in Oklahoma, you may be thinking that this year's Tulsa lawn care days are almost over. It may be true that you won’t have to mow the lawn as much now, but there are some necessary fall Tulsa lawn care items you may need to still need to handle to get your lawn prepared for winter.

It's important to take care of your lawn in the fall as it will help to ensure that you'll have a vibrant and healthy lawn in the springtime. Here is a few fall lawn care tips to help you get started.

Lawn Fertilization

Likely the heat of summer has taken a toll on your lawn, so fall is a good time to replenish nutrients in the soil with a slow-release fertilizer. This lawn fertilization in the fall will build the underground root system so that the roots are stronger and the grass recovers faster from drought and heat. This lawn fertilization for your Tulsa lawn will also help the soil to have the nutrients it needs to be strong in the spring. It’s ideal to fertilize your lawn four-to-six weeks before the first frost is due to occur.

Overseeding Tulsa Lawns

Often a lawn can start looking a little thin and worn-out, which can happen because of summer’s heat and just the passing of time. Overseeding in the fall will help it to be lush again. Overseeding or seeding your lawn with a new layer of cool-season grass over existing turf will fill in any thin or bare spots and help your lawn be more resilient to diseases and weeds.

Fall is a great time to overseed your lawn because the soil is still warm enough for the seeds to germinate, and yet the air is cool enough to prevent weeds from cropping up. There are many other reasons why fall is often the best time for overseeding.

 Lawn Aeration

Before overseeding your lawn, you might need to aerate the soil, which involves removing small core patches of dirt, thatch, grass, and if the soil is compacted aerating the lawn will help the soil and roots get more water, oxygen, and nutrients. This will help the roots of the new grass seeds to grow strong and healthy.

Some wonder if they need to rake all the leaves in their yard. Commonly, if the leaf coverage is covering the lawn so much that the grass can’t be seen, then the leaves need to be raked because they can prevent air and sunlight from reaching the grass. Thus, it’s best not to wait until all the leaves have fallen before you begin raking. A light layer of mulched leaves applied later in the season can provide the lawn with nutrients and protect it from colder weather. However, if the mulch is too thick or gets too moist before it decomposes, it can begin to choke out the grass or cause lawn disease.

Watering

Even with the weather getting colder, your Tulsa lawn will still need regular irrigation in the drought conditions. While the ground temperatures are above freezing, lawns can have infrequent, deep watering to help roots grow deep into the soil.

The Tulsa lawn care experts at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your fall lawn maintenance needs, giving your lawn the right fertilization at the right time, as well as aerating, and overseeding your lawn so that it will look healthy, beautiful, and ready for the coming spring!