Preparing Your Allagash Lawn For Fall

Fall is upon us, which means that things are chilly and about to get very cold around Allagash. Most yards will be covered in snow very soon, meaning that it can be tempting to leave the yard alone until spring.

There are a number of helpful tips you can employ this fall to help ensure your yard emerges healthy and green when spring comes around again. Please reach out to our Allagash lawn care experts for help maintaining a healthy, green lawn all year long!

Fall Lawn Care Tips

Here are some tips to help keep your lawn beautiful moving into fall and beyond. 

Mowing

Stay on top of keeping the lawn mowed short. Keep cutting the grass to a normal height until it is no longer growing in your yard. Once the grass has stopped growing, it’s a good idea to winterize your mower by changing the spark plugs, sharpening or replacing the blades, cleaning the air filter, and repairing any damage that might have occurred to it.

Raking

Raking often is an important step as the leaves start to die and fall around your yard. Falling leaves can block out sunlight that lets the grass and other smaller plants get the nutrients they need to survive the winter. Keep your lawn as clear of leaves as possible to help preserve them into spring.

Mulching

Fall is a good time to start applying mulch and fertilizer around the bases of the trees and shrubs around your home. Mulching preserves the health of plants, especially younger plants, by protecting their roots before encroaching cold weather while simultaneously packing in moisture and organic matter that plants can draw from to stay healthy.

Fertilizer acts as both a vitamin source and a grounding for plants. For the best results, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer that can help give it a healthy, stable root structure that will survive the harsh winter. Potassium-rich fertilizer is very effective at helping plants fight harsh winters, a necessity here in Maine.

Drought Stress Adjustments 

Drought stress occurs in younger trees and shrubs (1-2 years) in which they experience stress in the warmer months of the year. This is particularly seen in evergreen trees, which benefit greatly from extra watering in the fall.

Fall Pruning

Proper pruning is an essential part of helping your trees and plants thrive. Pruning certain branches relieve stress on trees and larger plants, helping them grow. Fall presents the perfect time to prune so that they can be ready to spring to life again as the weather warms up.

Weeding

A number of harmful weeds that become a problem in the early spring take root in the fall. Poa Annua, Henbit, and chickweed are all common plants that get germinated in the fall before becoming a noticeable presence in the yard spring. Now is the time to stay incredibly vigilant about weeding your Allagash yard before these or other annoying weeds get established within your yard.

Why Professional Treatment Is A Must

Each tree and shrub on your property may require different pruning strategies to be most effective. Each tree and shrub is different and may have different ideal times for mulching, pruning, or other practices. The harsh winter conditions present in our area of Maine make maintaining a beautiful yard difficult- unless you have professional help on your site.

If you’re in search of long-term lawn protection for your Allagash property, look no further than Allagash Lawn Solutions. Our team utilizes a range of tools and techniques to keep Maine homes looking beautiful every day of the year. Contact us today for more information about how we can protect your property for fall, winter, and beyond.