4 Fast Fixes for Your Fall Lawn

If you live in any of the areas of the United States that dealt with heat waves this past summer, then your lawn probably looks a lot like mine—brown and bare. Turns out that I can bring my lawn back to life, as long as I know the right steps to take. Even if your lawn is still looking great, here are 4 fast fixes you can do in a weekend to help you have a great, green lawn come spring.

1. Get ready to reseed. Cooler fall temps are the perfect time to reseed your lawn, and fall is the optimal time for new lawn growth. Remember: reseeding isn't just for burned-out lawns like mine. Every lawn can use some additional seeding, especially if it developed bare spots over the spring and summer seasons. Be sure to choose the right grass seed based on the region of the country where you live, or you may not get the best growth possible out of the grass seed.
2. Water, water, water. You may not think that your grass is thirsty, but unless you live in a rainy region, you should consider continuing to water your lawn until fall's first frost. That's because a well-hydrated lawn is less vulnerable to winter's cold and damaging temperatures. (FYI, morning is the best time for watering. That's because anything watered late in the day may not have time to dry before nighttime falls, and that's when fungal diseases set in.)
3. Mow at a shorter setting. I know that one of the reasons my lawn fried this summer was that the last time I mowed it, I had the setting too low. Low grass + hot temperatures = burned grass. The best way to keep your lawn looking great through summer is mow at a higher setting, even if it means having to mow more often. However, as the shorter days of fall arrive, your lawn will begin to go dormant, meaning you can mow less often. And for the final cut of the fall, you can mow on a lower setting without worrying that you'll burn out your lawn.
4. Rake Your Leaves Regularly. Just because you may mulch your grass clippings when you're mowing doesn't mean that all organic debris on your lawn is good for it. Case it point: fall leaves. Left for too long on your lawn, fallen leaves can smother the grass below. Instead, rake on a regular basis or if raking is too hard on your body, run your mower over the leaves to turn them into mulch.

Do you have other tips for fall lawn maintenance?

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