Carbine & Associates Home Builders

When temperatures start to drop, it’s the perfect time to improve your outdoor space. In fact, the maintenance you do during fall will bring you huge benefits when spring rolls around.

Give Your Lawn Some TLC

Applying fertilizer to your lawn during fall can minimize the length of its dormant period, which is when it turns brown. Most lawn fertilizers contain high amounts of nitrogen, which is exactly what your lawn needs.

If you have a dandelion problem, you can pull them out at any time of year. However, they’re most susceptible to weed killers during autumn. You will probably want to choose a selective herbicide to avoid killing off your grasses and other plants.

Don’t stop mowing until the grass stops growing. When you do mow, put your mower on its mulching mode so that it chops up leaves and clippings more finely; that way, they can decompose without smothering the lawn.

You can give your lawn a head start by adding seed to bare spots. You can even encourage thicker growth by sprinkling see everywhere.

Even if the temperature is cool, make sure you continue watering your grass. If your lawn is stressed from drought, it’s more susceptible to damage during cold weather.

Take Care of Your Trees

When it’s cold outside, mice, moles and other rodents feast on tree bark. To prevent them from making a meal out of your trees, wrap a cylinder of half-inch mesh hardware cloth around their trunks. Push the mesh at least 3 inches into the soil to be safe.

Soak the soil around your trees and shrubs to make sure that they have enough water to be completely hydrated as we head into winter. Like grass, trees and shrubs can become stressed when they don’t have enough water.