As the temperatures begin to drop, we want to enjoy the outdoors here in Texas as long as possible. Long walks, sitting outside under a blanket, lighting your fire pit are some of my favorite fall outdoor activities.  However, you cannot neglect your yard during the fall months and expect wonderful results in the spring.  Therefore today we are going to look into four basic steps to fall lawn care: mowing, leaf removal, mulching, and planting bulbs.

Mowing:

It is not time to put the lawnmower up just yet. Fall is the time when we begin preparing our lawn for the approaching winter. It is also a great time to get rid of the weeds. Maintaining your yard during the fall months plays a critical role in weed management. Continue to cut your grass throughout the autumn. This eliminates weeds from claiming your yard and keeps your grass healthy. You can lower your mower deck to cut the grass to a height of 2 1/2″, but don’t think you are saving yourself time and money by cutting lower than that. Scalping your yard does nothing but hurt the grass’s root system. We want our grass as healthy as possible until the first hard frost hits our area.

Leaf Removal:

Fall leaves are beautiful on the trees, but fallen leaves clutter your yard making it look neglected. Leaves that are left to rot block the light and trap moisture making it difficult for the grass underneath to survive. So make sure to gather all the leaves that get trapped in the corners of your yard. Since you are still mowing, let the lawnmower do a lot of the work for you in the open lawn. The blades can mulch the leaves for you saving you time and energy.

Mulching:

Look in your flower beds to see where you can touch up the mulch in those areas. The more that you do to prevent weeds from coming up and taking over, the less work you have to do in the springtime. If you mulched well last spring, you will only have to touch up in the fall. Your beds need about three inches of mulch to prevent weeds. Julie Marten Forney writes, “Fall mulch works like spring mulch to retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth and protect bare soil from erosion…But it also accomplishes a few more things…” She goes on to describe how fall mulch provides insulation not only to the soil but also to the plant’s roots. Therefore, there are many benefits to fall mulching.

Planting Bulbs:

If you are like me you love all the flowering bulb plants in the spring, but yet never think about how to incorporate their blooms into your landscaping. Well, now is the time to not only plan, but plant the bulbs. The first week of November is prime bulb planting time in the South. The Lake Conroe/Montgomery area falls into two different zones: 8A and 8B. Check out the planting zone to tell what plants will do best in your area as well as the best time to plant.

Following the four basic steps for fall lawn care by mowing, removing leaves, mulching, and planting bulbs prepares our yard for the winter cold. Continuing to care for our lawns and landscaping during the fall months allows us to have great curb appeal, provides for healthy grass, and sets us up for a great start in the spring. Trust me; you will thank yourself later.