Fall Lawn Care Tips: Five Important Steps Every Homeowner in Redmond Should Take Right Now

When it comes to lawn maintenance, the end of summer shouldn’t necessarily mean the end of lawn care. Most homeowners think their lawns need less care during the fall months because grass and plants aren’t actively blooming, but the exact opposite is true. In fact, the infrequent rainfall and cooler temperatures make fall the perfect time to prepare lawns for next spring.

In order to get a head start on a healthy lawn for next spring, The Grounds Guys of Redmond, the premiere, full-service commercial and residential grounds care franchise, is sharing the top five immediate steps homeowners should take this fall in order to guarantee a lush, healthy spring lawn.

“There is a common misconception amongst homeowners that as soon as the summer months are over, lawn care comes to an end,” said Michelle Deacon, Owner of The Grounds Guys in Redmond. “Instead of letting all that hard work during the spring and summer months go to waste, once fall arrives people should utilize this time of year to get lawns prepped and ready to survive the winter months. This will lead to a healthy, vibrant lawn come springtime.”

The Grounds Guys of Redmond recommends taking these important steps in order to prepare your lawn for the long, dormant winter:

1) Continue mowing the grass: Even though grass isn’t growing as quickly, it is still vitally important to continue to cut and water the lawn throughout the fall months. During the last two cuttings of the season, drop the lawn mower blades to the lowest settings to allow more sunlight to reach the crown of the grass, which leads to less browning during the winter.

2) Rake (or mass-collect) the leaves: Although it is easier and less time consuming to let leaves fall freely from the trees, make sure you remove fallen leaves as soon as possible. If left unraked, leaves become wet and sticky, forming a layer that will suffocate the grass and become a breeding ground for fungal diseases.

3) Aerate and fertilize the soil: Fall is the ideal time to aerate your lawn so that water, oxygen and fertilizer can easily reach the grass’s roots. By punching holes in the soil and extracting the plugs of dirt, fertilizers can easily deliver essential nutrients to the grass’s roots which will be put on reserve for a healthy start in the spring.

4) Control weeds: While grass is actively absorbing nutrients and energy in order to reserve and store for the winter months, weeds are doing the same. Fall is the ideal time to apply an herbicide to prevent the weeds from returning in the spring.

5) Mulch application: Applying mulch in the fall can help protect plant roots and grass from temperatures during the winter. In addition, mulch can help reserve moisture if the area doesn’t receive adequate precipitation during the cooler months.

Utilizing the fall months to prepare lawns for the winter is essential to protecting its year-round health. Neglecting this critical work will cost you come springtime when minor issues that may have developed turn into major problems. By following these simple tips, homeowners can rest assured over the cooler months knowing that they have taken the proper measures to have a hearty, healthy lawn next spring.

In addition to providing consumers with the nation’s leading full-service commercial and residential grounds care services, The Grounds Guys franchise opportunity offers entrepreneurs the ability to become a part of the lucrative $67 billion lawn and landscape service industry. The Grounds Guys are continuously in search of driven, goal-oriented grounds care experts that are looking to take their business to the next level. The Grounds Guys offers an opportunity for qualified franchisees to go from working in a company, to working on a company, to a lifelong investment.

ABOUT THE GROUNDS GUYS

Founded under the name Sunshine Grounds Care in 1987, The Grounds Guys was rebranded in 2010 by The Dwyer Group®, an international franchise holding company of seven franchise businesses supporting more than 1,600 locations globally. Since 2010, The Grounds Guys has since grown into a 190 location, full-service grounds care company offering commercial and residential landscape management services. For more information please visit The Grounds Guys website at www.groundsguysfranchise.com.