Tips For Our Upstate NY Yards

It is almost fall and contrary to popular belief, the drop in temperature does not mean the yardwork has come to an end; it’s actually just beginning, for next year that is.  Maintaining your lawn now before the Update NY winter, makes sure your lawn has a successful start to a beautiful spring season. The best way to ensure your lawn is healthy and ready for the change in seasons is by trusting the experts of Grasshopper Gardens to get the job done.

As temperatures drop in late summer and early fall, cool season grasses actually peak in growth. Warm days and cool nights make fall the perfect growing conditions for establishing new grass and boosting existing lawns. Trusting Grasshopper Gardens with the following fall tasks will help your lawn flourish the following season.

Fall Yard Maintenance

• Test your soil. Testing your soil helps take the guesswork out of managing your lawn’s soil pH and nutrition. We can recommend improvements during the fall, so treatment can immediately start working to restore balance to soil pH and promote healthier, greener lawns come spring.
• Feed your lawn. Lawn fertilization helps promote lush and healthy lawns that are pest and disease free. Fertilizing in early fall helps your lawn begin rebuilding grassroots that were damaged during the hot, dry summer. Fall is also a great time to kill several types of lawn weeds, including clover and dandelions.
• Remove excess thatch. Thatch is a buildup of dead materials near the roots of the grass, clogging the root system and preventing your lawn from receiving the right amount of water and nutrients it needs to thrive. Eventually your grass will start growing roots in the thatch layer, which causes it to dry out and leads to brown spots on your lawn. It’s important to do this regularly to interrupt thatch before it kills your grass.
• Aerate compacted soil. Compacted soil restricts root development and limits soil oxygen. Aerators correct compaction by creating openings in the soil. Aeration opens up spaces for air, water and nutrients to reach the grassroots. It should be a regular part of your annual lawn maintenance program. Make sure your lawn is aerated to assure optimization of lawn care treatments.
• Keep watering. Actively growing, cool-season grass needs water. Healthy, established lawns generally need 1 inch of water, including precipitation, weekly. As growth slows, that same amount may cover 10 to 14 days, under normal conditions.
• Keep mowing. Continue with good mowing practices, based on grass growth instead of calendar days. Mowing grass slightly shorter than normal can be helpful, but don’t save it for the end of the season; gradually decrease the height throughout the growing season.
• Clean up leaves. Leaving fallen leaves on the ground suffocate lawn grasses and invite disease. Mow and mulch small quantities of leaves, but rake, bag or compost large quantities. Grasshopper can help with this fall year cleanup.

Grasshopper Gardens Is Just A Phone Call Away

There’s nothing like great work from trusted experts to quickly and accurately answer any of your lawn maintenance and service questions. Visit us online or speak with an expert by calling (518) 793-9623. Don’t trust just anyone for your fall yard maintenance, trust Grasshopper Gardens.