Preparing your lawn for the fall season is crucial to ensure a healthy yard come spring. Leaf management is a key aspect of fall lawn care, and there are various products available to make the process easier and more efficient. Tools such as sturdy rakes, leaf blowers, mulching mowers, lawn aerators, and winter fertilizers can all help keep your lawn in top shape during the colder months ahead.
One essential tool for leaf management is a sturdy rake, such as the one offered by KeFanta at Amazon. This rake features stainless steel metal tines and an adjustable handle for efficient leaf removal without straining your back. Additionally, cordless leaf blowers like those from Ninouko and Leapul at Amazon can speed up the leaf removal process by blowing leaves into manageable piles, making cleanup faster and easier.
Instead of bagging and disposing of leaves, consider using a mulching mower like the one offered by RB at Amazon. This mower finely chops leaves into small pieces, which can be left on the lawn to decompose and provide valuable nutrients to the soil. Aerating your lawn with a spiked lawn aerator from Agri-Fab helps loosen compacted soil, allowing water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the roots, essential for maintaining a healthy lawn.
Applying fertilizer in the fall is important for building strong roots before winter. Look for a fertilizer specifically formulated for fall lawn care, such as Jonathan Green Winter Survival at Walmart or Scott’s WinterGuard at Amazon. Overseeding your lawn with cool-season grasses in the fall can fill in bare spots and promote a thicker, more resilient lawn. Testing your soil in the fall can help you understand its pH levels and nutrient content, allowing you to make necessary amendments.
For those who prefer to collect leaves instead of mulching them, having durable, large-capacity leaf bags is essential. Amazon Essentials and Lowe’s offer lawn and leaf trash bags made of durable plastic, while Lowe’s also offers eco-friendly biodegradable paper bags. Fall is also a great time to tackle stubborn weeds with pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides. Ortho’s Groundclear at Home Depot is effective against various types of weeds, while natural weed sprays like those from Just for Pets at Amazon offer a safer option for pet owners.
