With milder temperatures and the need to prepare your landscape for the winter season, fall is the perfect time to fertilize your lawn. Plus, there is fall morning dew that helps add moisture to absorb the fertilizer.

Everything you do in the fall can help your lawn make it through a harsh winter season, including giving it the food it needs to support root growth.

Here are five tips for fertilizing your lawn as part of your lawn maintenance care during the fall months:

  1. Apply lawn fertilizer round two to three weeks before the ground is likely to freeze. You can look online for the frost date for your particular area and then plan accordingly. On average, that means applying fertilizer to your fall lawn around mid-October.
  2. Fertilize in the fall either in the morning or the early evening. Fall temperatures during the middle of the day can still be too warm, which could cause the fertilizer to burn the grass.
  3. Mow the lawn right before you plan to fertilize. When doing so, be sure to leave some of the grass clippings. This green material can help the roots.
  4. Do not fertilize before any scheduled rain. The rain will only cause the fertilizer to run off the lawn and work against your plan of fertilizing it. If it has recently rained, also wait until the grass blades appear dry and then you can apply the fertilizer.
  5. Continue mowing throughout the fall season but begin to drop the blade down the lowest setting as the fall season draws to a close.
  6. Aerate the soil as well to ensure that the fertilizer, water, and oxygen can reach the grass roots. This gets the essential nutrients where they need to be to further develop a deep root system for your lawn.
  7. Use a crank-style fertilizer spreader or a walk-behind drop spreader to make sure the fertilizer evenly covers your entire lawn and doesn’t miss any spots.  That consistency will give all the lawn roots a fighting chance throughout the winter and into spring.

To get professional assistance with your fall lawn fertilizing for your commercial landscape, be sure to contact us today!