Fall Lawn Care in the South

click to view more photos

Fall is a busy time for landscaping and lawn care in the South. Some plants and grasses thrive in the cooling weather, while others struggle to handle the lower temperatures. To know which is which, and to learn about the most important steps to take for your lawn in the southern fall months, read on.

Turf Care (Mowing)

In the fall, it’s important to know what type of grass you have and how it will react to the cooling temperatures. Proper turf care depends on whether you have cool or warm season grass.

Fescue, the South’s cool season grass, thrives in the fall, just as it does in the spring. This turf will enjoy vibrant and healthy months in the fall, but will require more mowing and maintenance.

Our warm season bermuda/zoysia grasses, on the other hand, grow best in the summer months. As summer fades into fall, these grasses becomes sparse and brown, requiring little mowing, but losing their lush summer vitality.

Core Aeration and Over-seeding of Fescue Lawns

Fall is the ideal time for getting your fescue lawn aerated and over-seeded. Aeration loosens up the compacted soil and allows the grass to absorb more oxygen, water and nutrients. Grass germinates and roots itself more effectively in an aerated lawn, which you can take advantage of by having your lawn over-seeded along with soil aeration. The germination of fescue grass is most effective in the fall. Once your lawn has been aerated and over-seeded, the grass will have the winter and spring to flourish and develop strong roots which will help it survive our harsh southern summers.

Leaf Blowing

The fallen leaves that scatter our lawns and driveways are a yearly reminder of fall’s namesake. When the blankets of leaves start to form in late fall, be sure to have dead leaves blown and collected to keep lawns and pavement clear. Place bagged leaves at the curbside for pickup, or drop them off at a composting/dump area.

Hardy Fall Annuals

There are a number of resilient, colorful annuals that can survive the South’s fall weather. If you are looking for a beautiful splash of color in the fall, consider installation of pansies, violas, snapdragons, ornamental cabbages and kales.

Tree Installation

Because late fall is when the rate of water loss from planted trees and shrubs is at a minimum, this is the best season for the installation of most trees — deciduous in particular. If planted in the spring or summer, however, trees and shrubs are more susceptible to water deprivation.

Fire Ant Control

Fire ants build shallow mounds in lawns and often remain undetected until a person gets unknowingly too close. They are active during the fall and can pose a serious hazard to individuals in the vicinity. Professional fire ant control is important to maintaining a healthy and safe lawn in fall months.

Landscape Management Company are experts at providing comprehensive lawn care services for southern lawns in fall. To learn more about the services that Landscape Management Company offers in North Georgia, please contact us today!