The sudden switch in temperature brings Fall weather, and with the cooler weather it’s time to prepare your lawn for the coming leaves, build-up, and eventually…snow.
Keeping your lawn free from many leaves and from thatch build-up is vital during this time of year to keep your lawn looking great all year round!
Leaf Clean-Up
Leaves are a staple to any outdoor Fall scene, but leaving those leaves on the ground can become a perfect incubator for disease bacteria. Having a build up of leaves on your lawn through winter without cleaning them up can ruin the fine work you did over the spring and summer months by trapping moisture and heat that can contribute in decimating your lawn. A thick, soggy layer of leaves will contribute to this mess, by suffocating your lawn for months, denying it of oxygen.
But there are simple, easy ways to protect your lawn for the coming months ahead. Simply raking your lawn makes for an effective way to rid your lawn of the leaves, or you can make your lawn mower pull double duty and shred up the leaves while you mow. Both of these ideas will either leave you with a pile of leaves or shredded leaves all over your lawn. At Mutton Power Equipment, we recommend using a Trac-Vac Leaf Vacuum. The Trac-Vac systems utilize your lawn mower to suck up any leaves on the ground and deposits them in an attached container, and they leave your lawn properly cleaned and ready for the weather.
Dethatch
Now is the prime time to dethatch your lawn. Between late August and early October is the best time of year to do this because weeds generally aren’t germinating around this time and it gives your grass enough time to root in before the snow comes. Thatch is the layer of dead grass sheaths or roots, and they create a barrier between your grass and the nutrient rich soil. Having less than a half inch of thatch isn’t a cause for concern, but once you get thatch thicker than that, you start running into problems with water and nutrients getting to the roots, and choking the grass. Two types of dethatching have been proven highly effective and consistent, aerating and power raking.
Aerating as a means of dethatching is best reserved for severe cases of thick thatch covering your lawn. Aerating allows you to go deeper and provide water and air through the thatch. Dethatching by power raking tends to be the more popular choice among lawn care companies because of its ease and effectiveness. A power rake allows tines to dig in and pull up the thatch quickly without damage to the lawn. At Mutton Power Equipment we have great Ryan dethatchers and power rakes available to provide an effective machine at a low cost.
For more information on dethatching and preparing your lawn for the Fall and Winter seasons contact one of our expert salesmen at 260-432-9438 today!
Before we know it it will be fall and yes fall leaf time will be here. While I love raking leaves your ideas of what to do with all of them are spot-on. Thanks too for writing about dethatching, so important for all lawns and one that too many homeowners aren’t in the habit of doing.