LIFESTYLE DOMICILE
FALL IS THE TIME TO WINTERIZE START PREPPING YOUR YARD NOW FOR SUCCESS NEXT SPRING By Mark Hagen
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Aerate the Soil. Aeration is a process where plugs of soil are yanked from the ground to help nutrients reach grassroots. You’ll need to use an aerator machine or hire a service, but you’ll be rewarded with a healthy, hearty lawn come spring.
hate to admit it, but procrastination got the best of me last fall. I didn’t prepare my yard for the harsh Wisconsin winter. Sure, I knew I had to ready my yard for the icy cold of a Wisconsin winter, but there were still plenty of warm days to be had; then, I ran out of time. Come spring, I was faced with gardens that needed extensive clearing, bald lawn spots that needed filling, garden equipment that had gone missing. I learned my lesson about prepping my yard and home long before the cold winds blow, and I’m sharing those (sometimes common sense) ideas with you. Take advantage of autumn’s friendly weather and start prepping for winter now.
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Shepherd Express
Keep Mowing. After cutting the grass for the last several months, it’s easy to park the mower when the temperature dips. Don’t toss in the towel too early. A general rule of thumb is to keep mowing until the grass stops growing. Set the blade to a lower setting so your lawn can make the most of the autumn sun.
Fertilize. After you aerate, be sure to fertilize, because that’s when the nutrients will really hit the grassroots. This is particularly true if you're using organic lawn fertilizers, which can be slow to decompose but ultimately improve the ground's overall structure. Whether you aerate or not, fall is a key season to fertilize because cool dew helps the soil absorb the fertilizer. Similarly, this is a good time to reseed your lawn’s bald spots.
