7 tasks that will prepare your lawn and garden for fall

Sept. 22 is officially the first day of fall, which means it’s time to begin the important steps that will ensure your lawn and garden is cool weather ready. The Triangle typically has mild but wet winters, which means you’ll want to take specific steps to keep your green spaces protected from rot, fungus, pests, and diseases that can occur when not properly cared for.

To get your lawn and garden ready this fall for a bright and colorful spring, add the following 7 tasks to your list of to-dos before the colder days are here.

Soil in North Carolina tends to be a bit acidic. To achieve the desired outcome you want for your lawn, you need to collect soil samples in the fall to better understand what you need to do over the winter and in spring. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension of North Carolina State University offers free soil testing kits to help you get started.

The Triangle’s moderate climate makes it the right time to seed for a lush lawn throughout the year. Fall’s cooler temperatures help young tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass seedlings to sprout and grow. The sooner you seed, the better results you’ll have, so plan to have it done before the end of September. In addition, apply fertilizers in the fall, which is when grass stores food in its roots. The NC Cooperative Extension says lawns should receive two-thirds of its yearly fertilizer in the fall.

Now that summer is over, it’s time to clean up your garden areas. Remove annuals and weeds to prevent disease and bugs from setting into the roots, which can cause problems with healthy plants down the road. Remove any dead flowers and greenery to help roots retain nutrients. Once those areas are ready, it’s time to move on to mulch and compost.

Composting is a great way to ensure your soil is healthy and full of nutrients. Prepare for the year each season by adding a layer of compost to your garden beds. Work it into the existing soil to boost its environment over the winter and make sure it’s healthy and ready to go in the spring. In areas where you have flowers and shrubs that will stay throughout the winter, add a fresh layer of mulch to prevent weeds from returning in the spring and protect roots from the cold.

Before winter storms become a problem due to dead limbs that can fall and cause injuries or house damage, it’s important to prune your trees. In addition to safety purposes, pruning and trimming will always encourage new growth of trees and shrubs in the spring. If you’re thinking about planting new landscaping, fall is the appropriate time to get shrubs and trees in the ground. Because the weather is cooler and less water is required to help them get established, they will retain moisture as they settle into their new environment. Look for plants that are native to North Carolina to ensure success.

If you want spring color as the season first begins, get bulbs in the ground early in fall. North Carolina is in planting Zone 7, which means specific flowers like lilies, alliums, daffodils, and crocus can be planted for a bright, colorful spring. Look for large, healthy bulbs for best results.

While some leaves can be good for a healthy mulch, you won’t want to leave them in spaces where they remain matted and damp, which may create issues with mold or bugs. Keep up with falling leaves by raking them to put in a compost bin for future use. You can also use a mulching mower to break down the leaves and provide rich nutrients for your lawn and garden as they break down over the winter.

When you follow these steps in the fall, it will make your spring even easier. You’ll be set up for a successful spring with a yard that’s healthy and ready to produce a lush lawn with bright flowers and trees, and all with minimal work.

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