During the fall, homeowners with cool-season grass should dethatch, aerate, overseed, and fertilize their lawns. All homeowners should clean up their yards and keep an eye out for pests, weeds, and lawn diseases.
- How to take care of your lawn this fall
- 2. Dethatch if needed
- 3. Aerate if needed
- 4. Control weeds
- 5. Apply fungicides
- 6. Patch bare spots
- 7. Fertilize appropriately
- 8. Control pests
- 9. Adjust your mowing height throughout the season
- 10. Continue watering until the first frost
- 11. Clean up your yard of leaves and debris
- 12. Clean your gutters
- 13. Winterize your lawn
- FAQ
How to take care of your lawn this fall
Fall lawn care can be wildly different depending on your grass type and where you live.
- Homeowners with warm-season grasses will start getting a lighter workload as temps cool. The further south you go, the later you’ll be working on your lawn.
- Homeowners taking care of cool-season grass will stop fall lawn care as early as mid-October or as late as November, depending on how early the first frost comes. The further north you go, the earlier fall lawn care stops.
Let’s go over what to do this fall.
- 1. Test your soil and amend if needed
- When to test your soil: Early fall (September)
- When to amend your soil: Early fall after aeration and dethatching
If you haven’t tested your soil this year, you should do it in the fall – preferably in early fall. Testing your soil lets you know exactly what’s going on down in the ground and if there’s anything that needs fixing. Some soil problems you’ll want to find out about early are:
- Improper soil pH. Grass doesn’t like soil that is too acidic or too alkaline and may not grow properly.
- Nutrient deficiencies. Like other plants, turf needs nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) to grow. We’ll discuss this more in the fertilizer section.
Testing your soil early in the fall means you can get ahead of fall rains. You can only get accurate results if you test dry soil.
Can I use a home soil test kit? While you can use one of these, home soil test kits are not as accurate or in-depth as professional soil tests. If you’re worried about the price, you can send your soil to your local extension office for testing.
If your soil test results say your soil has issues, you’ll likely need to apply soil amendments. In the fall, the soil amendment going into the ground is lime, which raises your soil pH. Fall is the best time to lime your lawn because it gives the lime time to break down in the soil over fall and winter.
You may also need to apply soil amendments if you have clay or sandy soil to fix their soil texture. These types of soil have moisture retention issues, with sandy soil not holding water and clay soil holding water for too long.
2. Dethatch if needed
- When to dethatch cool-season grass: Early fall (September)
- Don’t dethatch warm-season grass in fall.
Thatch is the layer of living and dead organic matter between your grass and the soil. A little is fine, but excess thatch (thicker than ½-inch) can foster pests and diseases, as well as prevent air, water, and nutrients from getting into the soil and the root system.
Fall is the ideal time to dethatch cool-season grasses because they’re actively growing and can repair the damage that dethatching can do. Warm-season grasses will be heading into dormancy and should not be dethatched this season.
How do I check for thatch? To check for thatch, you’ll need to dig out a soil sample and measure the spongy layer between your grass and the soil. You can use a spade or a trowel to do this.
If your lawn’s thatch layer is too thick, then you’ll need to dethatch your lawn to remove it. You can use a thatch rake for minor dethatching projects. For major thatch issues, we recommend using a power rake or vertical mower. A pro can also dethatch your lawn for you.
You can learn more about how to dethatch your lawn in our guide, “How to Dethatch Your Lawn”.
3. Aerate if needed
- When to aerate cool-season grass: Early fall (September)
- Don’t aerate warm-season grass in fall.
Another issue your lawn might have is soil compaction. Compacted soil blocks air, water, and nutrients from reaching your turf’s root system and makes it difficult for the roots to grow. Clay soils are more prone to becoming compacted than other types of soil. Your soil is also more prone to compaction if it gets heavy foot traffic.
To fix compacted soil, you’ll need to aerate your lawn – preferably with a core aerator. Lawn aeration involves poking holes in the soil to loosen it. Core aeration goes the extra mile by actually removing soil plugs from the ground.
Like dethatching, aeration is a more stressful lawn procedure. The best time to aerate cool-season grass is in the fall. It’s best to skip dethatching warm-season grass because it may not be able to recover before dormancy.
You can learn more about how to aerate your lawn in these articles:
4. Control weeds
- When to apply pre-emergent weed control: Early fall, when the temperatures drop to 70 degrees
- When to apply post-emergent weed control: Early to mid-fall, before temperatures drop to 60 degrees
Fall weed control is more lax than in the summer and spring because there aren’t as many weeds during this season; however, you shouldn’t slack off. The fall months are the best time to target perennial weeds and prevent winter annuals.
To prevent winter annual weeds from germinating, you should apply pre-emergent herbicides when the temperatures drop below 70 degrees. You want to use pre-emergents before these weeds sprout. Some winter annuals you can prevent are:
- Henbit
- Annual bluegrass
- Common chickweed
Why is fall a good time to treat perennial weeds? Throughout the fall, perennial weeds will start storing nutrients in their roots to prepare for the winter. They’ll also transport systemic herbicides down to their roots during this time, which will injure or even kill them. So, fall is a good time to apply post-emergents.
Some perennials to target in fall are:
Note: We recommend spot-treating over blanket applications of post-emergent herbicides, as it’s healthier for your lawn, environment, and budget.
You must apply post-emergent before the temperatures get too low. Dr. Amit Jhala and Jenny Rees, a weed management specialist and an extension educator (respectively) with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, say that post-emergent herbicides perform worse when it’s 40 to 60 degrees.
Are there ways to kill weeds without spraying? Yes, there are non-toxic ways to kill weeds:
- Hand-pulling (you can use a dandelion digger)
- Sheet mulching
- Soil solarization (less effective further into fall)
There are also organic herbicide alternatives that act as post- and pre-emergents:
- Corn meal gluten (pre-emergent)
- Chelated iron (FeHEDTA) (post-emergent)
What about moss? Getting rid of moss is a little different than getting rid of other weeds. Normal weed killers won’t kill it, and it will keep coming back if you don’t fix the conditions it grows in.
5. Apply fungicides
- When to apply fungicides: Throughout the fall, depending on the disease
Don’t be surprised if you see fungal disease on your lawn this fall, especially if your lawn is often wet and has a history of lawn disease. Some lawn diseases you might see this fall are:
While you can use fungicides to treat lawn disease, you can also spray fungicides before the fungi attack. According to the Mississippi State University Extension, this is the most effective way to use fungicides. If you want to use fungicides as a preventative measure, look into topical fungicides (also called contact fungicides or protectants).
6. Patch bare spots
- When to overseed or lay down cool-season sod: Early fall to mid-fall, at least 45 days before the estimated date of the first frost
- Only overseed warm-season lawns in fall if you’re overseeding for winter color.
Throughout the year, your lawn may get bare patches. Aside from looking unsightly, these bare patches are bad for your lawn’s health. Weeds can move into your yard and steal nutrients from your turf.
Fall is the best time to overseed or lay sod for cool-season lawns, as they grow best in cooler temperatures. However, you should fix bare spots early – at least 45 days before the estimated date of the first frost. This will give your grass enough time to establish a strong root system to get them through the winter.
Should I overseed or lay down sod? This decision mainly depends on how much money you’re willing to spend and how fast you want the bare patches to fill up. Sod is instant but expensive. You can learn more about this in our article, “Grass Seed vs. Sod”.
If you want to learn how to fix patchy grass, read these articles:
Caring for new grass is quite different from maintaining an established lawn. You can consult these articles to learn how to properly care for your new lawn:
- “How Long Does It Take New Grass Seed to Grow?”
- “How Long to Water New Grass Seed”
- “How Often to Water Grass Seed”
- “Will Fertilizer Kill New Grass?”
- “A Complete Guide to Fertilizing New Grass”
- “How Long After Overseeding Can I Mow?”
Should I overseed my warm-season lawn? No, unless you’re overseeding for winter color. Southern homeowners who want a green lawn year-round can seed annual ryegrass in the fall when the temperatures drop to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll have to care for your lawn throughout the winter though – fertilization, mowing, and all.
7. Fertilize appropriately
- When to fertilize cool-season grass: Early fall (September) and late fall (mid to late October)
- Only fertilize warm-season lawns in fall if you’ve overseeded with annual ryegrass for winter color.
As we mentioned earlier, cool-season grasses are actively growing in the fall. To support your lawn’s healthy growth, you’ll need to fertilize your lawn. Fertilizer contains the three macronutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, also known as N-P-K – that all plants need to grow.
The best time to fertilize your cool-season lawn is when the temperatures consistently hit the 70s and 60s. Don’t fertilize your lawn too late or else your grass will grow past its active growth season, which can stress your grass.
If you’ve tested your soil this fall, you can use the results to find out what fertilizer ratio your lawn needs. Otherwise, you can use a balanced fertilizer or an organic fertilizer. In mid to late fall, you should use a winter fertilizer for your second application.
You can learn more about fertilizing your lawn here:
- “5 Ways to Apply Fertilizer”
- “Fertilizer Basics: What to Look for in Your Fertilizer”
- “How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn?”
- “Organic vs. Inorganic Fertilizers”
- “Can You Combine Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer?”
- “Effective Homemade Fertilizers for Your Lawn”
Do you need help choosing a fertilizer or lawn spreader? Check out our product reviews:
8. Control pests
- When to control pests: Throughout fall, depending on the pest. Grub control is in early fall (September)
Fall is certainly not the time to slack off when it comes to pests, as many insect larvae and caterpillars are still crawling around. Some fall pests you might find in your yard are:
- Leatherjackets. Treat with nematodes from September to mid-October, otherwise treat in November.
- Chinch bugs. Best treated in the summer, but can still be treated whenever seen in the fall.
- Armyworms. Treat after the ground dries up when it rains. Best treated in the late afternoon.
- Cutworms (a type of caterpillar) are more of a problem in the summer, but can be targeted in the fall. Spray during late afternoon.
- Mole crickets are best treated in late spring to early summer. Keep an eye out for damage this fall to treat your lawn next year.
- Sod webworms are best treated in late summer. However, adult moths may continue to lay eggs if the temperatures stay warm throughout the season. Spray insecticide in the late afternoon.
- White grubs can only be treated in early fall. They move deeper into the soil in October)
Chemical pesticides should be your last resort; only use them when you have a nasty bug problem. There are other pest control methods that you can use, such as plucking them off and dropping them in soapy water. You can learn more about your options in these articles:
- “Integrated Pest Management for the Lawn”
- “Integrated Pest Management for the Garden”
- “How to Use Beneficial Nematodes for Pest Control”
- “5 Organic Pest Control Options”
9. Adjust your mowing height throughout the season
- When to start lowering mow height: Early fall
- When to adjust mowing height for winter: Mid to late fall, before you stop mowing
- When to stop mowing: Mid to late fall, depending on when your grass stops growing
Did you raise your mowing height in the summer? You should gradually lower the mowing height until you get back to the normal height, which will depend on your grass. Typically, you should have only raised it by half an inch, though; so, lower it down by half an inch.
Lower your mowing height over multiple mowing sessions as you don’t want to cut off more than one-third of your grass.
How often do I need to mow my lawn this fall? How often you cut your grass depends on how fast it’s growing. Generally, you will need to mow cool-season grasses more often — up to twice a week during peak growth season.
Then, you’ll need to gradually adjust your mowing height again when the estimated date of the first frost draws near. Depending on your grass type, you’ll need to either raise or lower your mowing height in preparation for winter:
- Mow cool-season grasses lower before winter to prevent snow mold and pests like voles.
- Mow warm-season grasses higher before winter. It may help prevent winter injury on your warm-season lawn.
You can learn more about this in our article, “How Short to Cut Grass Before Winter”.
When should I stop mowing my lawn this fall? The time of your last mow will depend on when your grass stops growing:
- Cool-season grasses: Stop mowing when the temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact time when these grasses start slowing down their growth highly depends on your region.
- Homeowners in the northernmost states of the Lower 48, such as Maine, Washington, and Minnesota might stop mowing as early as mid-October.
- Homeowners in the transition zone may mow well into November or early December. Some states in the transition zone are Kentucky and Oklahoma.
- Warm-season grasses: Stop mowing when the temperatures consistently hover below the 60s. The exact time will depend on your region, too:
- Homeowners in the transition zone may stop mowing warm-season grass in mid-October.
- Those in the very southern states may need to keep mowing until November or December.
Here are some mowing articles you might find helpful:
- “How to Mow a Lawn the Right Way”
- “When is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn?”
- “When Not to Mow Your Lawn”
- “Why You Shouldn’t Mow Wet Grass” (as rain is common in fall)
- “How to Cut Long Grass”
10. Continue watering until the first frost
- When to stop watering your lawn: Mid to late fall, depending on the date of the first frost and when your grass goes dormant
Your lawn will still need water during the fall months. However, you may need to irrigate your lawn less (or even not at all) if it rains so your turf doesn’t get overwatered. When the first frost draws near or if your grass has gone dormant, then it’s time to stop watering your grass and winterize your lawn irrigation system (which we’ll cover below).
How do I know my grass needs water? You can always check your lawn for signs of underwatering such as:
- Dry grass
- Gray, yellow, or brown grass
- Footprints left in the grass after you step on your lawn
How much water does my grass need this fall? This depends on the type of grass you have:
- Cool-season grasses need 1 to 1 ½ inches of water a week.
- Warm-season grasses will need only ½ to 1 inch of water a week.
You can read these articles to find out more about lawn irrigation:
- “When and How to Water Your Lawn”
- “How Long Should You Water Your Lawn?”
- “How Often Should I Water My Lawn with a Sprinkler System”
- “When Is the Best Time to Water Your Grass?”
11. Clean up your yard of leaves and debris
- When to perform fall yard cleanup: Throughout the fall. Ensure your lawn is clean before snow falls.
Part of your fall lawn care duties is yard cleanup. You’ll want to get rid of debris and fallen leaves throughout the fall, as well as trim your trees and shrubs.
Fall leaves are beautiful, but leaving them on your lawn can be quite bad for your turf’s health. Although leaving them be has some benefits – mainly as a habitat for beneficial insects and other animals – fall leaves can suffocate your lawn by denying it access to sunlight and air and by trapping moisture, which can lead to disease.
Not all animals that take refuge in fallen leaves are welcome, too. Dead leaf piles can also be a hiding place for potentially harmful animals, like snakes and rats.
You can remove leaves from your lawn by raking them or blowing them away. Remember to use a leaf rake – not a garden rake – when raking away leaves; garden rakes are too heavy and can damage your lawn. When using a leaf blower, blow the leaves in piles starting from your house outward.
You can also repurpose fall leaves instead of throwing them away by using them as compost material, turning them into arts and crafts, or making leaf mold. You can even use them as mulch by running a mulching mower over the leaves.
Can I leave some leaves on my lawn? If you want to leave some leaves for critters to overwinter in, it’s better to leave leaf piles under shrubs and hedges out of sight (if you want to keep your yard clean).
Here are some articles about fall cleanup you might want to read:
- “How to Clean Your Yard”
- “Benefits of Fall Yard Cleanup”
Don’t have the tools to get the job done? Check out these product reviews for leaf removal tools:
- “The 6 Best Leaf Rakes for The Lawn and Garden in 2024 [Reviews]”
- “The 9 Best Leaf Blowers of 2024 [Reviews]”
You can also hire a pro to remove leaves from your lawn, too.
12. Clean your gutters
- When to clean your gutters: Before the first frost, but ideally after the leaves have begun to fall
Keeping your gutters clean is vital for preventing water damage to your home. Over time, your gutters can get clogged by leaves and other debris.
You should clean your gutters once or twice a year, and fall is a good time to do it as there’s a lot of leaves dropping and getting blown into your gutters. Fall also brings rain, so it’s important to keep your gutters clean during this season.
While hiring a gutter pro is the safer option, it’s understandable that some homeowners would want to try to save money by cleaning their gutters DIY.
13. Winterize your lawn
- When to winterize your lawn: A few weeks before the first frost, usually around late October to early November. It depends on local temperatures and climate.
Toward the end of fall, you’ll need to start preparing your lawn for winter. Lawn winterization is essential to the health – and sometimes, survival – of your grass. Other benefits of lawn winterization include a denser spring lawn and a faster “spring back.”
A lot of what needs to be done when winterizing your lawn is actually done at the start of fall, such as aeration, dethatching, and fertilization. You can learn more in our guides about winterizing your lawn.
Don’t neglect your tools and irrigation system either. If you fail to winterize either, you’ll have to deal with a headache in spring due to busted pipes and possibly broken tools. You can learn more in these articles:
- “How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System”
- “How to Winterize Your Lawn Equipment: A Step-by-Step Guide”
What do I do about the rest of my landscaping? Take a look at these guides for winterizing your landscape and garden beds, as well as your porch:
- “How to Winterize Your Flower Beds”
- “How to Winterize Your Raised Garden Bed”
- “How to Winterize Your Screened-In Porch”
FAQs about fall lawn care
Should you scalp your lawn in the fall?
No, you shouldn’t scalp your lawn this fall, especially if you have cool-season grass. Only Zoysia and Bermudagrass can handle scalping – and even then you should only do that in the spring under special circumstances such as a lawn renovation.
Should you leave lawn furniture out this fall?
Near the end of fall, you should put away your lawn furniture to prevent the temperature and the elements from damaging them. Heavy lawn furniture can also damage frozen grass.
Should you topdress your lawn this fall?
You can topdress your lawn this fall to amend your soil. If your lawn is looking a little lackluster, you can try to topdress to see if it solves the problem. You can learn more about this in our guide to topdressing.
Hire a lawn care pro this fall
Fall is not a time to neglect your lawn, especially if you have cool-season turf. In fact, it’s a very busy one because you have to prepare your grass for the winter months ahead. It might be better to call a pro if you’re struggling to juggle fall lawn care with your family, friends, hobbies, work, and recreation.
Lawn Love can connect you with a local lawn care professional who can keep your lawn in top shape. Here are some of the services our pros can do:
- Lawn mowing
- Lawn fertilization
- Lawn aeration
- Weed control (as well as pre-emergent weed control)
- Overseeding
- Yard cleanup
- Leaf removal
So, don’t hesitate to call for help if you need to. All it takes is a few clicks to hire a pro through Lawn Love.
Main Image Credit: Sid10 | Adobe Stock Free | License
