Fall is right around the corner and you know what that means; it’s time for everything…

And everything takes a lot of time! But we’ve already given you a head start. We have selected six things you must do before Fall and three things you should do after it. So without further delay, here goes… everything.

Six Things You Should Do Before Fall:

Mowing. This one is obvious. It is vitally important to keep mowing if you want to have a healthy and beautiful lawn. This summer, we’ve had our mowers on the highest setting to promote root growth and built up heat-resistant lawns. But now it’s time to lower it a notch. JUST ONE! Resist the urge to start cutting really short.

Aerate. Fall is an ideal time to aerate your lawn so that oxygen, water and fertilizer can easily reach the roots. If you’re planning to throw out some seed this fall, you should definitely aerate first.

Beat the leaves. We know raking leaves is no one’s idea of fun. But it’s important to keep up with the leaf collection. Upkeep blows and mulches downed leaves when we mow each week, but if there is extensive buildup in your yard, you might want to get them professionally removed.

Fertilize. Fertilize. Fertilize. There is no better time to fertilize than in the Fall. Lawn care experts agree: if you fertilize your lawn only once per year, do it in the Fall. The reason? Grass grows more slowly on the surface as the weather turns cool but faster beneath the soil. Roots and rhizomes continue to grow at a rapid pace. Fertilizing in the Fall enables those roots to store up energy and keep it on reserve for a healthy quick green up in the spring. You never want to over-fertilize your lawn… but for Upkeep subscribers, it can’t hurt to add on an additional fertilizer treatment this Fall.

To reseed or to overseed, that is the question. Obviously, Fall is the BEST time to plant grass seed. If you have a few small patchy spots in your yard, it might be best to reseed those areas. Mix up a hearty amount of seed in a bucket with some healthy soil and throw it in any holes. Upkeep uses seed accelerator rather than hay for a topper. Remember, if you use hay, you have to clean it up after your grass seed takes! Overseeding is an obvious second step after aerating and it thickens the lawn. A dense, thick lawn is a natural defense against weeds.

Weed control. If broadleaf weeds have taken over during the summer, now is the time to fight back! Before you go spraying weed control all over your yard, consider the weather. You NEVER, NEVER, NEVER want to spray a liquid weed control or herbicide product on your lawn when it’s hot. If TrueGreen, WeedMan or Scotts Service sprayed your lawn this summer, fire them! Seriously, call them right now and fire them and ask for your money back. The right time to spray is when temperatures are consistently between 60 and 75 degrees. Hello, Fall! If you’ve got real weed problems, you can apply a granular weed control in 80 degree weather and follow it up with a liquid product a month later when temperatures are cooler.

Three Things After Fall:

Gutter Cleaning. It’s inevitable. Even gutter guards have limitations. Everyone’s gutters will be clogged up in the Fall, even if you don’t have a huge oak tree in your yard. Pollen buildup, grass seedlings, leaves, roof debris, and all sorts of gunk and grime will have made their home in your gutters. What most people don’t know is how dangerous it is to have clogged gutters with freezing weather around the corner! Blocked gutters can freeze and flood your ceilings in your home. While it might be a nice sight to see a waterfall just outside your front door, that amount of water will flood a basement in no time.

Complete yard blowout. Having your yard blown out inch by inch is one way to ensure a thick green lawn next Spring. Twigs, rocks, gravel, dead grass, dry leaves… these are will kill your grass and leave you with more patching to do. Debris left in the yard creates bald spots that invite dryness and weeds.

Winterize. Cut your yard short to assist it during hibernation with one final winter-prep fertilizer. This application will protect your lawn from the extra moisture it will encounter during the winter. It will also assist in a quick green up next Spring.

We know, this list can be somewhat intimidating, but don’t fret, Upkeep can help you with everything. Making a work request is easy using the buttons below:

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• Matt Oatley

  Matt is a founder and partner of Upkeep. He has been a lawn nut for many years. He has the greenest, thickest, weed-free lawn in his neighborhood.