It's Fall, What Do I Do Now?
Fall is here, the temperatures are cooling down, and the leaves are starting to fall. But before you put away the lawn mower and call it a season, there's still plenty you can do to improve your lawn and prepare your property for the winter ahead.
If there's one thing I want homeowners to understand, it's this: Fall is prime time for lawn improvements!
Whether it's core aeration, overseeding, applying fertilizer, or simply keeping up with those falling leaves, the work you put into your lawn now can make a big difference in how it looks next season. So let's talk about what you should be doing this fall!
1. Core Aeration & Overseeding: Give Your Lawn a Fresh Start
If there's one thing I recommend homeowners prioritize in the fall, it's core aeration and overseeding. In my opinion, these are two of the biggest improvements you can make to your lawn.
Throughout the summer, soil can become compacted from everyday activity, mowing equipment, pets, and foot traffic. Compacted soil makes it harder for water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the root system.
Core aeration helps relieve that compaction by pulling small plugs of soil from the lawn, creating openings that allow water, oxygen, and nutrients to move more freely into the soil.
Once you've aerated, overseeding is a great opportunity to introduce new grass seed into your existing lawn. This helps fill in thin areas, improve turf density, and create a thicker, healthier lawn.
Why fall instead of spring?
Here in Iowa, fall gives us something spring doesn't always provide: a longer stretch of consistent, cooler temperatures.
Spring can be a short window of opportunity. Before you know it, temperatures climb into the 80s, rainfall becomes less predictable, and those ideal growing conditions disappear. All that hard work can become much harder to maintain.
Fall provides a better opportunity for new grass to establish before winter arrives, giving your lawn a head start for the following spring.
2. Don't Skip Your Fall Fertilizer Application
Fertilizer isn't just about making your grass grow. You're also providing your soil and turf with nutrients that support the lawn through the colder months.
A balanced fertilizer application helps support healthy root development and gives your lawn the nutrients it needs heading into winter.
Think of it as preparing the foundation for next season. When your lawn wakes up from its winter's nap, having those nutrients available helps give it a healthier starting point.
The goal isn't simply to make your grass look greener today. It's to build a healthier lawn that continues to improve year after year.
3. What Should You Do With All Those Leaves?
This is one area where I think homeowners have options. Whether you mulch your leaves or have them bagged and removed really comes down to personal preference.
Mulching leaves: When leaves are chopped into small pieces with your mower, they can break down and return organic material and nutrients to the soil. This can be a great way to recycle what nature provides rather than hauling everything away.
Bagging and removal: If you prefer that clean, freshly maintained look, collecting and removing leaves is perfectly fine, too. Just don't allow thick layers of wet leaves to sit on your lawn for extended periods. They can block sunlight and airflow, potentially damaging the grass underneath.
Personally, here's what we do for our customers at Cedar Valley Turf & Snow Co.:
Throughout the fall, we mulch leaves during our regular weekly mowing visits. This gives those smaller pieces time to break down and return nutrients to the soil. Once most of the leaves have fallen, we come back through and bag and remove the remaining leaves.
It's the best of both worlds: returning nutrients to the lawn throughout the season while still finishing with a clean property!
4. Your Final Mow: Don't Put the Mower Away Too Early!
If you've followed my previous advice about mowing higher during the summer, you know I'm a big believer in letting your grass grow a little taller. But as we approach winter, it's time to start making some adjustments.
As we get closer to the final mowing of the year, I like to gradually lower the mowing height each week rather than making one drastic change.
By the time we reach our final cut, I generally prefer to have our mower decks set around 3 inches.
Why?
Leaving grass excessively long heading into winter can increase the chance of it becoming matted down under snow cover. Thick, flattened grass can hold moisture and create conditions that encourage disease and winter damage.
Bringing the height down gradually helps prepare the lawn for winter without shocking it with one aggressive cut.
One more thing: Don't assume November means mowing season is over! Grass growth depends on temperatures and weather conditions, not just what the calendar says.
For example, as we move into November, we've slowed down mowing at CVTS and transitioned most of our customers to biweekly service. Some lawns, particularly slower-growing properties, may already be ready for their final cut, while others still need attention.
Let the lawn tell you when it's finished growing!
5. Fall Weed Control: Not Every Weed Needs the Same Treatment
Just because summer is over doesn't mean weed control is no longer important. However, the type of weed and the time of year make a big difference.
Take crabgrass, for example. As temperatures drop, crabgrass naturally dies off. Treating it in late fall generally isn't worthwhile.
A better approach is to use a crabgrass preventer in early spring, followed by an appropriate post-emergent treatment in late spring or early summer when conditions and weed growth allow.
Broadleaf weeds are a different story. Fall can be a good time to treat certain broadleaf weeds, but timing matters. Depending on how late in the season we are, temperatures and growing conditions may no longer be suitable for an effective application.
The takeaway? A good weed control program isn't about spraying everything you see. It's about understanding what you're treating and choosing the right time to treat it.
6. Get Your Property Ready for Winter
Fall preparation isn't limited to your grass. There are a few other things around your property worth taking care of before winter settles in.
Here are a few things I recommend:
Put away your summer patio items. Store patio furniture, decorations, and other seasonal items before winter weather arrives.
Clean up leaves around your home. Pay special attention to areas along your foundation.
Clear out window wells and egress windows. Don't let leaves and debris accumulate around these areas.
Keep debris away from your home. Piles of leaves can provide shelter for mice and other pests looking for somewhere warm as temperatures drop. Keeping these areas clean can help reduce potential hiding spots near your home.
A little preparation now can save you headaches when the snow starts flying!
7. Don't Let Fall Become Another Chore—Make Memories!
Here's something I want to leave you with.
If you're tackling your fall property cleanup yourself, find a way to make it enjoyable! Get the family involved, turn leaf cleanup into a game with the kids, jump in the leaf piles, and make an afternoon out of it.
Sometimes the things that feel like daunting chores can turn into some of the best memories. Years from now, you probably won't remember how many bags of leaves you filled, but you'll remember the time spent with your family.
And if the leaves become too much, or you simply don't have the time to tackle everything yourself, Cedar Valley Turf & Snow Co. is more than ready to help!
We take pride in helping homeowners throughout the Cedar Valley keep their properties looking their best, even when fall leaves seem to be taking over.
Enjoy the season, make some memories, and let us help take a few things off your fall to-do list!
— Kyle
Owner, Cedar Valley Turf & Snow Co.
Your property is our priority.