Fall is a crucial time of the year for most lawns here in Noblesville, IN. That's because fall happens to be when many lawns are recovering from the stress of summer heat, increased foot traffic, and heavy rainfall. In addition to recovering from summer, fall is also when your lawn must ready itself for winter dormancy. So, those who fail to prepare their lawn in the fall may have to deal with weak and unhealthy grass come spring.

There is a way to aid your lawn in this critical fall transition phase. It involves preparing your lawn by scheduling aeration, overseeding, and fertilization treatments. Here's how these three lawn care services prepare your lawn for winter dormancy and ultimately help it bounce back in the spring.

1. Aeration

Core aeration machine pulling up cores of dirt near Noblesville, IN.

Failing to aerate your lawn in the fall can lead to issues that carry over into the spring. Since your lawn will usually experience heavy foot traffic and rain during the summer, your soil is likely more compacted in the fall than normal. When your soil becomes compacted, it makes it harder for the roots of your grass to receive the nutrients, sunlight, and water that it needs. If you don't take action, your grass is likely to become weak heading into winter, when it should be at its strongest.

Aeration involves removing small plugs of soil from your lawn with a tool called a core aerator. This process helps loosen compacted soil, which promotes deeper water and nutrient penetration. It also helps remove the nutrient-blocking layer of organic material known as thatch. The end result is that fall aeration conditions your soil and strengthens your root system by making it more accessible to sunlight, water, and other vital nutrients.

You can leave the plugs of soil that were removed during the aeration process on your lawn as they will break down and add additional nutrients to your soil.

2. Overseeding

lawn care professional overseeding a lawn near Carmel, IN.

Ordinarily, many lawns become vulnerable to thinning in the fall. You can prevent that from happening to your lawn by having it overseeded. Overseeding is the process of spreading new seeds across your lawn to encourage new growth and fill in any bare or patchy areas. For best results, overseeding should be done directly after aeration. That's because when you overseed right after your lawn has been aerated, the seeds will be able to penetrate deeper into the soil, which is the ideal spot for them to grow.

3. Fertilization

Fall leaves and rake with fertilizer near Westfield, IN

Many lawn care professionals acknowledge the fall fertilizer treatment as the most important of all the annual fertilizer applications. The fall fertilization process feeds and strengthens your lawn going into winter dormancy by supplying it with essential nutrients. Fertilizing your grass now also fortifies it against potential threats such as lawn disease or fungus that often target weakened lawns during the winter.

If you've already aerated and overseeded your lawn, the fall fertilizer treatment is even more critical. Not only does fall fertilization help your root system make a strong recovery in the spring, but the loosened soil makes it easier for the fertilizer to seep down into the soil and penetrate your lawn's root system.

Prepare your lawn for winter dormancy with our fall lawn care services. Call us now!

Don't let this winter get the best of your lawn. Instead, prepare your lawn for winter dormancy by completing the three essential fall lawn care services we’ve just highlighted. Doing so can save you both time and money when spring arrives. We proudly offer our aeration, overseeding, and fertilization treatments to property owners in Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield, and nearby areas in Indiana. Contact us today at (317) 900-7151 to schedule our fall lawn care services.