Fall is a crucial season for lawn care, setting the foundation for a lush, healthy yard when spring arrives. Maintaining a leaf-free yard during fall is essential for preventing a buildup of lawn-harming debris. Many products can make leaf cleanup more manageable, including sturdy rakes, leaf blowers, mulching mowers, lawn aerators, and winter fertilizers. These items can help make fall lawn care a breeze and ensure a beautiful yard come spring.
A sturdy rake is essential for clearing fallen leaves and debris, preventing them from suffocating the grass if left to accumulate. Opt for a fan-shaped rake for larger coverage and consider an ergonomic design to prevent back strain during use. Products like the KeFanta rake from Amazon and poly rake from Home Depot are excellent choices for efficient leaf removal without straining your back.
Leaf blowers can be a game-changer for large yards or for speeding up the leaf removal process. Battery-powered leaf blowers like those from Ninouko and Leapul at Amazon help blow leaves into manageable piles, making cleanup faster and easier. Mulching mowers, such as the RB mower from Amazon, finely chop leaves into small pieces that can be left on the lawn to decompose, adding valuable nutrients to the soil. Tools like the Toro gas-powered mower from Lowe’s are also great options.
Aerating your lawn with a spiked lawn aerator helps loosen compacted soil, allowing water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the roots. Applying a fall-specific fertilizer like Jonathan Green Winter Survival or Scott’s WinterGuard strengthens grass and ensures a healthy lawn in the spring. Overseeding in the fall promotes a thicker, more resilient lawn, with products like Turf Builder rapid-grow grass seed from Home Depot and Pennington’s Smart Seed being excellent options.
Testing your soil in the fall with a soil test kit can provide insights into its pH levels and nutrient content to determine if amendments are needed. Tools like the HoldAll soil test kit from Lowe’s and the Lusterleaf soil test kit from Walmart can help improve soil health. Maintaining a well-manicured edge around your lawn with tools like the EGO Power handheld lawn edger and the Corona edging tool from Lowe’s can give your lawn a polished look and prevent grass from encroaching into unwanted areas.
When collecting leaves instead of mulching them, having durable, large-capacity leaf bags is essential. Products like the Amazon Essentials lawn and leaf trash bags from Amazon and the biodegradable paper bags from Lowe’s can help make leaf collection easier. Applying pre-emergent herbicides like Ortho Groundclear can help prevent weeds like crabgrass and dandelions from sprouting in the spring, while post-emergent herbicides can eliminate existing weeds. For pet owners concerned about the safety of traditional herbicides, natural weed sprays like those from Just for Pets are also available.
