How much you put into your fall lawn care services will set the bar for the kind of lawn and landscaping your property will have in the spring. When it comes to caring for your property in fall, there is a checklist for homeowners in Gresham, OR. These four major late fall lawn care services are imperative to the health and maintenance of your property.

1. Remove leaves and debris from your property.

One of the most important aspects of fall turf care is removing leaves and debris from your lawn and landscaping. A few scattered leaves may be okay to leave, but layers of leaves, or other debris, will create a breeding ground of disease, insects, mold, and fungus.

Additionally, leaves suffocate the plants and grass on your property. They block the natural process of photosynthesis, which is vital for the survival of plant life. Using a service, such as J&C Lawn Care, will ensure the leaves are properly gathered and disposed of.

2. Trim the small trees, bushes, shrubs, and hedges of your landscaping beds.

Now is the time to get your landscaping beds in good shape! During the late fall, trimming dead limbs off your small trees, bushes, shrubs, and hedges is essential to protecting your plants from damage. It also allows the trunk time to heal over the winter.

Cutting back perennials is also important. It helps the plant store more energy in the roots and allows your plants to grow strong in the springtime. When J&C Lawn Care provides your lawn care services, we will also double check that your landscaping beds are shaped well and all debris is removed.

3. Apply a high-phosphorus fertilizer.

Your grass needs an application of high-phosphorus fertilizer in the fall. Phosphorus is one of the three main ingredients in standard fertilizer. It is responsible for converting nutrients into usable building blocks within the plant. In addition, phosphorus plays a huge role in photosynthesis, respiration, and energy storage/transfer.

A high-phosphorus fertilizer will aid the roots of your grass in growing before winter sets in. The best time to apply fertilizer is during late fall, which allows the phosphorus to stimulate growth from November through early December. In the springtime, your high-phosphorus fertilizer will pay off big time in a turf that is resistant to disease and drought. Your grass will also green up much quicker.

4. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide.

Another step towards a healthy spring turf is applying a round of pre-emergent herbicide. Pre-emergent weed control helps keep winter weeds, such as chickweed and clover, from germinating. Pre-emergent herbicides are applied in the preparation of both winter and spring. Treating your turf in the winter can help save you time and money once spring returns.

Re-treat your turf with pre-emergent weed control in the spring. Treating in the winter helps protect your grass, should warm weather occur prior to spring weed control applications.

Call us to take care of your fall leaf removal, landscape trimming, fertilizer application, and pre-emergent herbicide treatments.

While leaf removal, landscape trimming, fertilizer application, and pre-emergent herbicide treatments are essential tasks that should be completed during late fall, there are plenty of other ways to prepare your Gresham, OR home for winter dormancy. Consider aerating and overseeding your grass in early autumn. These tasks allow your roots to absorb water, sunlight, and nutrients, while also aiding your grass in growing thicker and fuller in the spring.

Work with J&C Lawn Care by calling (971) 284-2035 to complete your fall lawn care checklist! Every lawn care service you complete is a step closer to a greener, healthier property.