Fall Checklist: Weekend Projects To Get A Great Yard Next Spring

The summer holidays are behind us and the days are getting cooler - now is the perfect time to "think spring" when it comes to your yard. The few extra hours you invest this fall will pay off next spring and summer in the form of less work and a better-looking lawn.

Tackle any of these projects on a fall weekend:

• Seed your lawn now. If you have cool season grass. this is the best time to fill in those bare patches and grow in the shade. The warm soil combined with cool nights is perfect for grass seed germination. Start with high quality seed that matches what is already growing in your lawn - your local garden center will have appropriate mixes for where you live. Disperse the seed correctly for success. The key is good soil-to-seed contact. Top off the seeded areas with a light layer of straw to conserve moisture. Sprinkle with water immediately and don't let the soil dry out until the young grass has sprouted.
• Get rid of those dandelions. If you want to get rid of those yellow flowers that pop up every spring, fall is the best time to do it. Dandelions are perennial broadleaf weeds that germinate in fall, and then mature in spring. The ideal time to control these weeds ranges from early October in the northern U.S. to late October/early November in the South. Apply a broadleaf herbicide as the weeds germinate. A liquid herbicide that you spray on will help ensure contact with the small weeds. This application will also control all winter annual weeds that will flower in the spring.
• Feed your lawn. If you live in the northern half of the United States, you have what is classified as "cool season" grass, and now is the best time to fertilize.(Live in the south? Learn how to feed your hungry lawn.) The warm soil temperature combined with cooler days, longer nights and rainfall make this the perfect time for lawn growth and recovery. In fall, your lawn spreads horizontally, filling in those thin spots, rather than just growing tall. Feed your lawn with a good nitrogen and potassium combination fertilizer (watch our how-to video on fertilizing).
• Add new landscape items. Fall is a good time to plant trees and bushes to enhance your yard. Plant in early fall and water well so the plantings will take root and start out strong next spring. This is also a great time to add a new garden bed. Creating the bed now and planting in spring makes the work more manageable. Learn how to create a garden bed.

For those of us who enjoy working in and improving our yards, fall is a time of energy and renewal. A morning or afternoon of yard care is invigorating, fulfilling and will get you great rewards next year.