15 Fall Lawn Care Tools and Tips Even a Scarecrow Could Use
We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission.
Autumn is beautiful, but leaves are all over the place. Your yard might be cluttered or slightly overgrown, so how do you maintain it so it remains gorgeous until winter comes? These fall lawn care tools and strategies will elevate your knowledge about your yard while considering the soil’s health and well-being.
Fall Lawn Care Tools Everyone Can Use
These are the absolute basic fall lawn care tools everyone should have in their garage or shed. Thankfully, they are easy to deploy.
1. Lawn Rake
Rakes are a fall staple. When leaves fall off trees, you have to gather them in one location so you can do something with your haul. It is also crucial to rake during autumn because layers of leaves are like a wall between the grass and sun. If you want your lawn to have any chance of surviving winter, let it get as much sun and nutrients as it can now.
2. Aerator
Wait, doesn’t your yard get exposed to air all the time? Why does it need an aerator? Well, yards tend to have densely packed soil. Air, water, and nutrients might struggle to permeate into deeper layers. An aerator puts inoffensive holes into the surface to let more good things roll in. You’ll notice a difference in your grass in no time.
3. Fertilizer Spreader
If you don’t want to spread compost or fertilizer by hand, grab one of these. It speeds up the process by making it less backbreaking. Before winter freezes kill healthy plants, strengthen them with a little help.
4. Compost Tumbler
What are you supposed to do with all the fallen leaves, twigs, and debris? You can chuck them in the compost to put in that new fertilizer spreader you got. This is perfect for adding more brown matter into any compost mix to support the reaction. Feel free to store the leaves and extra organic materials in a bin for later as you create more compost.
5. Thatch Rake or Power Rake
Thatch rakes are different from conventional ones because they break up thatch. This is healthy to do regularly because tree roots suffer if they are buried.
6. Weed Puller or Hand Weeder
It’s important to note you should only pull weeds if they are non-native or invasive. Most plants that people perceive as weeds are actually native and helpful for pollinators. If you need help getting rid of harmful plants, grab a weed puller and heal your hard before winter. Be sure not to disturb grass and nearby flora.
7. Leaf Blower
If you don’t feel like raking, you can get a leaf blower. It might be harder to control where debris goes, but it could speed up the process. It also helps with areas like driveways and sidewalks where rakes are less effective. Alongside a leaf blower, you might also need tools to maintain and repair it if it malfunctions.
Fall Lawn Care Tips Everyone Needs to Know
You have all the tech you need, but now what? Here are tips to maintain your yard through the season.
1. Aerate Regularly
You need to use the aerator more than once for it to have long-lasting benefits. Anything from wind to rain can move soil all the time, so make sure there are always openings. It makes plants grow deeper roots, making them more stable in the cold.
2. Fertilize Appropriately
If you use fertilizer to promote growth, make sure it contains organic, nontoxic materials instead of chemicals. The right fertilizer will make it resistant to drought. Additionally, if you mulch leaves, put them in your compost to promote circularity to reuse as fertilizer!
3. Seed and Overseed
Maybe the dropping temperatures have created bare patches in the lawn. You might want to consider overseeding, but only with the right species. Look up native varieties to make sure your seeds don’t sap the soil of resources.
4. Control Pests
Spring and summer are prime times for invasive species and illnesses to breed. They may start to fall off during the autumn months, but it’s important not to ignore them completely. You can’t trust the cool air to kill off unwanted species, so keep an eye out.
5. Rake Leaves Regularly
You’ll need to pull out the rakes more than once. If you wait until the end of the season, it could be too wet or unwieldy. As mentioned, it also helps support the rest of your lawn if you free up space for the rest of the plants to access sunlight.
6. Water Wisely
Your spring and summer watering schedules may not be applicable during the fall. Pay attention to what the lawn needs, and use a moisture monitor if it helps you understand how wet it typically gets.
7. Prepare for Winter
Preparing for winter is more than fertilizing and raking, though these are parts of it. You also need to find a safe, secure way to store your tools and equipment. You don’t want any metal items to rust, forcing you to buy new ones. Take care of what you have so you can use them for many seasons to come. Additionally, if you have sensitive plants, relocate them appropriately to enclosures or whatever is necessary before conditions become unlivable.
8. Test Soil pH
A lot can change in fall, so you might want to test the acidity. If it isn’t reacting the way you expect, especially toward the end of the season, there may be some hidden influences disrupting activity. Do this earlier in the season to make sure you set yourself up for success.
Autumnal Admin
Even though lawns are contentious among environmentalists, there are ways to care for them all throughout the year with the planet in mind. It doesn’t matter if you’re landscaping or simply maintaining — the fall weather will make it beautiful regardless. At least now you’re equipped with the tools and techniques necessary to have a foundational understanding of your property during the chillier months.
Share on
Like what you read? Join other Environment.co readers!
Get the latest updates on our planet by subscribing to the Environment.co newsletter!
About the author
Steve Russell
Steve is the Managing Editor of Environment.co and regularly contributes articles related to wildlife, biodiversity, and recycling. His passions include wildlife photography and bird watching.
