The holidays are quickly approaching; you have big dinner parties to plan, presents to buy, cards to send...it is hard to add anything else to the list, but it is important to consider your lawn in this busy month. Just like you need to prepare your home for guests, so should you take the same care for your lawn.



Lawn Spruce Up

While decorating your home, inside and out, you should also focus on maintaining your lawn, especially if you have a new lawn in place or have been composting.

Composting

November is an important time to fertilize your lawn, even if you have done so earlier in September. Providing your lawn with some organic compost now is essentially building up your lawn's food reserves to last it through the spring. Lawns that don't get enough water would do well with extra nutrients from composting. Also, if you compost now, your lawn won't need to be fertilized again until next fall. Especially right before the winter season is upon us, composting can improve your lawn in many ways. Composting can result in strengthening your lawn's sturdiness and keep a well established lawn in check during harsh weather.

Leaf Clean Up

The influx of fallen leaves that this fall season may bring forth can become an issue for your lawn if there is an excessive amount that does not get removed. A buildup of leaves can block essential sunlight from getting to your lawn, which can lead to its inability to create the food reserves it needs to survive through winter. Not only is this a possibility, but you could end up with damaged or even dead spots in your lawn, which can occur from leaves being left on your lawn for too long and being matted down from rain and moisture. This is especially important if you have a newly seeded lawn.

To remedy the leaf situation, make time to mow your lawn this month.

While a regular lawn mower will get the job done right, it may be easier to use a mulching mower, which can quickly shred leaves so that they filter right into the roots of the turf's roots. The key to mowing is to do it while you can see grass poking up from the leaves.

Mowing is actually quite essential this month as research has shown that frequently mowing can encourage stronger turf root growth. After you mow, leave the grass clippings as compost to feed your lawn nutrients.

During the fall and winter, lawn experts recommend cutting your grass a little higher than usual in order to maintain a deeper root system, which contributes to a healthier lawn. Before you mow your lawn next time, raise the deck height of your mower to a height of at least two inches for warm season grasses and about three to four inches for cool-season grasses. In the more densely shaded areas of your lawn, you should allow the grass to reach an even taller height.

While you are busy preparing for the holidays, take some time to prepare your lawn for the coming winter. Come spring time, you will be glad that you took extra steps to maintain your lawn's health and look.