As the cooler weather arrives, now is a good time to start thinking about what lies ahead for your landscaping. Two important maintenance practices should happen this season in Northern Virginia: fall core aeration and overseeding. Even though some homeowners ignore these steps, they are arguably the two most important things you can do to enhance the quality of your lawn this fall.

What is core aeration?

Core aeration is the process of removing tiny plugs – or cores – from your lawn. Usually done with a machine, the cores are roughly ½ to ¾ of an inch in diameter and 1 to 6 inches long. The holes are typically 2 to 6 inches apart, depending on the aeration machine used.

Another method of aeration called spiking involves pushing spikes into the ground without removing any cores. We do not recommend this method because it actually contributes to further lawn compaction and not aeration.

Why should you aerate your lawn?

Core aeration eases turf compaction. In Northern Virginia, the majority of our soil is mixed with native red clay. This clay is dense and heavy, making it hard for water, nutrients, and air to flow into the ground. Aeration lessens that density and makes it easier for the grass to get what it needs to grow. Basically, it gives your grass room to breathe – and eat and drink.

Aeration also solves the problem of heavy thatch. Thatch is the blanket of tightly connected roots, stems, and leaves – both living and dead – that lays on top of your turf, just below the grass blades. Thatch is beneficial to your lawn when it stays thinner than ¾ of an inch. However, once it gets thicker, it actually harms your grass. The blanket blocks out sunlight, obstructs water and nutrients, and promotes disease. Core aeration breaks up the thatch and allows essential water and minerals into the lawn.

What is overseeding?

Overseeding is the practice of sowing new seed into your existing grass. A mechanical slit-seeder cuts tiny furrows for planting the seed through the thatch, or after core aeration. If performed along with core aeration, a cyclone-type seeder spreads the seed.

Why should you overseed your lawn?

As turf ages, it becomes more susceptible to diseases and insects. When you overseed, you can mix newer turfgrass varieties into your lawn. In addition to being disease and insect resistant, these new varieties have been engineered to withstand:

• Drought
• Heavy foot traffic
• Shade

This new grass will make your lawn healthier and more stable as a whole, which means less watering and less fertilizing. It will also make your turf look fuller and thicker.

It is important to include fall core aeration and overseeding in your landscape maintenance tasks. They are well worth the time and effort to keep your Northern Virginia lawn healthy and beautiful. Contact Sunrise Landscape & Design to schedule your fall maintenance or visit our Core Aeration and Overseeding page for more information. Your lawn will thank you.

With summer coming to a close, most yards can benefit from fall landscaping services. Northern Virginia is known for incredible fall seasons and this is also when grass “powers up” by absorbing moisture and nutrients to prepare for its dormancy in winter. Taking care of your grass in the fall will have a huge impact on how beautiful it looks in the spring.We compiled a list of fall landscaping tips to help you prepare your grass this season.

Need help preparing your yard for the winter? Schedule your fall landscaping services with us.

Tips for preparing your grass for the fall and winter

Rake

Grab that rake and attack those leaves. You’ll notice that leaves don’t wait until the official start of Autumn to fall in Northern Virginia. You’ll find your lawn scattered with tree confetti as early as August. As soon as they begin to fall, rake. If leaves are left on the ground for too long, they will become matted down with rain and begin to suffocate your grass and possibly lead to fungal disease in your lawn.

Aeration and Overseeding

Contact us about soil aeration. We have the equipment and expertise to properly prepare your soil. This service is crucial to allow the soil to absorb water, fertilizer and nutrients. Again, this will be needed through winter so that when the first thaw of spring arrives, your lawn will be ready to thrive. Don’t forget to water! You won’t need as much water as during the summer months, but grass still needs water to survive through the winter.

Fertilize

Fall is the best time to fertilize. Though the growth of grass slows down considerably in the fall, the roots continue to thrive.  Applying the right mix of fertilizer during the fall is essential to building food reserves and strengthening roots for the upcoming year. A proper, even coat of fertilizer now, will yield big results in the spring.

Mow

Don’t put away that mower! Lower the blade and continue to mow, as necessary through the fall and winter; this will result in less brown patches.

Trouble spots?

Bald grass spots should be fixed during the fall. Spreading a thick layer of a mixture of organic mulch, grass seed and fertilizer to the spots that your grass seems to have abandoned, and watering thoroughly, will make a huge difference in the rebirth of your grass in the spring. Additionally, overseeding, or planting grass seed directly on existing soil is another way to improve the density and color of your lawn in Spring. Overseeding is best done in conjunction with soil aeration. Visit our core aeration and overseeding page for more information on this service.

Grass isn’t the only thing in power-up mode during fall and winter. Weeds are too. This is the time to attack them with herbicide. Dandelions have no place on the lush green lawn you’re cultivating for spring.

Northern Virginia Lawn Services

Following these fall landscaping tips will keep your yard healthy and prepared for the coming winter months. If fall is a busy time of year for you, contact us! Our team of experts is standing by to provide fall landscaping services tailored-made to your property. The time and effort you put into your yard now will help ensure a gorgeous yard in the spring. Our services are available in the following locations: Ashburn, Belmont Ridge, Brambleton, Broadlands, Centreville, Chantilly, Great Falls, Herndon, Lansdowne, Leesburg, McLean, Oakton, Potomac Falls, Reston, South Riding, Sterling, Vienna, Aldie, or Willowsford.

About us:

Sunrise Landscape and Design is Northern Virginia’s premier landscaping company offering a full range of landscaping services.  Our landscape and design services include hardscapes, water features, irrigation and landscape lighting.  Our property maintenance services will keep your Northern Virginia landscape vibrant and healthy year-round with mulching, edging, garden cleanups, lawn mowing, tree pruning and mosquito/deer control.  Contact us today for all your landscape and lawn care needs!