Fall Yard Prep El Dorado Hills #1 – Your Lawn

Fall is the best time to take care of your lawn and to prepare it for the spring. As winter weather approaches, plants start prepping themselves for the cold ahead. They pull all of the nutrients that they can and store them in their roots. This is to help them to survive shortened daylight hours, equaling less sun (and less photosynthesis).

Your lawn is looking to absorb any nutrients it can, which makes it very receptive to care. For now, continue to water and mow as you’ve been doing throughout the summer. To increase the health of your lawn, you’ll need to fertilize it. Fertilizing your grass in the fall both repairs damage from the summer heat and builds strong, deep roots for the winter.

Ideally, you want to fertilize at least 6 weeks prior to the first frost. In El Dorado Hills, that typically happens around the beginning of December. Given the atypical weathers that we’ve had the last few years, this may or may not be the case this year. Look for a fertilizer that is a 13-25-12 formula. The three numbers represent the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) that are present in the fertilizer. Nitrogen promotes grass blade growth. Phosphorous helps root growth, which you really want to push in November. Lastly, Potassium focuses on cell function and aids in the absorption of trace elements.

Look for a slow-releasing fertilizer, given the choice. Lawn fertilizers that have slow-releasing formulas are more costly, but they are less likely to burn your lawn. These fertilizers will also encourage uniform growth of your lawn. Just don’t expect a quick green up of your lawn. This will be more slow and steady.

The overall health of your lawn requires time, knowledge, and personal commitment. If you’re finding that after the warm, dry summer we’ve had in El Dorado Hills your lawn is looking tired and dead, you should consider professional help. Suncrest Landscape, Inc. can help ensure your lawn thrives through healthy soil, effective drainage, and correct fertilization. We work one project at a time to ensure that you are always our first priority. Contact Suncrest Landscape, Inc. today and let us help protect your home from drainage issues.