Brooks Wells on How Houston Residents Can Care for Their Lawn

Many believe that lawn care is primarily a summer activity, but the truth is that your yard needs just as much attention in the fall and winter months as well. From fertilization to drainage and aeration, there are a number of important lawn maintenance activities that every Houston homeowner should be doing as we settle into autumn.

Brooks Wells, a lawn care expert and founder of Major League Lawn Care, has spent enough years in the business to know that when it comes to the cooler months, many people neglect their lawn, making lawn care more difficult and arduous when summer rolls around again. Below, Brooks outlines a few lawn care tips that can save you time, money, and headache:

Aerate

Aerating your lawn allows you to avoid soil compaction and increases the amount of oxygen getting to the roots of your grass. It also improves the overall effectiveness of irrigation and fertilization. A core aerator machine has rows of hollow tubes sticking out of a hollow steel roller drum that dig up soil cores, dropping them over the lawn as the machine moves forward. The operator should roll the machine over the entire lawn evenly to ensure maximum effectiveness. If you’d rather not hire a company to do this service for you, Brooks Wells advises that core aerator machines can usually be rented from local tool rental stores for a reasonable price.

Fertilize

Fertilization is essential for maintaining a healthy lawn during the fall and winter months. Hot, dry summer weather takes its toll on the grass roots and a winter fertilizer is a great way to bring some life back into your lawn. A good winter fertilizer will work to reverse damage done during the summer months, strengthening the entire root system. Remember, if you’ve aerated your lawn, applying this fertilizer will be even more effective.

Brooks also stresses that it’s important to pick your fertilizer based upon what type of grass you have. The most commonly grown grasses in Houston are St. Augustine grass, Zoysia grass, and Bermuda grass. There will be different fertilization requirements depending on which type is growing in your lawn. Bermuda grass, for example, tends to need greater quantities of nitrogen than St. Augustine or Zoysia grass.

Keep Your Lawn Clear of Leaves and Debris

While a good lawn care practice all year round, keeping your lawn clear of debris is especially important during the winter and fall months. Sticks, leaves, and other debris can prevent your grass from receiving the nutrients, air, sunlight, and moisture it needs to survive. It’s not only leaves and other organic debris that can cause problems for your grass, however. Brooks Wells advises that if your ground has recently been frozen or is frosted over, try to stay off it as much as possible, as even just walking over your lawn in these conditions can cause damage.

Remove Weeds

Contrary to popular belief, autumn and winter are the most important months when it comes to controlling weeds. During these colder months, weeds will grow faster than your grass causing them to stand out more and cause more damage. If left to grow freely during the cooler months, weeds can completely take over your lawn as the warmer weather arrives in the spring. When removing weeds, Brooks stresses that you should be careful to remove the weed from the root to ensure that it doesn’t grow back.

Save Yourself Some Hassle

Taking care of your lawn during the fall and winter months will reduce your lawn care work in the spring and summer, ultimately saving you time and money. As the weather gets cold, it can be hard to motivate yourself to spend too much time outside caring for your yard, but Brooks Wells says it’ll be worth it. After all, summer is more enjoyable when it’s spent at family barbecues and friendly gatherings rather than sweating over your lawn!