Lawn Maintenance To-Do List: Irrigation and Other Landscaping Essentials in Poughkeepsie NY

Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn is not as easy as it seems. Mowing and watering are some of the daily tasks, but there are multiple seasonal jobs that need to take place for a healthy lawn to thrive. Likewise, there are also some additions and strategies that will simplify lawn maintenance. The following can be your lawn maintenance to-do list: irrigation and other landscaping essentials in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Related: Why You Should Include Weed Killer and Fertilizer in Your Lawn Care Plan in Westchester County, NY

Automatic Irrigation

The essential task of watering a lawn needs to take place at least a few times a week during the summer. However, the ideal time to water - very early in the morning - is likely an inconvenient time. Watering also requires a great deal of consistency and attention to detail. Instead of manual work, an automatic irrigation system can take the pressure off while keeping your lawn’s daily needs in check. A smart irrigation system has sensors that determine the duration and frequency of watering based on soil moisture levels and precipitation. You can even target specific areas of the lawn with a little more water if they need some extra love, such as areas that get a lot of foot traffic.

Fall Leaf Control

Another task that happens in the fall is leaf removal. While fallen leaves look pretty when dry (the leaves create a gorgeous tapestry of color that gently touches the surface of the grass), everything changes with the first rain. The leaves will absorb the water and stick together, forming a suffocating layer. After just a few days, your lawn will start to suffer from lack of sunlight and oxygen. It’s best to prevent this problem before it manifests and be sure that any fallen leaves are either raked and removed, or mulched so they can return nutrients to the soil and promote future plant growth.

Replace Damaged Grass

Any grass that’s damaged by the end of fall will surely die in the winter. Instead, be proactive and replace the damaged grass with fresh sod, which will quickly take root in the soil and go dormant in the winter with the rest of the healthy grass. Then, when spring comes around, the sod will jumpstart a healthy lawn for the upcoming growing season.

Fertilization

Give your lawn the nourishment it needs with a slow-release fertilizer in fall. While the blades of grass are dormant, the plants are actually soaking up nutrients all winter in order to bolster themselves for spring growth.

Dethatching and Aeration

To survive winter and start the following growing season in a healthy way, your lawn will need as much oxygen as it can get. One of the necessary jobs is dethatching, which involves removing dead or excess growth at the base of the plants. Another essential job is aeration, which involves pushing spikes deep into the soil to loosen it and allow the roots to absorb water and air. Both of these jobs will allow your lawn to get the water, oxygen, and nutrients it needs through the winter.

Preventing Weed Growth

In the late summer, the weeds that may have taken hold in or near your lawn will have released their seeds. Many weeds go to seed this time of year and the fall rains and spring snowmelt will push those seeds into the soil, creating a problem in the following year. Use targeted pre-emergent weed killer in the fall to eliminate the weeds before they can sprout in the spring.

Related: Know the Essentials of Fall Lawn Maintenance in Wappingers Falls and Lagrangeville, NY