Feed: One Last Meal for the Lawn
Before the lawn goes dormant, give it a final dose of fertilizer. That last feeding carries the grass through the cold months and gives it reserves to draw on when growth resumes in spring. September is also the time to aerate. A summer of foot traffic, backyard dinners, and games on the grass compacts the soil, and aeration opens it back up so water, air, and that final feeding can actually reach the roots. With the ground softened by fall rain, the job goes easier now than at any other point in the year.
Mulch: A Winter Blanket for the Beds
Mulch earns its place in every season. In summer it helps the soil hold moisture, and it shelters the sensitive roots of anything newly planted. In fall, the job changes: a fresh layer adds warmth around roots and releases nutrients slowly through the winter as it breaks down. Apply a layer several inches deep around trees, shrubs, and the plants staying in the ground. Bark chips and straw both work well, layered newspaper does quiet duty underneath, and the leaves you raked earlier can go straight into service on the beds. The goal is a consistent blanket, deep enough to insulate, tucked around everything you want to see again in April.
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September 2026
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