The fall checklist
- Clear the leaves. A thick mat of leaves blocks light and air and can smother the lawn over winter. Rake or blow them off the grass, or mulch a thin layer with the mower. A light cover of leaves in planting beds is fine.
- Make a slightly lower last mow. Cool-season grass keeps growing until the soil gets cold. Lower the blade gradually for the last couple of cuts, to around 2.5 to 3 inches, but do not scalp it. Long grass can mat down and invite disease under snow.
- Feed the lawn once in late fall. A late-fall feeding helps cool-season grass store energy for spring. Maryland has rules on lawn fertilizer timing and amounts, including a winter cutoff that starts in mid-November, so check the current rules or ask a pro.
- Cut back spent perennials. Once frost has browned the foliage, cut stalks back and clear away diseased leaves. You can leave a few seed heads and ornamental grasses standing for winter interest and for birds, then cut them in late winter.
- Refresh the mulch. After the ground cools, top up thin spots to 2 to 3 inches, and keep mulch pulled back from trunks and stems.
- Put the hoses and tools away. Disconnect and drain hoses, and shut off and drain outdoor faucets so they do not freeze. Have any irrigation system winterized, and clean and store your tools.
Protect your shrubs
Water evergreens deeply before the ground freezes, since they lose moisture all winter. Young or tender shrubs and plants that deer like to browse can be wrapped in burlap or covered with netting. Keep de-icing salt away from beds and lawn edges, and brush heavy snow off branches gently from the bottom up.
Fall is busy. Cleanups, leaf removal and mulch can all happen in one visit, and a pro can set up snow removal before the first storm.