Before your grass goes dormant for the winter, there are a number of things you want to do to be sure that your lawn is green and healthy in the spring.
Keep cutting your lawn.
Grass will continue to grow until the first hard frost, keeping it at a 2 1/2 to 3 inch height is ideal to keeping from getting matted and vulnerable to fungus like snow mole. This also aids in keeping your yard clean as mowing will chop up the leaves and leave behind a nice mulch to help feed your lawn.
Keep on watering
You don’t want your lawn to dry out yet, if you need to water in the summer, you still need to water in the fall.
Fertilize and Seed
Overseeding existing turf fills in the thin spots and is a little easier in the fall with cooler temps. This also will help keep away weeds in the spring and allow a head start on filling in those patches that may have developed over the summer. Adding a bit of fertilizer can help fuel up your lawn before it goes dormant allowing additional root growth, disease protection and cold resistance.
Rake those leaves
Leaves will block sunlight and can trap moisture during the winter. It is a good way to get fungus in the spring. Keeping your lawn clear of leaves not only looks better, it saves on cleanup in the spring.