Fall Lawn Care Guide for Southern Yards

Posted on September 30, 2025

How to Care for Your Lawn in Autumn from Top to Bottom

Fall may signal a slowdown in growth, but it’s also a key season for preparing your lawn for success in spring. It’s the perfect time for a fall lawn treatment that helps roots grow deeper, encourages nutrient storage for winter, and gives you an edge over weeds.

Obviously, timing is essential. Why? Because these tasks need to be completed before the first frost arrives.

Your exact location determines a lot. In general, autumn weather changes start to impact warm-season lawns in the South between August and October. But the different weather, elevation, average rainfall, and grass type in your location all play a part in the precise when and how of fall lawn care.

Keep reading for fall lawn maintenance tips to keep your southern yard healthy all the way until spring! Want expert help? Reach out to the professionals at Fairway Lawns!

The Importance of Eliminating Weeds in Fall

Fall is one of the best times to kill broadleaf weeds like dandelions, crabgrass, clover, and more. This is when those kinds of weeds store nutrients in their roots before winter. Spraying them with herbicides in autumn means they’ll absorb the weed killer as well!

Pre-emergent herbicides work by creating a barrier in the soil that stops weed seeds from sprouting. The timing of this strategy is pivotal, as the pesticide must be applied before the temperature rises and weeds start to grow again.

That’s why these are ideal for a fall lawn treatment. Many warm-season turfs go dormant when winter comes (and temps drop). Pre-emergents will keep grasses safer from weeds that may pop up in the months ahead.

Post-emergent herbicides work on weeds that are already visible. They’re scattered directly onto the leaves of weeds that are growing. This kind of weed control may use spot spraying to treat individual weeds. On the flip side, broadcast spraying attacks a whole area where weeds may or may not be present.

Fall Lawn Mowing Advice

Mow at a height of about 2 inches in September and October. For the last cut before winter, leave your grass a bit taller, around 3 inches. This helps protect it from frost, cold damage, and disease.

Will your grass grow all winter? No, warm-season grasses become dormant and stop growing when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch the weather to time your final mow before winter just right.

Leave Your Leaves or Remove Them?

Although a cover of fallen leaves can look nice, it is one of the biggest threats to your lawn. Leaves on your grass block sunlight and moisture, creating a damp environment that can lead to fungal diseases or even suffocate the grass beneath it.

What are the best ways to handle leaves? You can rake them up and bag them, or you can use the more efficient method of mulch mowing.

If you decide to mulch the leaves, it’s crucial to do it correctly. Most importantly, wait until the leaves are dry. Also? Mow frequently enough so you don’t have to deal with a thick pile.

Aim to shred the leaves into dime-sized pieces. These shreds filter down to the soil surface, break down over time, and help feed the soil. This nutrient-rich material is one of the best free fall lawn treatments.

Grass Dethatching

Thatch is fine, but too much isn’t. It regulates the soil’s temperature and helps with moisture retention, kind of like mulch. Soil microbes break down the organic material, returning nutrients to the soil. In short, a thatch can decrease water loss through evaporation, improve soil tolerance to temperature swings, and lessen compaction.

The perfect amount of thatch? About 1/2 inch. Any more than that can end up hurting rather than helping your grass.

So what does lawn dethatching do? It improves water infiltration and nutrient absorption. Plus, it gets your grass ready for new growth!

However, don’t forget that dethatching can stress your grass. That means it should only be done when your lawn is healthy and prepped for a fast recovery. Therefore, the best time to dethatch warm-season lawns is in the late spring. In addition, a light fall dethatching is helpful as well.

Lawn Aeration in Autumn

For warm-season grasses or lawns with compaction problems, liquid aeration is typically suggested. This applies to Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine lawns.

The best time to aerate? When these grasses are waking up in late spring or early summer (April to June). Another good time? When the soil is cooler and grass is strengthening its root system in early fall (September to October).

How do you know if your grass needs to be aerated? Look for the following signs.

Your lawn is thin or patchy in spots
Weeds or moss are taking over due to compaction
It’s been a year or more since your last lawn aeration
Water doesn’t easily soak into the grass
It feels spongy, possibly indicating excess thatch
Fertilizer doesn’t lead to any improvement

But how often should you aerate your lawn? If it gets heavy use from kids or pets or your region has clay soil, aerate annually. Aerate once per year or even every other year if you have sandy soil or low traffic in your yard.

Professional experience is better if:

You have a larger yard
There’s extreme compaction or thatch
You care about your lawn’s overall health
You want to use your time on something you enjoy instead of sweating!

Here’s when it may make sense for DIY aeration:

Smaller yards
You want to spend less but work harder
You’re comfortable with rental equipment
You’re strong enough to use heavy equipment

What to Look for With Fall Fertilizers

It’s time to help your lawn recover from summer stress, prep for winter, and get set up for a healthy return in spring. When it comes to timing your fall fertilization, aim for a month or two before the first frost. Balanced fertilizers with potassium and nitrogen should be your go-to in autumn.

Potassium strengthens your lawn against drought and disease, giving it the resilience and prolonged health it needs to get through colder months.

As for nitrogen, it can improve your lawn’s density and aid in spring recovery. However, remember that applying it too late can harm warm-season grasses by delaying dormancy, which puts the turf more at risk when the first frost comes.

Final Lawn Care To-Dos Before Winter

Taking care of a few last-minute chores before the winter freeze makes a big difference. It sets you up for a seamless start the following spring. This fall lawn care schedule should serve as your end-of-season checklist:

Cleaning and storing your lawn tools to prevent rust and damage
Doing a final mow and possibly bagging the clippings to remove any disease spores
Mulching the last thin layer of fallen leaves to add organic matter without suffocating the turf
Setting up your lawn care calendar for spring so you’re prepared to start fertilizing and applying pre-emergent at the proper times

Your hard work today will pay off when your grass begins to green up again in a few months!

Soil Testing & pH Correction

Moderate fall temperatures and moisture create the perfect conditions for soil amendments to be effective. Testing is simple. You can either get a DIY kit or send a sample to your local cooperative extension office for a more detailed analysis. Your test results will show the pH level and nutrient profile of your soil, helping you decide what to do next.

If your results indicate that your soil is too acidic, fall is the ideal time to apply lime. It gradually works its way down through the soil and changes the pH over time. If your soil is too alkaline, you can use sulfur to improve it.

Ideal Fall Watering Schedule

In general, for effective watering, you should water at night or in the early morning. Watering after sunset or before sunrise helps reduce evaporation.

Also, water deeply and infrequently. This encourages deeper roots since it soaks the soil several inches down. Lighter daily sprinkles won’t have the same benefits.

In the fall, adjust your watering schedule as grass growth slows down. A consistent schedule also strengthens new plants and prepares existing ones for colder weather.

When winter comes, adjust your watering according to the South’s weather. You can continue watering until the first freeze. This prevents dry soil and protects the roots from damage.

Not sure when to expect the first freeze in your area? Try entering your zipcode into this frost calculator to get an idea of the dates it typically happens near you.

Fall Lawn Care FAQs

Should I remove clippings in fall?

If you have a lot of clippings, you can bag them to prevent disease or grass suffocation. However, smaller clippings are helpful because they add nutrients back into the soil.

What is the best fall fertilizer for my grass type?

A soil test can help figure this out. This test usually suggests the right ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for your specific warm-season grass. Generally, focus on potassium and nitrogen in fall fertilizers, as they prepare your lawn for winter weather.

When should I stop watering my lawn?

You can keep watering in the early morning to prevent disease in fall, but you should stop once temperatures stay below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make Your Fall Lawn Treatment Easy!

Every season has key steps you should take to have the best yard. Fall is no exception. Follow our fall lawn care tips to keep your grass healthy today and prepare for a beautiful lawn next year.

Interested in a professional fall lawn treatment service? Reach out to Fairway Lawns today! We proudly serve seven states and dozens of communities, ensuring high-quality lawn care and pest control services across the South: