Fall Lawn Care Checklist: Leaves, Seed, Fertilizer and Mulch
Fall is the season to put the lawn right for next year: the soil is still warm, the nights are cool and cool-season grass grows roots fast. The jobs go in a set order: keep the leaves off the grass, aerate and overseed thin areas, feed the lawn about 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost, mow a little lower for the last cut, then mulch the beds and clear the gutters. For a 5,000 sq ft tall fescue lawn that is 20 lb of seed to overseed and 17.9 lb of a 28% nitrogen fertilizer (2 bags of 15 lb). The checklist and the calculators for your own yard are below.
Part of the project planner: Fall jobs for the yard and the outside of the house.
The fall lawn checklist, in order
| When | Job | For a 5,000 sq ft lawn |
|---|---|---|
| Early fall | Aerate compacted lawns, then overseed thin or bare areas | 20 lb of tall fescue seed (1 × 20 lb bag): grass seed calculator |
| Early fall, until the seed is up | Keep new seed damp, then water deeply | About 1 in a week with rain included: 30 minutes, twice a week, with a sprinkler that puts down 1 in an hour (lawn watering calculator) |
| 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost | Feed the lawn | 17.9 lb of 28-0-0 at 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft (lawn fertilizer calculator) |
| Every week the leaves fall | Mow the leaves into small pieces, or rake them off | Before they cover the grass |
| While the grass still grows | Mow at 2.5 to 3 in | Last mow at 2 to 2.5 in |
| Once the soil cools | Mulch the beds | 1.48 yd³ for a 40 × 4 ft bed 3 in deep (20 bags of 2 ft³): mulch calculator |
| After most leaves are down | Clear the gutters and downspouts | A 16 ft extension ladder for a 10 ft eave (ladder length calculator) |
| Before the first hard freeze | Disconnect hoses, drain outdoor faucets, shut down the sprinkler system | See the frozen pipes guide below |
The timings and mowing heights are for cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and fine fescue) and come from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. In the South, warm-season grass such as Bermudagrass slows down and goes dormant in fall: leave it alone rather than seeding or feeding it.
What to do with the leaves
Fallen leaves are the first fall job and the one that comes back every week. A thick, wet layer left on the lawn blocks the light and can smother the grass over winter, so they should not stay where they land. You have three choices:
- Mow them in. A mulching mower chops dry leaves into small pieces that fall between the grass blades and break down into the soil. It works best little and often, while the layer is still thin.
- Use them in the beds. Leaves chopped by the mower make a free mulch for beds, and they are a good addition to a compost pile.
- Bag them. When the layer is too thick to mow, rake it up. Many towns collect leaves in paper lawn bags or loose at the curb in fall: check the rules and dates for yours.
Leave the gutters until most of the leaves are down, or you will do the job twice. The gutter calculator counts sections and hangers if a run needs replacing.
Seed and fertilizer by lawn size
Overseeding at half the new-lawn rate, and a 28% nitrogen fertilizer at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft:
| Lawn | Tall fescue seed | Kentucky bluegrass seed | Fertilizer (28-0-0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 sq ft | 10 lb | 3.1 lb | 8.9 lb (1 × 15 lb bag) |
| 5,000 sq ft | 20 lb | 6.3 lb | 17.9 lb (2 × 15 lb bags) |
| 7,500 sq ft | 30 lb | 9.4 lb | 26.8 lb (2 × 15 lb bags) |
| 10,000 sq ft | 40 lb | 12.5 lb | 35.7 lb (3 × 15 lb bags) |
Seed rates and nitrogen rates vary by product, so check the bag. For more on each, see how much grass seed do I need and how much lawn fertilizer do I need.
Tips for a better result
- Aerate before you seed. Fall is a good time for it, because the soil is still warm and the grass recovers fast, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Seed then reaches the soil through the holes.
- Spread seed and fertilizer with a spreader set to the bag, half in one direction and half across, so there are no stripes.
- Water in the morning, so the grass dries before night. Once new seed is up, water less often and more deeply.
- Keep mulch a few inches away from stems, trunks and the house wall.
- Sweep seed and fertilizer off paths and the driveway, so it does not wash into drains.
The rest of the fall jobs
For the roof, gutters, caulk and outdoor paint as well as the lawn, follow the fall yard and exterior planner. To protect outdoor faucets and pipes before the first hard freeze, see how to keep pipes from freezing, and for the inside of the house, the winter home prep checklist. The home maintenance calendar lists what to do each month.
Quantities are estimates from the sizes you enter. Timings are general guidance for cool-season lawns, not a schedule for your exact area: your local extension office knows your first frost date.
Frequently asked questions
Should I rake leaves or mow them into the lawn?
A light layer can be chopped up with a mulching mower and left to break down, which feeds the soil. When the leaves are thick enough to hide the grass, rake or bag them, or mow over them more often so they never build up into a mat.
When should I fertilize my lawn in fall?
For cool-season grass, about 4 to 6 weeks before your first expected frost, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. On a 5,000 sq ft lawn, 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft from a 28% nitrogen fertilizer is 17.9 lb, 2 bags of 15 lb. Do not feed warm-season grass that is going dormant.
How much grass seed do I need to overseed in fall?
About half the new-lawn rate. For tall fescue that is 4 lb per 1,000 sq ft, so 20 lb for 5,000 sq ft (40 lb for a new lawn). Use the rate on your seed bag if it differs.
How short should I cut the grass for the last mow?
Keep cool-season grass at about 2.5 to 3 inches through the fall, then lower the mower to about 2 to 2.5 inches for the final mow of the year, as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension suggests.
Is it too late to seed the lawn in October?
Seedlings need several weeks of growth before the ground freezes, so the earlier in fall the better. In the colder states, October is often too late for new seed; in milder areas it can still work. Check the date of your first expected frost and the seed label.
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