City of Chanhassen
7700 Market Blvd
PO Box 147
Chanhassen MN
55317
952-227-1100
Fax: 952-227-1110
Disclaimer
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Fall Lawn Care
Mow
It’s important to keep your grass 2 to 2½ inches tall throughout the fall. If it’s too long, it could be prone to winter lawn diseases; on the other hand, if it’s too short, it won’t be large enough to store food for growth in the spring.
Water
Even though it is cooler in the fall, lawns still need regular watering to maintain plant health and better survive winter conditions. Go ahead and water as needed until the ground is cold and beginning to freeze. If you have an automatic irrigation system, avoid damage by having it blown out with compressed air before water freezes in the pipes and sprinkler heads.
Fertilize
Mid to late October is the best time of year to fertilize your lawn. Fertilizer provides grass with nutrients for spring growth. In Chanhassen you can use a no phosphorus fertilizer because the soil already has enough of that nutrient. This will still make your lawn green, and it will keep the green out of our ponds and lakes!
Control Weeds
September is the best time of year to treat dandelions, plantain, clover, and creeping charlie. Limited numbers of weeds should be removed by hand or spot-treated with herbicide.
Sweep Up
Sweep up and reuse lawn care products that fall on streets, sidewalks, and driveways. Also keep grass clippings, leaf litter, and other organic debris off driveways, sidewalks, and streets.
Rake Leaves
Lawn raking in the fall removes excess organic debris and helps maintain water quality. In winter, freezing and thawing can cause leaves, dead grass plants, and other organic debris to release nutrients. If these nutrients are washed off frozen ground during spring snowmelt and early spring rains, they can end up in surface water. Once in the surface water, the nutrients feed algae, which can turn our ponds and lakes into green, scummy messes.
Recycle Leaves
There are several ways you can dispose of fallen leaves. We recommend composting because it keeps leaves out of streets and storm sewers. Composting also gives you a great natural fertilizer for your garden. You can also use fallen leaves, whole or chipped by a lawn mower, as winter mulch around rose bushes and landscape plants. Allow fallen leaves to remain on your lawn and make several passes over them with a lawn mower, chopping them into a thin layer fine enough to stay on the lawn without causing damage, while providing nutrients for the grass. You can also bag leaves and grass and bring them to the Carver County Environmental Center. Click HERE for their hours and associated fees.
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