When the cool fall breezes begin to blow and the leaves begin to fall, you might be excused for parking your lawnmower, putting away the weed whacker and forgetting about the yard until springtime.

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You might be excused, that is, if you hadn't read this article and learned that there is some very vital work to be done as your lawn goes dormant that will give you a big head start on the neighbors come springtime, when everyone tries to be the first one with a yard that doesn't look like it's been mowed with a flamethrower or some sort of acid.

Let's take a walk through the things you need to do to put your yard to bed for its long winter's nap. If you can, follow the steps in order.

Poke some holes: When I first became a homeowner, the old wise men in the neighborhood clucked their tongues at me because I didn't aerate my lawn in the fall. The reason was simple: I understood aeration as a process whereby you run a machine of some sort over your yard and yank out plugs of grass. Why on earth would I want to rip holes in my yard?

Well, there are some really good reasons, it turns out. The holes, which are actually quite small and, once the dirt plugs wash back into the ground, quite invisible, allow water and fertilizer to penetrate below the soil surface more easily. This is especially important if you have any sort of clay in your soil, which can harden when dry and make water roll off while the plant roots beneath it starve for water. Aeration also sets the stage for good and vigorous root growth when the grass begins growing again by "trimming" the roots a bit. You've likely done the same thing with a house plant.

Check the soil: Changing a lawn's pH is not a quick process, and it's best done when the grass is not actively growing. Most county extension services will give you a free or low-cost soil test kit so you can determine your lawn's pH and act accordingly. If your lawn is too acidic, use a broadcast spreader to scatter pelletized lime. I don't recommend powdered lime, as it will be difficult to spread and may be washed away by fall rains without making soil penetration. If your soil is too alkaline, use sulphur to even things out.

"In the Midwest especially, since it's been so dry, it is very important for turf, shrubs, and trees to have adequate moisture in their soil," said Gary Chamberlain of TruGreen ChemLawn. "Evergreens can be damaged by harsh winter conditions if there isn't enough moisture in the soil."

Rip it up: As easy as your lawnmower makes picking up the fall leaves, there is a great reason to give it a good, thorough raking with a metal leaf rake at least once. By doing so, you'll loosen and remove thatch, which is a layer of dead grass that forms as you mow and as the grass grows. This will help aerate the soil and give the grass room to breathe come springtime. If you think you don't need to dethatch, take a metal rake and run it back and forth a few times over one strip of your yard. You'll quickly see a small snowdrift of dead grass pile up ... that's thatch. Now go do the rest of the yard.

And don't forget to rake up those leaves, too! They'll suffocate your grass and lead to all manner of fungal and disease problems that you'll spend all next spring trying to battle.

Don't put your mower away yet: "Continue to mow your lawn as long as the turf is growing." Chamberlain explains, "Many people put their lawn mowers away in favor of football games and find problems in the spring such as snow mold."

Put it to bed: Finally, don't forget to do a little winter mower maintenance. Drain the gas from the tank and fuel line, give it a good cleaning, get the blade sharpened and change the oil. Take a look at the air filter, too. It probably could use replacement. That way, when you get ready to mow in the spring, you'll be ready to pull the cord and go.

Whew! Now you're ready to get yourself inside ... just in time for spring!

More Resources:
• Seasonal Lawn Tips
• Fall Lawncare Tips
• Do-It-Yourself Tips
• Make Your Own Compost