10 Things To Do With Your Yard Before Fall

Rake the Lawn

While raking is mandatory when leaves drop in the fall, a vigorous late-summer raking might be necessary if thatch — a layer of plant material that develops between foliage and soil — builds up. A little thatch doesn’t hurt. When there’s more than half an inch, it can impede growth and make lawns look thin or sparse.

Give the lawn a good stiff raking with a steel-tine rake or a dethatching rake, then fertilize to help grass recover.