08/14/2026
Hello everyone! I wanted to share a few tips for anyone looking to reset and improve their lawn for next season. Fall preparation can make a big difference in how your lawn performs next spring.
Lawn Reset Tips
* Start with a soil test.
Visit Texas A&M AgriLife Soil Testing Laboratory: https://soiltesting.tamu.edu
A soil test can help identify your soil’s pH and nutrient levels so you know what your lawn actually needs.
* Control w**ds through the remainder of summer.
Use an appropriate selective herbicide as needed and according to the product label to help keep w**ds under control until fall.
* Aerate compacted soil.
Core aeration can help improve the movement of air and water into the soil and is especially beneficial for heavily compacted clay soils.
* Keep your mowing height around 3 inches or higher, depending on your grass variety.
* Bag clippings when w**ds are actively producing seeds to help reduce the spread of w**d seeds throughout the lawn.
* Late August through early September: begin focusing more aggressively on established w**ds while they are actively growing.
* Apply a fall pre-emergent in September at the appropriate time for your area. Pre-emergent helps prevent many cool-season w**ds from germinating.
* Water deeply and consistently.
A general target is approximately 1–1½ inches of water per week, depending on weather, soil conditions, and your grass type. Tuna cans or similar containers placed around the yard can help you measure how much water your irrigation system is actually applying.
* Avoid “w**d-and-feed” combination products.
It is generally better to treat w**ds and fertilize separately so each product can be applied at the proper time and only when needed.
The goal going into fall is to reduce w**ds, improve the soil, encourage healthy roots, and prevent new w**ds from becoming established. A little preparation now can make a noticeable difference next season.
Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory
