01
Get the leaves off before they mat
Wet leaves left over winter smother turf and breed snow mold. On heavy oak streets that means two or three visits, not one.
Seasonal · October 2026 · 5 min read
The Fall Clean-Up Checklist for New England Yards
Leaves are the obvious part. These are the ones people skip and pay for in April.
A good fall clean-up isn't about a tidy lawn in November. It's about what the lawn looks like the following May.
Here's the order we work in, and why.
02
Cut lower on the last mow
About two and a half inches on the final cut of the year. Long grass under snow lays over and rots.
03
Aerate and overseed while the soil is still warm
September into early October is the best seeding window there is. Seed put down now roots before frost and comes up thick in spring.
04
Cut back perennials, leave the shrubs
Spent perennials get cut and hauled. Most shrubs shouldn't be pruned in fall - a late cut pushes tender growth right into a freeze.
05
Clear the beds and edges
Debris pulled out of beds and off the walkways so there's nowhere for voles to nest under snow.
Book fall clean-up early. The last two weeks of the season fill up first, every single year.
