- 1. Control Weeds<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Apply Fertilizer<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Aerate in Fall<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Remove Those Leaves<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Seed or Overseed Your Lawn<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Last Mow of the Season<\/a><\/li>
- Lawn Care Is a Lot of Work. Hire a Pro<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Control Weeds<\/h2>
![\"Closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rsz_1280px-stellaria_media_common_chickweed_\u10df\u10e3\u10dc\u10df\u10e0\u10e3\u10d9\u10d8-2.jpg\")
Chickweed. Photo Credit: Lazaregagnidze<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Late summer and fall are the best times in the Chicago area to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to tackle perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelions. <\/p>
For winter annuals like chickweed that germinate in the fall, applying a pre-emergent application is ideal during this vulnerable moment in their lifecycle, the University of Illinois Extension notes.<\/p>
See Related: <\/strong>
<\/strong>\u2013 <\/strong>How to Spray Your Lawn For Weeds
<\/a>\u2013 How to Get Rid of Weeds in Grass<\/a><\/p>2. Apply Fertilizer<\/h2>
September and November are the best times to apply lawn fertilizer for cool-season grasses in Chicago. Fertilizing now prepares your grass for winter so your yard greens up earlier in spring. Use a fertilizer labeled for fall or winter application. <\/p>
But when and how often do you need to fertilize your lawn?<\/p>
U of I\u2019s cool-season grasses fertilization schedule is based on lawn density.
<\/p>- Low- to moderate-density lawns<\/strong> need fertilization 2 times: Early fall, spring and once in late summer.<\/li>
- Moderate- to high-density lawns<\/strong> need fertilization 3 times: Once in late fall, once in spring, and once in late summer to early fall. <\/li>
- High-density lawns <\/strong>need 4 fertilization treatments: Once each in late fall, spring, early summer (only with irrigated lawns); and late summer to early fall.<\/li> <\/ul>
LawnStarter Pro Tip from Ricardo Flores in Waukegan:<\/strong> Asked what\u2019s the secret to a perfect lawn, Flores replied: \u201cApply fertilizer 2 times a year.\u201d
<\/p>Yes, LawnStarter offers lawn fertilization in Chicago<\/a>. This will save you choosing the right fertilizer for your grass and the time spent applying fertilizer.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 When to Fertilize Kentucky Bluegrass
<\/a>\u2013 When to Fertilize Fescue<\/a><\/p>3. Aerate in Fall<\/h2>
![\"Pile](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/aeration.jpg\")
Core aeration. Photo Credit: Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Fall is the best time to aerate because weeds are less common than in spring. Aeration is especially recommended where there\u2019s a lot of foot traffic or where children play.<\/p>
What is aeration? Aeration extracts about 3-inch plugs from the lawn. This allows water and other nutrients to reach the grass roots in Chicago\u2019s lawns and reduces soil compaction.<\/p>
Allow the plugs (they look a little bit like dog doo-doo) to remain. They will disintegrate in a couple of weeks and return nutrients to the soil.
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 What is Aeration [Video]
<\/a>\u2013 Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn<\/a><\/p>4. Remove Those Leaves<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/leaf-rake.jpeg?wsr\")
Fallen leaves with a rake. Photo Credit: Elenathewise<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> To rake or not to rake? You can rake leaves off the lawn, mow them till they\u2019re mulch, or hire a local leaf cleanup crew. <\/p>
Whatever you do, don\u2019t allow leaves to accumulate on your lawn because leaves will smother the grass and foster lawn diseases.<\/p>
Here are your options:<\/p>
- Raking: <\/strong>Raking takes a lot of time, and you\u2019ll be bending over to pick up or bag those leaves. You can mulch those leaves instead \u2013 and those ground-up leaves will add nutrients to your lawn.<\/li>
- Mulching:<\/strong> It may take a couple of swipes with the mower to crunch up the leaves, but that\u2019s usually less time than raking and bagging. <\/li>
- Hire a Leaf Removal Crew: <\/strong>Another way to get rid of those leaves? Hire one of LawnStarter\u2019s Chicago leaf-removal pros<\/a> who will rake or blow your leaves onto a tarp and bag them. <\/li> <\/ul>
This last option saves you any strain on your back or knees from raking and bagging your leaves and from time lost mowing your lawn twice to mulch those leaves. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Is it Better to Rake or Mulch Leaves?
<\/a>\u2013 Best Ways to Clean Up Leaves in Your Yard<\/a><\/p>5. Seed or Overseed Your Lawn<\/h2>
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Spreader-on-lawn.jpg\")
Lawn spreader. Photo Credit: Scott Habermann<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Just like fall is the best time to sow new grass in the Chicago area, it\u2019s also the best time to thicken up your lawn. <\/p>
In Illinois, the best time to overseed a lawn is late August to mid-September, according to Jonathan Green, a grass seed supplier. Here\u2019s why: Soil temperatures at this time of year are still warm, which promotes optimum seed germination, and the cooler air temperatures are better for grass growth.<\/p>
When overseeding, spread seed all over your lawn and water the seed. <\/p>
When seeding a new lawn or filling in patchy areas, scratch up the bare spot and apply grass seed and water. Apply a light straw cover to deter birds from dining on the seeds. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 How to Overseed Your Lawn in 8 Steps
<\/a>\u2013 How to Plant Grass Seed<\/a><\/p>6. Last Mow of the Season<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chicago-lawn-1.jpg?wsr\")
Lawn maintained by a LawnStarter pro in Chicago, IL. Photo Credit: LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> Continue mowing as needed, keeping the lawn at the height recommended for your grass type, until regular mowing wraps up in October.<\/p>
University of Illinois Recommended Grass Heights<\/h3>
- Mulching:<\/strong> It may take a couple of swipes with the mower to crunch up the leaves, but that\u2019s usually less time than raking and bagging. <\/li>
- Moderate- to high-density lawns<\/strong> need fertilization 3 times: Once in late fall, once in spring, and once in late summer to early fall. <\/li>
- 2. Apply Fertilizer<\/a><\/li>