Fall Lawn Care
Test the Soil
Before you add any fertilizers or soil amendments, test the soil to determine your lawn’s nutrient levels. A basic soil test will tell you the pH and fertilizer levels and give recommendations for correcting any problems. Contact your state university’s Cooperative Extension Service office or a local garden center about getting a soil test kit.
Fertilize
Contrary to popular belief, fall is the most important time to fertilize your lawn. Lawn grasses take up the nutrients and build their root systems so in spring the plants are stronger and start growing faster. Because soils are cooler in fall and microbial activity is slower, apply a quick-acting organic fertilizer a few weeks before a killing frost. In the North apply it in late September or October. In the South apply it in November or early December, depending on your location.
Keep watering the lawn in fall and winter. Even though the top growth is dormant, the roots still need water to survive the harsh winter temperatures.
Chop Leaves
While too many leaves left on a lawn can smother it, there’s no reason to remove all of them. Rake off and compost the majority of your leaves, but chop any remaining leaves with a mower and leave them on the lawn. This shredded leaf mulch will slowly decompose over winter, feeding the grass.
Final Mowing
Keep mowing your lawn at the regular height until the grass stops growing. Cut lower for the final mowing, removing excess top growth to prevent any winter or spring diseases. Mow cool-season grasses at 2-1/2 inches high. Mow warm-season grasses at 1-1/2 to 2 inches high.
Top Dress with Compost
To help build a strong root system and consequently a thick, lush lawn, top-dress the lawn with a thin layer of compost. Purchase bagged or sifted bulk compost and spread it 1/4 to1/3 inches thick over the lawn. Rake it in so the grass blades show through.
Patch Bare Spots
In northern areas, fall is the best time to patch bare spots with cool-season grasses. The soils are cooler and moister, making them ideal for grass seed germination. Match the seed variety with the same variety in your lawn, add a 2- to 3-inch-thick layer of topsoil or compost, amend the soil pH as needed, spread seed, water it in, and cover with straw mulch. The seed should germinate quickly and grow enough to withstand the winter cold and be ready to fill in next spring. In the South, seed lawns in spring.
Charlie Nardozzi, a nationally recognized garden writer, book author, speaker and radio and television personality, has appeared on HGTV, PBS and Discovery Channel television networks. He is the senior horticulturist and spokesperson for the National Gardening Association (www.garden.org) and Chief Gardening Officer for the Hilton Garden Inn.
Courtesy of Family Features
Family Features
All materials courtesy of National Gardening Association