Fall Turf Tips

Don’t leave your lawn out in the cold this fall.  Autumn is your lawn’s favorite time of year and the best time to perform maintenance. It will ensure a healthy and handsome lawn next spring and summer.  We’ve provided a list of simple tips to follow for great lawn success.

• Fertilize your lawn: The best time of year to fertilize your lawn is in early fall around Labor Day.  You will want to fertilize your lawn twice in the fall.  In September, apply nitrogen-based fertilizer. Fertilize your lawn again after the last time you mow with the same amount of nitrogen.  This second feeding is usually done around mid-November.
• Use a lawn weed killer: While temperatures are above 65 degrees and the weeds are still growing, it is a good idea to use a weed killer.  An excellent product to use is the Bioadvanced All-in-One Weed Killer. In the autumn, weeds prepare for winter by pulling nutrients and starches from their leaves into their roots.  By doing this, they also draw herbicides into their root systems, thus more effectively killing the weed.  By using a weed killer now, it will help reduce the number of weeds in your lawn next spring.
• Rake up any leaves or yard debris: Fallen leaves can smother your lawn and may cause disease problems in the spring.  It is best to keep your grass free of fallen leaves or any other yard debris that can harbor disease or smother the grass.
• Reseed or plant a new lawn by October 15^th: Fall is an excellent time to renovate a poor-quality lawn or establish a new one.  Grasses grow rapidly in the cool fall weather and have less competition from germinating weeds.  This will also give your lawn a chance to get established before the cold weather hits.
• Give your grass one last mowing: Once your grass has stopped growing for the year, mow it to about an inch high.  Keeping the grass short will prevent it from matting down as winter approaches.  Make sure to drain the old gas out of the lawn mower for winter storage.
• Don’t forget to continue watering: Even when the temperature outside cools down, don’t forget to water your lawn.  In early fall, it is important to keep a regular watering schedule to insure a healthy and growing lawn.

Want more tips on how to care for your lawn in fall? Check out our Top 10 Fall Lawn Care Tips. 

Your veggies and the flowers are in full swing by fall . It’s time to start harvesting, start some fall crops, keep watering and weeding, and many more chores. While the focus is often on our fruits and vegetables towards the end of summer, there are other plants that need attention too. In the region, fall is a great time to start a new lawn or fill in patchy areas of the existing sod. You can also do light pruning of trees and shrubs, divide daylilies, and start end-of-year clean up. Cane berry plants may be pruned after harvest. It’s never too soon to start soil amendments for the next growing season. Visit your website for an abundance of growing tips and inspiration. Turf that!