With the onset of the cool weather it may seem that you’re all done taking care of the lawn but there may be a few more things to think about.
Mowing: Slowly begin to bring your cutting height down to two – two and one half inches. This will help prevent the grass from rolling over or getting matted down which can cause unwanted fungus to run rampant.
Fertilize: A good time to apply your last fertilizer is mid to late October. This prepares the lawn for the winter and gives the grass the nutrients it needs for a strong early ‘green up’ in the spring.
Aerate: The fall is a great time to aerate your lawn and over seed if needed. Some of the benefits to aerating are that it allows oxygen, water, and fertilizer to penetrate much better and also relieves compacted soil so roots can establish themselves better which can also increase lateral growth.
Weeds: The fall is a good time to treat for broadleaf weeds. Be sure to apply weed control when temperatures are above 50 degrees. This allows the product to get into the weeds and do its job. Killing the weeds now allows the grass to fill into that area.
Leaves: It’s very important to keep the lawn free of leaves especially before the snow falls because the environment under the leaves creates a breeding ground for fungus. Also, try to give you lawn a good raking with a metal rake to get rid of the thatch.
Irrigation: Yes, you may need to water but of course considerably less then in the summer months so adjust those ‘irrigation times’ accordingly. This would be a good time to remember to schedule you irrigation winterization. Also I would like add that if you don’t have a rain sensor please look into getting one. A lot of water is wasted by systems that continue to run during periods of rain.
Winterize That Mower: Don’t forget to winterize that mower. Change the oil, change all filters, condition the gas, sharpen blades, grease if needed, check or change spark plug, adjust points and possible the carburetor.
~Glenn White CGCS