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After the
hot days of summer, many lawns
are in need of repair. Fall
is the perfect time to plant
a new lawn, renovate an existing
lawn or ensure the health of
your lawn next season. Fall’s
cooler air temperatures, warm
soil temperatures and consistent
rainfall are ideal for lawn
establishment or renovation.
And, by next spring your lawn
will be lush and healthy.
Grass seed
germinates quickly in early
fall and whether you are establishing
a new lawn or reseeding bare
patches, now is the time to
do it. First, make sure you
start with high quality grass
seed. Seed type will depend
on the amount of sun/shade and
foot traffic. When reseeding
bare patches, first remove all
dead or unhealthy grass from
within and around each spot.
With a spade, mix in a 2 to
3 inch layer of Leaf
Gro (organic material)
and some Scotts Seed-Starting
Fertilizer. Tamp down
the soil so it is level with
the surrounding earth. Sprinkle
grass seed sparingly over the
spot and rake the seed about
1/8" down. Tamp the soil
again, then water. Cover the
spot with a little straw to
retain moisture.
When starting
a new lawn, add Leaf
Gro (organic material)
and Scotts Seed-Starting
Fertilizer as above
and mix or till into the top
6" of soil. Rake earth
level and smooth. Seed can be
sown by hand, but a lawn spreader
does the job more evenly. Lightly
rake seed into surface and cover
with a thin layer of straw.
The first watering should be
thorough, thereafter keep the
area moist by watering lightly
and gently while seed is germinating.
Seed should sprout within 2
to 3 weeks. After germinating,
lawns should be watered infrequently
but deeply. Avoid daily watering
as this will encourage shallow
root development. When grass
is 3 - 4" tall, it is ready
for the first mowing.
Established
lawns should be fertilized twice
during the fall. The first application
should be early to late September
when the weather has started
to cool. Use a high nitrogen
fertilizer like Stagreen
Fall Fertilizer. The
second feeding with Stagreen
Fall Fertilizer should
be applied six to eight weeks
after the first. This time,
a fertilizer higher in phosphorus
and potassium is recommended.
Phosphorus promotes root growth
and potassium helps your lawn
with cold tolerance and disease
resistance. No fertilizer is
effective if the pH or acidity
of the soil is too high or too
low. Improper pH reduces the
availability of nutrients to
be taken up by the roots. Your
soil should have a pH range
of 6.0 - 7.0 for best results.
Adjust with lime as needed.
Mowing is
a critical part of lawn care
which is often overlooked. The
biggest mistake is cutting the
grass too short. Mow at a height
of 2 1/2 - 3". Also, cut
your lawn frequently, never
removing more than 1/3 of the
grass blade. If you wait too
long between mowings you will
stress the grass and it will
thin out. Leave the clippings
on the lawn – ‘grass
cycling’ returns valuable
nutrients to the soil. Lastly,
keep your mower blade sharp.
A dull blade shreds the plants
instead of cutting them, leaving
open tissue, which can be infected
by disease.
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