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Fall Lawn Care

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.

Seeding

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 Katheez compost (organic material) and some 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, and then water. Cover the spot with a little straw to retain moisture.

Starting A New Lawn

When starting a new lawn, add Katheez compost (organic material) and Greenview Seed Starting Fertilizer. Mix or till these items 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.

Fertilizing

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 Greenview 20-0-4. The second feeding with Greenview Fall Weed and Feed should be applied six to eight weeks after the first. This time, a fertilizer high in nitrogen and potassium is recommended. 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

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.

Why Lime?

Fertilizers can’t do the whole job of keeping your lawn healthy and beautiful because they can’t raise the pH of acid soil. Poor lawns are often the result of acidic soil. Lime is an excellent way to correct low soil pH. Fall is the best time for liming your lawn because the soil expands and contracts as the temperature fluctuates during the winter months. This motion works the lime into the soil. Also, the increase of moisture during the fall and winter helps “percolate” the ground and coats the soil with lime particles.

Pelletized forms can be applied to the lawn with a drop or rotary spreader. Application rates for the different types of soil are listed right on the back of the product bag. Generally, fifty pounds of lime per thousand square feet will raise the pH 1⁄2 of a point.

How do soils become acidic? Over the years, calcium and magnesium, the alkaline components in the soil, become replaced by hydrogen and are lost in drainage water. Also, while nitrogen is essential for good growth of grass, heavy applications make the soil more acidic. Not only does lime correct the acidity of the soul by reducing the toxic amounts of aluminum, manganese and iron, but it also supplies calcium and magnesium, which are essential for plant growth. Other benefits of applying lime include less leaching of potassium, making phosphorus more available and speeding the decomposition of organic matter in the soil for reuse by the plant.
How can you find out if your soil is too acidic? Bring in a soil sample, 1⁄2 cup taken from a depth of 6 inches, for a free pH test or, for a complete analysis of your soil, contact your county agent for a Soil Test Kit.