Loading ...With Labor Day Weekend almost here, it’s a good time to think about transitioning your lawn from the brutality of summer to the more hospitable days of fall.
Regardless of how much we humans enjoy summer, our lawns don’t flourish under summer’s extreme heat. Proper fall lawn care can help you enjoy the last blast of green grass while conditioning your lawn for winter. Here are some tips for winter preparations for your lawn:
photo credit: www.bobvila.com
Fertilizing
Fertilize warm season grasses such as Bahia, Bermuda, St Augustine, and Zoysia need fertilizer by the end of September. Cool season grasses including bluegrass, fescue, and rye, should be fertilized September through November according to your climate. You can buy fertilizer specifically made for “winterizing” your lawn, but make sure it’s the last fertilizer you’ll apply at the end of the growing season.
Leaf me Alone! Removing Leaves Keeps Your Lawn Healthy
Accumulations of fallen leaves can suffocate your lawn and provide dark, moist environments perfect for spawning lawn diseases and fungi.
What About Watering?
Warm season lawns typically go dormant during winter months and don’t require watering. Cool season grasses may require light watering, but they typically receive sufficient moisture from rain and snow.
Mowing and Mulching
Mow your warm season lawn about an inch lower than usual and remove grass clippings; this helps with air circulation. Early fall is a perfect time for mulching; you can mulch grass clippings and fallen leaves with a mulching mower, or compost grass clippings and leaves for use in landscaping and vegetable gardens. If you don’t like your warm season lawn turning brown, you can overseed with a cool season blend or annual ryegrass about two weeks before the first killing frost is expected to occur.
