DON’T FORGET THE LAWN! – Homeowner Rx
As your lawn slowly starts giving you a break from the need to be mowed every time you turn around, don’t forget that now is actually the best time to spruce up your lawn for next year.
SOWING GRASS SEED.
There is plenty of time to thicken up your yard for next year with a little grass seed spreading this fall. Getting those bare spots seeded now will give the new grass plenty of time to germinate and get set before winter and come on strong next spring.
Overseeding your entire lawn with seed is a great way to perk up a sparse, thin lawn. To do it right you need to dethatch or aerate your lawn first. The equipment that does it is about the size of your lawn mower. It can be rented at any good power equipment rental store in town. After the ground is prepared, spread the seed and make sure that you or mother nature applies plenty of moisture over the next month or so, and I think you’ll like the results.
WHAT ABOUT WEEDS?
A high percentage of my customers only try to control their lawn weeds in the spring. But spring is not the best time to treat for dandelions and other lawn weeds. It’s just the most popular time. Even if you treated this spring, a good percentage of the dandelions still may have went to seed, and you know what that means, more dandelion plants!
So if you spray now, not only will you get any plants that survived your first application, but you will also get the small plants from the spring seeds that you probably don’t even notice.
The last reason to go on the attack now is because lawn weeds are starting to store nutrients in their root systems to prepare for winter. So the herbicide that you apply to the weed plants now will be absorbed deep into the root of the plant. Killing it completely.
AND DON’T FORGET FERTILIZING!
For the same reason that now is a great time to attack the weeds while they are trying to bulk up on nutrients, it’s a great time to feed the grass. The right winterizer fertilizer with a little less nitrogen for greening and a little more potash that helps build up the health of the grass plant is the way to go. You can even get it with a weed control included and take care of two important parts of fall lawn care with one application.
OTHER GOOD FALL YARD PROJECTS:
Plant trees. Plenty of time for them to get set before winter
Water any young trees and plants. Late summer/early fall heat and draught can really do a number on young plants and trees.
Plant spring blooming bulbs.
And don’t forget the funnest fall yard project of all…Raking the leaves!
For help with any fall project large or small, don’t forget your locally owned hardware stores for the best selection, the best service, and is close to home.
Dave Umber, Owner
Umber’s Do It Best Hardware
Waynedale & Georgetown North
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