Secrets to a Healthy Green Lawn in the Fall Months
Believe it or not, fall is right around the corner and summer is weaning away as we see prolonged morning darkness and the sun setting earlier in the evening. In lawn care, fall is the time you need to invest the most effort in to ultimately achieve a prolonged green lawn before winter comes. The next few weeks are crucial for establishing a healthy green lawn and renovating or rejuvenating those that are in need of help.
Step One: Aeration
Overtime the summer months, lawns become overused and compacted via heavy use—play yards, baseball fields, golf courses, volleyball, etc. Anytime your lawn is susceptible to heavy use or you just want the best for your lawn you must resort to Aerating your lawn. The art of aeration is quite simple—Aeration generates openings and spacing throughout your lawn to allow water, air and other necessary nutrients to get directly to the roots, creating a healthier and denser green lawn. Consequently, this process helps with drainage and water runoff and can reduce drought damage—especially relevant this summer. Whatever the job, there is an aerator for you—from small step tools to walk behind, self-propelled models and even industrial sized machines. Whatever you chose for the job, make sure your tool is a “core” aerator, this allows the literal remove of cores of soil rather than just punching holes in your lawn.
Aeration and Seeding is considered one of the best kept secrets to lawn care maintenance
Step Two: Over-Seeding
If you notice bare spots in your lawn it probably needs a round of over-seeding. Fall is the best time to do this as it helps make lawns full and dense, keeps the weeds down, and helps prevent disease and insect damage. Prior to this, you want to mow the lawn at the mower’s lowest notched setting and rake the surface clean of all cuttings and debris. This will allow the new seed to have direct contact with your soil for needed germination. Next, follow the instructions on your seed bag for settings on your spreader and pay attention to how much seed you should be applying. Once the seed is evenly applied water for short increments of time several times a day for the first two weeks or until you start seeing the seed sprout. The key to effective seed germination is never allowing the seed to dry out.
Step Three: Contact
Contact Green Lawn Fertilizing today 855-469-0692 to schedule your Core–Aeration and Seeding. This mechanical process is designed to reduce soil compaction, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to get into the root system of the plant. Compaction occurs primarily on the surface of the soil and can range from ¼ in to ½ in deep, keeping water, nutrients and other crucial factors out of the soil. Aerating machines pull plugs from the turf area, creating large pores that will allow moisture and nutrients to move freely through the soil layers.
Contact Green Lawn Fertilizing – prior to the cold months and ask about our winterizer fertilizing treatment. This is necessary for your lawn’s health in the winter months as you prepared your lawn for a prominent next spring and want to make sure your lawn stores all the nutrients and fertilizer to get it there.
Resources:
Joe Lamp’l, host of “Growing a Greener World” on PBS, is a master gardener and author. For more information visit: www.joegardener.com.