Now is the time for fall lawn care

Donna Tatting

Chisago County Master Gardener

It seems we just got started on summer, and here we are talking about fall. There is still plenty of warm season left to enjoy our yards and gardens, but some lawn care chores are best done now.

My lawn really suffered from the long, cold, snowy winter. I waited months for those bare spots to fill in. For some, its just not going to happen.

Mid-August to mid-September is the best time to repair a lawn or to seed a new lawn. There is still plenty of sunlight and the nights are cooler, good for germinating seeds and growing new plants.

Choosing the right variety of grass for your lawn is very important. First, consider how much sun the area receives. Kentucky bluegrass is a favorite for full sun or light shade. Creeping red fescue is the most tolerant of shade. Its a good idea to use a mixture that blends the attributes of several varieties of grass.

The best advice for sowing grass seed is to make sure you have good seed-to-soil contact and that you water regularly if we dont get enough rain.

During this late summer season and into the fall, keeping the lawnmower height at 2 to 2 inches. Cutting it shorter will severely limit its ability to make and store food for growth in the spring.

If you fertilize your lawn only once a year, do it in mid to late October. Nutrients will be absorbed and stored until needed for spring growth. Lawns that have received late-season fertilizing are often the first to begin growing in the spring.

Some recent research has shown that an early spring feeding can be very beneficial as well.

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Now is the time for fall lawn care