As our lawns continue to recognize and adjust to the cooler temperatures of fall, they are building up their resilience and strength that will aid in choking out any persisting weeds that may have been given the opportunity to develop earlier in the year. As most if not all of your landscape is made up of cool season plants, it makes fall your lawn’s favorite time of year to grow. It is when the most optimal growing conditions are present allowing for a positive boost in overall health and appearance. It also brings with it an extreme reduction in competition from germinating weeds that prefer hotter conditions, and a reduction in humidity, which in turn leads to a reduction in disease possibility as well.
Crabgrass specifically is an example of an annual weed that will begin to die off at this time of year as it comes to the end of its life cycle. This provides the perfect time to renovate those areas and ensure you help your lawn achieve a strong position to return next spring. We know it may seem early, but now is the time to start setting yourself up for success for next year. When aiming to improve the condition of your lawn it requires a prolonged time period to adjust to its altered maintenance practices and newly introduced nutrients. Renovations can include aerations to help reduce soil compaction and provide healthier root growth and expansion, overseeding to help introduce new growth to any bare areas, and possibly combined topdressing if the soil quality could use some improvement. It is also important to reassess your cultural practices to ensure you are fertilizing regularly, watering deeply and infrequently (1-2x per week for 60-90 minutes each time), and mowing regularly no shorter than 3 inches. By following these maintenance practices you will be further supporting your lawn’s positive growth rate and be in a better position approaching the trip in and out of winter dormancy. Our three lawn care programs that we offer provide a proactive approach to the following year via the application of our dormant winter fertilizer that takes advantage of the winter’s freeze and thaw cycle. The fertilizer makes its way into the soil profile and releasing its nutrients as soon as the lawn begins to thaw the following spring.
Interested in booking your renovation this fall or have further questions regarding the condition of your lawn? Feel free to reach out to our office any time.
