Broadleaf Perennial Weed Control – First, attack the weeds; if you don’t get rid of the weeds this fall, your lawns will surely regret it next spring. Control perennial broadleaf weeds with selective liquid herbicide (kills the weeds, not the grass). Liquid applications are more effective than granular “weed & feeds” and are available in ready to spray, hose-end sprayers and concentrates to be mixed with water in your pump sprayer to spot treat weeds in managed lawns. If you have a lawn full of weeds, you can always rent one of our liquid drop-spreaders to cover the whole lawn. It is very important that this be done soon while the clover and dandelions are still growing actively, and so can be killed easily. Always check to be sure that no rain is in the forecast for at least 12 hours before applying, and do not mow within 24 hours before or after application.
Fertilizing in the Early Fall – Cool season lawns should be fed twice in the fall to promote root growth, deep green color and improved turf density. This early fall feeding is very important in that it’ll help promote new tiller growth from the crowns of the summers’ stressed turf to thicken up the lawn. Our slow-release, organic-based granular fertilizer can be done in conjunction with the weed control applications or fall overseeding.
Seeding in September and October – Most of us will need to do at least some seeding this fall due to damage caused by the hot, dry summer. It is now time to repair the damage. Now is also the time to upgrade old, tired lawns and thicken up thin, shady areas. Fall is by far the best (really the only) time of the year for seeding lawns. The ground stays warm and as we get deeper into the fall, the nighttime temperatures will be perfect for all cool-season grass, from seedlings to established lawns. Roots grow well and deeper in warm soils, while the cool night air along with anticipated regular rainfall is perfect for germinating seeds. When seeding, if we don’t get enough regular rainfall, supplemental watering will help speed along the seed germination and establishment. And as the newly seeded areas germinate and begin to establish, carefully and regularly mow the new lawn as you do your other grass, being absolutely careful to cut the new grass only when it is dry, or you’ll tear it.
Liming and/or Core Aerating in the Fall – We recommend that all lawns be limed and core aerated every year in order to help stimulate deeper and denser root systems. Liming can be done at any time of the year (other than when snow’s flying) with Cal-Turf Pro fast acting lime. It’s applied in an easy to handle, pelletized form, which will raise soil pH in weeks instead of months! As mentioned above, core aeration (the pulling of soil cores from the lawn) helps break up the heavy, dense soil so root systems get bigger and reach deeper into the soil. Core aeration is also the best way to prepare for fall seeding. By opening up the soil with thousands of pockets for seed and water to collect in, it’s the most effective way to produce a thicker, healthier lawn next spring. So, either do this yourselves or give us a call and have our Turf Management group, with their “best equipment available” do the job for you.
Checking Lawns for Grub Damage – Now is when damage caused by grubs will start to show. If you had a lot of Japanese beetles in July, or if you have areas of your lawn that have not greened up with the recent rains or feel spongy underfoot, and which, if scratched or raked vigorously, peels back revealing ½” long off-white worms, you have a grub problem. You must apply granular BIO-ADVANCED’s 24 Hour (DYLOX) Grub Killer and water in thoroughly and then, as soon as possible, reseed the damaged areas.