Signs of fall are finally appearing. Temperatures are dropping… a little bit. Footballs are being thrown. But, as much as we may want to think of summer as the peak lawn care season, it’s just as important during the fall. Here’s a short review of some seasonally appropriate topics.
Aeration and Overseeding for Fescue Lawns
Fescue is among the three most popular grass varieties in the metro Atlanta area. As the only cool-season grass in that group, it requires special attention at this time of year. It’s tough enough to thrive in conditions that would kill other plants, like shade, compacted soil, and drought. But, unfortunately, if adverse conditions do cause it to start thinning, it cannot self-spread.
The best way to fill in bare spots in a Fescue lawn is a combination of aeration and overseeding. The most helpful type of aeration is core aeration, in which many small “cores,” or plugs, of soil are removed, creating holes that allow air and water to reach grass roots even if the soil is compacted. Overseeding is the process of spreading seed over existing grass so seedlings appear in bare spots and the rest of the lawn gets thicker.
Continue Your Regularly Scheduled Care for Warm-Season Grasses
Meanwhile, warm-season grasses are preparing to enter dormancy. Your regular lawn care regimen, including all the basics we regularly repeat, should continue until the ground starts to freeze. Specifically, make sure that your lawn receives one inch of water each week from a combination of rainfall and your own interventions with a hose or sprinkler. It’s not unusual to find yourself watering less as the amount of heat-driven evaporation declines. Continue to mow at the height and frequency that’s recommended for the type of grass in your lawn. At some point in the fall, either your or your lawn service company should apply a pre-emergent herbicide to discourage weeds from germinating in the spring.
Remove Fallen Leaves
A few leaves scattered around your lawn will eventually break down without causing any problems, but a mat of leaves can prevent air, water, and light from reaching grass while encouraging and concealing harmful insects and fungal diseases.
Raking leaves will also remove thatch, the layer of dead grass at the soil line that can also block nutrients. On the down side, rakes often rip grass blades. Leaf blowers are safer for your lawn, but their noise and harmful emissions have led a growing number of communities to ban them. Your best bet is a mulching mower that will cut them into pieces small enough to break down into food for your grass without causing other problems.
Simply Organic specializes in the use of natural products to keep your yard in peak condition. But we don’t just spray – our Certified Landscape Specialists bring years of training and experience to your home. We offer organic lawn care services in Alpharetta, Decatur, Marietta, and more locations in Metro Atlanta! If you have questions about your grass during the transition to fall, or any other topic related to lawn care, we’re here to help.