Gorgeous Lawns are Fed in Fall!

October 6, 2016 | By webadmin

What wonderful weather we’ve been having so far this fall! Have you been enjoying your outdoor space...or are you a bit distracted by areas that could use some TLC. If your lawn isn’t looking it’s best, it could be suffering from summer heat and drought.

If you only fertilize your lawn in spring and are not watering the right way through summer, this is a good time to begin a regimen of feeding your lawn twice a year. The extreme heat and drought take a toll on grasses in North Texas. By the end of summer, your lawn might be looking scorched, diseases might be setting in and pests could be attacking, especially if the lawn is already compromised, or your soil is compacted from not watering properly. Any of these in your garden is a sign your lawn is in need of repair. If your lawn remained green through summer, fall is still the time you’ll want to fertilize to keep it that way.

Healthy, green lawns are fed in both spring and fall!

Why fertilize in fall?

You might be thinking, “My lawn will be going dormant soon. Why should I worry about feeding it?” There are actually quite a few great reasons to feed your fall lawn!

• Strong foundation: A fall feeding will help your lawn build new healthy roots and strong top growth that will invigorate the lawn and strengthen it against harsh weather or diseases.
• Winter prep. A strong, well fed lawn will better able to withstand the extremes of winter. Ice one day then 70 F the next can be damaging to grasses, even when they are dormant. Since our soil doesn’t freeze, root growth slows, but they are still active below the surface.
• Soil health. Applying organic matter and supplements such as compost, worm castings and liquid seaweed in fall means you are not just feeding your grass, but the soil, too. Including your soil as an important part of your routine landscape maintenance increases its bioactivity so that it better retains water in summer, drains well so plant roots don’t suffocate, and aids plant roots in more efficient uptake of nutrients.  

What next?

Now that understand the importance of lawn fertilization, there are other steps you can take this season to ensure a healthy lawn come spring. Aerating soil will improve the efficacy of your fertilizer by reducing compaction and opening up the subsurface so nutrients, as well as water and even oxygen, penetrate the soil and down to the roots more easily.

Now is still a good time to rehab areas of the lawn that might need to be resodded or reseeded - as autumn rainfall and cooler temperatures can help new grass establish with less stress.

No matter if you are a DIY landscaper or have a service do it for you, don’t miss out on cool season lawn care. Take advantage of the milder weather to improve your lawn’s health and beauty so it’s part of your landscape you love to live in!