Lawn Doctor Fall Newsletter

In This Issue

Are we still in a drought? Yes! We need rain and we need lots of it to make up for the 6" deficit of precipitation we are currently experiencing.

Everyone likes sunny, dry weather but for us to enjoy fall activities (pumpkin picking, apple picking, and produce harvesting) and to get our lawns back in shape, we need to get rain soon!

Now that summer is over maybe our perspective on what is "great weather" can change, at least temporarily.

Preparing Your Lawn for the Fall & Winter

With autumn upon us and winter rapidly approaching, you're probably not spending much time thinking about your lawn. But autumn, with its cooler temperatures and occasional rainfall, is the ideal time to prepare your lawn for next spring.

Many homeowners think lawns need less care in the fall because the grass grows more slowly. In fact, just the opposite is true. During this time of year, grass is busily absorbing energy, moisture, and nutrients in preparation for a long, dormant winter. Give it a little attention now, and you'll be rewarded with a lush, healthy spring lawn. Just follow these six tips.

Fall Tips

Keep Mowing - Continue to water and mow your lawn throughout the fall. As the season draws to a close, gradually drop the mower's blade to a lower setting for the last two cuttings of the year. Leave the lawn short and free of leaves/debris for the winter.
Aerate the Soil - Fall is also an ideal time to aerate your lawn so that oxygen, water, and fertilizer can easily reach the plant's roots. If you've not arranged for aeration, please call us.
Rake the Leaves - We know raking leaves is no one's idea of fun, but it's important to remove fallen leaves from your lawn as soon as possible. Don't wait until all the leaves have fallen from the trees to start raking. If you do, the leaves will become wet from rain and morning dew, stick together, and form an impenetrable mat that can suffocate the grass and breed fungal diseases.
Fertilize - Grass blades grow much more slowly as the weather cools, but the grass roots and rhizomes continue to grow quickly. (Rhizomes are the horizontal plant stems that lie just beneath the soil's surface; they produce the blades of grass above and the roots below.) The fall application of fertilizer, as part of your Lawn Doctor program, delivers essential nutrients for the grass to grow deep roots now and to keep nutrients on reserve for a healthy start next spring.
Fill in Bare Spots - Autumn is a great time of year to improve any bare, thin areas in your lawn. Seeding increases turf density and improves the overall appearance and health of your lawn. Seeding in fall can also help the lawn recover from the heavy use from the summer.
Weed Control - Weeds, like most plants, are in the energy-absorbing mode during the fall. As part of your Lawn Doctor program, we continue to spot treat weeds to keep them in check (but not in seeded areas).

Fall: The Best Time For Seed!

Lawns have taken quite a beating this year with the weather extremes: an incredibly rainy spring followed by drought in the summer. Seeding is the best way to revive your stressed lawn and fall is the optimal time for seeding for many reasons.

Seed needs certain conditions to germinate and grow well. In the fall, these conditions are perfect. The ground is already warm from the summer; we tend to get regular rainfall, and the cool nights and warm days provide the moisture and sunshine conducive for seed germination and the development of emerging grass plants.

While many people are tempted to postpone seeding until the spring, this is not an ideal choice. We cannot apply the products necessary to control crabgrass and weeds in the spring if seeding is done. The young seedlings then must compete with these emerging "undesirables" and may be choked out. In addition, warm temperatures arrive before the seedlings have established a good root system; more of them may be lost to the heat. In the meantime, we are unable to work on preventing crabgrass and weeds, and it sets the lawn up for a season-long battle. Fall is the optimal time to seed when competition from weeds and crabgrass is not a concern and cool weather promotes good root development. If your lawn needs seeding, don't wait; do it now.

We Want To Know

We want you to know how much we appreciate your business and hope that you have found us responsive to each and every issue relating to your lawn care needs. We take great pride in delivering superior service and great results and focus on the detail needed to reach that goal every day.

If you have any feedback you'd like to give, we would love to hear from you!

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