Looking Ahead To September Lawn Care

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler. Sadly, summer is coming to an end, and that means it’s time to begin preparing for the oncoming autumn season.  Bring out the sweaters and adjust your lawn care and irrigation systems for the change of season.  With some simple steps and Nutri-Lawn's Irrigation professionals, you'll be well on your way to creating a healthy lawn that can survive the winter. 

Reseed the dead patches
Get rid of the weeds and dead grass in patchy areas before reseeding.  Simply rake through the area to remove the brown patches and throw these out, or into the compost pile. Rake up the area to turn up the dirt, after applying a layer of fertilizer.  Now plant!  Once your seeds are down, turn on your irrigation system and water the new grass seeds. 

For the best results, try Nutri-Lawn's Hydro-seeding services. This is an extremely effective method to protect vulnerable seeds as they germinate. 

Feed your lawn
It's just as important to fertilize in the fall as it is in the spring.  This will feed your lawn and allow the roots to store nutrients over the winter, which will encourage a healthy emerald green lawn next spring. 

The higher quality the fertilizer, the more healthy your lawn will be.  What you're looking for in a fall fertilizer will be different than a spring one.  Fall feeding needs to be high in nitrogen and potassium, whereas you may have noticed that spring fertilizers are rich in phosphorous to help spur new grass growth. 

Fall fertilizing will help repair damage created by a dry and hot summer.  These nutrients will also allow your grass to continue building and deepening its root system until the winter freezes your yard solid. 

For the best results, you'll want to fertilize twice in the fall: once in September, and once before the ground freezes.  Make sure to moisten your grass with your irrigation system and don't fertilize when rain is expected in the next 24 hours. 

Take care of grub control
In mid-August, you should check to see if your yard has a grub infestation.  If you find grubs in your grass, this is the best time to treat them.  Grubs are found closer to the top of the soil at this time, and are therefore easier to treat. 

Remove heavy leaves and keep mowing
Keep mowing your lawn throughout the fall to the length that you did all summer.  There may be dead leaves surrounding trees that are on your lawn as you mow.  If there's a heavy layer of leaves it may be suffocating your grass.  If you've mulched them with your mower and you still see a heavy layer, remove a majority of the clippings and leaf mulch.

Use your irrigation system correctly
Keep your irrigation habits the same throughout the fall as you did in the summer.  You want to keep encouraging a deep root system.  Remember that your lawn needs an inch of water a week.  Watch rainfall to know how much to water your yard.  If it's a rainy month, get a rain gauge to see how much water your grass is getting so you don't overwater. 

Think about thatch
Pull a plug from your lawn to see how much thatch is on your yard.  If you see more than half an inch, it's time to think about aeration.  Aeration will stop thatch from suffocating your yard by allowing it to breathe in oxygen, and soak up water.   

For the best irrigation service and installations, contact Nutri-Lawn Ottawa for your complimentary quote today!