Fall is a great time to give your lawn that extra boost it needs to make it through the winter months. Cool-season grasses especially need a fall feeding to get ready for next spring. Below are a few tips on how to winterize your lawn.Fertilizing
Cool-season grasses such as ryegrass, fescue, and bluegrass should be fertilized in September, October, or November.
Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, Bahia, centipede, St. Augustine, and Zoysia should be fertilized in July, August, or September. Do not over-fertilize centipede. Specially formulated winterizing fertilizers are higher in potassium than regular lawn food. Potassium is the nutrient that makes grasses more winter hardy. Winterizers should be applied as the last fertilizer application of the growing season.
Controlling Lawn Disease, Weeds, and Insects - To help prevent lawn diseases during the fall and winter, be sure to remove leaves from your yard. Leaves left on the lawn encourage disease by preventing sunlight and air from reaching the grass. Either rake the leaves and add them to a compost pile, or go over them with a mulching mower, chopping them into a fine compost for your grass.
For weed control during the winter months, apply a pre-emergence weed killer. Some products feature a combination fertilizer and weed killer, called weed and feed.
Mowing and Watering - There is no need to water your warm-season lawn during the winter - most grasses go into dormancy. Before putting the warm-season lawn to bed for the winter, lower the mower to an inch below normal setting and use a grass catcher attachment. This will pick up any weed seeds in the lawn and the closer cut will allow for better air circulation.
Mulching and Composting - The best time to mulch is early fall, spring and summer. Mulch retains heat and moisture. For best results throughout the growing season, use a lawn mower that can be easily converted from a mulcher to a bagging unit or leaf shredder. Get started on a home compost program Save lawn waste (which includes grass clippings, shredded leaves and chopped brush) for the compost bin.
Winter Green - With the first freeze, a warm season lawn begins to change from green to brown. This period of dormancy is part of the natural life cycle of turfgrass. If you find an amber field undesirable, there is a choice. Fall is a great time to overseed your dormant lawn to maintain a green appearance.
Overseed with annual or perennial ryegrass or blends of cool season grasses. Bermuda grass tolerates overseeding better than Zoysia, centipede, or St. Augustine. Time the overseeding 2-4 weeks before the first killing frost. Annual ryegrass is often chosen because of its quick rate of germination. Perennial ryegrass is more tolerant of cold, disease, and drought.
Ground Covers - There are options for locations in your yard that may be too shady or moist to grow healthy grass. Fall is a great time to plant perennial ground covers such as mondo grass, liriope and juniper to fill the void. They will cover the area year-round and reduce the amount of grass you must maintain.
Adapted from http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/
Adapted from http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/
