Late Summer & Fall Lawn Problems

Although the growing season is largely over, late summer and early fall are the perfect times to craft the ideal yard for next year. Here are some tips for ensuring your lawn will be picnic-ready come spring.

LAWN MANAGEMENT

The thicker your lawn is, the healthier your lawn is. The healthier your lawn is, the less chance there is that weeds are able to consume your grass. If you want to avoid weeds, you want to make sure you are giving it the best possible care.

Here are some common mistakes people make while curating a lush lawn:

• Mowing grass too short.
• Allowing soil to compact.
• Failing to keep soil nutrients rich.
• Not checking for soil acidity.
• Allowing soil to become too dry.

By implementing a few easy and relatively inexpensive lawn management practices can help overcome these common lawn problems.

MOWING

Before you mow:

• Depending on your seed type, you will want to cut no more than ⅓ of the length of the blades of your grass at a time. This will avoid the grass going into shock, killing your lawn.
• Ensure your mower blades are sharp.
• You want the soil surface to be firm when you mow.
• And generally you’ll want to keep your lawn at least two and a half inches tall.

Shop Southern States Power Equipment to get the tools you need to keep your lawn in shape.

SOIL AND SEEDS

In order to set yourself up for soil success, we recommend the following:

• Have your soil tested by your local Southern States dealer at least every three years.
• Apply fertilizer and lime during the early fall/early winter.
• Aerate your soil during the late summer.
• Irrigate your soil on an "as needed" basis to soak the roots.

If you keep your soil loose, and maintain the correct fertility balance for your type of grass, weeds will have a tough time getting a hold. For most grass types, you can sow new grass seed into your lawn in the fall through to the end of October.

HERBICIDES AND PEST CONTROL

Depending on your lawn and location, herbicides that prevent weed seeds from germinating are applied from early to late August. Products containing pendimethalin, benefin plus trifluralin, dithiopyr, or prodiamine are usually effective. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and remember that if you are planning on seeding your lawn these products will prevent grass seed from germinating too. For broadleaf weeds appropriate herbicides can usually be effectively applied from October to early November. Pest control via early fall applications to your lawn may be appropriate for certain types of grubs if you have them, see your Southern States dealer for more information and recommendations.

With just a little legwork now, you could have several months of gatherings and cookouts ahead. Talk to your local Southern States team about how to bring your lawn to life.