How to Prepare Your Lawn for Fall:

Hemingway once said, "America is the land of wide lawns and narrow minds." Now, I don't know ab narrow minds, but we definitely love our lawns. Fall is one of the most import times of the year to form lawn care maenance.

proc you need to follow w vary with the type of turf on your lawn. two main types of turf gras are cool and warm . main difference is t cool gras require regular maenance through the l and wer s, while warm gras need to be prepped for the following spring. Common cool gras are ryegras, fescues, bluegras, and bentgras. Common warm gras include St. Augustinegrass, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, and Bufograss. If you are unsure w type you have on your lawn, you can t a sample to your local county extens and find which type you have. most import ng to remember is t maenance doesn't end when the grass stops growing.

proc of l lawn care cists of the following steps:

• Test r S
• Ap Herbicides for Weed Control
• Wr
• Ferize
• Mow
• Seed or Sod
• Remove Leaves and Tch
• Maain Equipment

Test r S

first ng you shd do s is form a s test to determine levels of nutrients, pH and other factors t affect the growth of your lawn. se results w help you understand w your s needs s l. If you need to reduce the acidity in your s, you shd ap lime. If alkalinity shd be reduced, then you shd ap sulfur. Coove Extens Service of st universities w usually form a s test for a able fee. can tact them or a local service to determine how you shd collect samples and where to send them.

Ap Herbicides for Weed Control

Many broadleaf weeds start to show their ugly faces in the l. Dandeli, plain, clover and creeping charlie are just some of the ennial weeds t come to play. If the weeds are spd and few in number, you can spot tt them with an herbicide. Spray tainer products m it easy to do spot ttments. shd complete s task while tematures are st above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. M sure you carefully evalu the number and types of weeds in your lawn. It is not necary to ap herbicides over your entire lawn unl there is signific infestat. Don't worry ab crabgrass and other annual weed-like gras. se are trolled m effectively in the spring.

Wr

Even though tematures are cooler and the growth of your grass is slowing down, the lawn st needs to be wred. This is often one of the most neglected as of l lawn care. Visi of cool l and wer weather often cause lawn owners to t a vacat and forget ab their lawns. But, you shd tinue to wr un the ground is cold and freezing tematures are on the horizon. If you have an automc sprinkler system, you w need to use compred air to blow the pipes and sprinkler heads bef damage occurs from a freeze.

Ferize

If you are a lawn fanc like me, you can m two applic of ferizer, once now and another in the l stages of l (l October/ early November). This w provide nutrients to your lawn over a longer growth iod. L ferizing often cau lawns to be the first to grow in the spring. Hver, the longer you wait to ferize, the l likely it is to be beneficial. When in doubt, sim skip the final applicat. If your s test indics t your lawn has a shortage of phosphorus, then you may cider using a 'werizing' type of ferizer. Otherwise, leftover spring ferizer or a weed and feed ferizer is sufficient. One final ng to avoid is slow-release ferizers. During s time of year, s has a lr level of microbial activity which means it ts longer to bk down ferizer and m its nutrients available to the grass.

Mow

shd tinue to mow your lawn through the l un growth stops. It is import to keep your grass 2" to 2 - 1/2" tall during l. If your grass gets too long, it w mat and risk lawn di like snow mold. Hver, if you cut it too short (l than 2"), you can diminish the lawn's ability to m and st food for growth in the spring.

Seed or Sod

This is not always a necary lawn care practice, but s time of year is the best time to establish or repair a lawn by seeding or sodding. Seeding and sodding shd be completed as soon as possible bef lly cold weather sets in. If you are overseeding your lawn, you need to r up debris and detch your lawn if tch is cker than half an inch. This ensures t the grass seed w be as close to the s as possible. shd also aim to keep the s moist for a few weeks while the seeds are germinng.

Remove Leaves and Tch

When leaves begin to l in autumn, it is import to remove them bef a ck layer forms t can smother the grass. Sim raking often removes tch from your lawn, but in bad ca of s compact, you may need to get a lawn aerator to form c aerat. If you have the funds, and you're serious ab lawn care, you may w to buy an aerator. Otherwise, you can sim rent one at a local hardware or garden sup st.

Maain Equipment

Lawn care equipment requires ct maenance through, but the l involves a m thorough maenance proc. Upkeep can save you t of money and heartache in the long run. Fall is a gt time to form an change on your mr. shd also drain the gas from your mr or add a gas stabier. Cult your manual bef using a stabier, because it may void your warry.

Remove the mr's spark plug with a spark-plug wrench. Lubric the spark-plug cylinder with a teaspoon of through its hole. Install a new spark plug, but keep the spark-plug wire disnected. Gse where necary, especially the r height-adjuster on a self-propelled mr.

shd check your blade and the bolts on the unit to ensure tightn. shd also inspect and possibly sharpen your mr blade. After you have completed these steps, st the mr in a clean, dry place away from any possible ignit sources.

Final Thoughts

Following the l lawn care practices lined in s article w prepare your lawn for wer and reward you with a healthy, thriving lawn in the spring.