Homeowner Update: Fall Lawncare Tips

Fall is an excellent time of year to strengthen, protect and if necessary, repair your home lawn.  After the high temperatures of summer (such as the summer of 2012) the homeowners lawn is in recovery mode and provides an opportune time to prepare your turf for winter and next spring.  The following are guidelines from lawn care professionals to ensure the homeowner does just that.

Mowing/Leaf Control:  Kentucky Bluegrass lawns (the norm for Michigan) are most comfortable mowed at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches.  A shorter lawn, while possibly more aesthetically pleasing, puts undue stress on the turf and requires a significant amount of maintenance.  Leaves and grass clippings are unsightly but should be mulched (or mowed) into the lawn.  Removing these sources of carbon weakens the microbial population of the soil and will damage your lawn in the long run.

Irrigation: The heat is over but irrigation is still required (in the absence of rain).  An inch of water a week is a good standard to follow.  Golf courses preach frequent, light watering but this is not ideal or very feasible for the homeowner.  Your inch of water should be spaced out into two .5 inch irrigation events.  These heavy, infrequent watering will encourage deeper rooting of the turf. 

Fertilization:  Amounts of fertilizer are measured in pounds of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet.  A good goal is to apply 2 lbs of Nitrogen in the fall, spaced into two applications.  The first of which can be done in early September and the latter in early October.  It is essential to not over-fertilize, this will lead to lush, young growth that can die off and damage the plant in winter. 

Seeding:  Autumn is an excellent time to seed damaged areas of your lawn.  It is important to select a seed mixture based on the environment you intend to grow in (i.e. shaded or saturated areas).  These recommendations can be found on the bag of seed.  To ensure a large percentage of germination, make sure that the areas you intend to seed have been raked clear of the dying turf.  Aeration is also helpful in this regards, giving the seed the necessary seed-to-soil contact needed for successful germination.  September 1st through October 1st is the best time to perform seeding when using your basic seed mixtures. 

Weed Control:  When plants are actively growing, like they are in the spring and fall, is the best time to apply herbicides.  Early September applications are effective in controlling broadleaf weeds for the current fall.  However, studies at Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State show that acceptable control can still be achieved when applying herbicides late into autumn (post October 15th).  Immediate results will not be as visible as early applications but long term control into the spring can be achieved. 

Insect Control:  The most common insect pest of home lawns in Michigan is the European Chafer.  The larvae (or grubs) are the metamorphosis form that cause damage and are at their biggest and most active in the fall.  The grubs could be the cause of weakened turf stands but it is important to scout the area first.  Pull back the damaged turf and if the number of grubs is greater than 5 per square foot an insecticide application is probably required (especially after this dry summer).  When purchasing your insecticide look for the active ingredients of carbaryl or trichlorfon.  Because the target is beneath the surface of the ground, water in your application with rain or a half inch of irrigation.