August is the best time to
prepare for renovating your cool season lawns. Don’t wait till September 1st
to call your favorite landscaper to schedule and aeration and over seeding. If
your landscaper/lawn care operator isn’t booked solid by September 1st…it’s
like calling a tax preparer on April 14th and hearing…”no problem,
come in’! Something isn’t right! Rental places can easily get booked by then
also, so don’t hesitate to put a deposit down on a power rake and or “core
aerator” for the first weekend in September. You have work to do before that:
Cool Season Lawns Only!
*Selectively spot spray weeds
as needed!
*Read the label and be sure
you understand waiting periods on herbicides!
*Make any insecticide or
fungicide applications as needed. None of these interfere with seeding. In
fact, sometimes they help doing them all at the same time.
*Keep mowing at 3.5 inches
*Irrigate as needed. You will
switch
*Make sure you know your square
footage if you are buying products (length x width folks)
*Over seed rate for tall
fescues is 5-6 pounds per 1000 and new lawns need 8-10 pounds per 1000 ft. sq.
*A good “starter” like
11-23-0, 18-24-12 or “organic” fertilizer is recommended.
*Top dressing with compost (1
inch maximum) if you are lacking organic matter is a plus. Not easy to spread,
but a great addition if needed!
*Call or email if you are not
sure what to do! September blog will have “Step-by-Step” instructions on the
renovation process! You’ll have to come back!
Warm Season Lawns Only:
*Keep mowing and spraying
weeds as needed.
*Don’t put any more
fertilizer on it unless is 100% organic (5#/1000) or 100% urea (3#/1000).
*Try not to aerate it, but if
it’s part of a Heinz 57 yard, go ahead.
*Scout for insects and make
applications if needed of Dylox or quick to kill insecticide. Read the label as
Dylox likes to be watered BEFORE AND AFTER applying!
July was a difficult month
for me. My 55 year old brother, Steve, had a stroke. It left me numb with
accepting Gods will and thinking about my own mortality. I have to keep praying
and keep up my own health in order to better serve my family. I weighed 216 at
my doctors’ visit on August 1st and he told me I didn’t need any
medicine! Now, I just have to keep going. Thank you for your prayers!
Remember folks…it’s just
grass.
