Preparing (in more ways then one) your lawn for Fall Renovation and Beyond.

August is the best time to prepare for renovating your cool season lawns. Don’t wait till September 1^st to call your favorite landscaper to schedule and aeration and over seeding. If your landscaper/lawn care operator isn’t booked solid by September 1^st…it’s like calling a tax preparer on April 14^th 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 1^st 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.