Monthly Archives: October 2015

Fall and Winter Lawn Care Tips

It’s that time of the year finally.   Cool season grasses are now starting to look their best again, while the warm season turf is starting to slow its growth and will soon be dormant for the winter. Here are a few tips to help optimize the results from our Dallas, Ga Lawn Care treatment program.

 

Lawn Care Dallas, GA - Fall Lawn Care

For best results, rememeber the 1/3 rule!

Bermuda / Zoysia Grass Fall Maintenance Tips

  • How should I be Mowing?    I’ve noticed over the years that its been a common misconception among a some in the area that they should be scalping their warm season turf at the end of the season.  This is not a good idea.  For the last cut of the season you should still continue to follow the 1/3 rule and be sure not to remove to much grass off at once.  Scalping the lawn before it goes dormant will potentially cause thin and damaged areas that will not recover until green up in the spring.  These weakened areas of turf could be prone to weed infestations. So, Mow at a normal height and try not to scalp the lawn over the fall or winter months.
  • Should I continue to water?  I recommend continuing to water the lawn atleast 1 inch per week in absence of rain even through the cool season, or atleast up until the point where you will have to winterize your irrigation system.  Thankfully we normally get plenty of rain through the late fall and winter months here in Dallas, Ga.
  • Weed Control –  Fall is the ideal time to apply a Pre-emergent weed control to prevent many of the problem weeds that can invade your lawn during the late winter and early spring months. Our round #6 and #7 pre-emergent treatments are vital parts of our Dallas, Ga Lawn Care Program that will ensure that weeds are minimized over the cool season.

Fescue Grass Fall / Winter Maintenance Tips

Lawn Care Dallas, GA

Fescue Lawn Care Dallas, Ga

  • Aeration and Overseeding?   If you haven’t aerated and overseeded your fescue lawn then you should think about doing it soon. There is only a small window of time to do this. Its recommened to get the seed out 3 weeks or so before the first frost for best possible results.  Late August through first week in October would be the ideal time for Aeration and Overseeding of your fescue lawn in Dallas, Ga.  Though, the sooner the better so don’t delay.
  • How should I be mowing?  Fescue should be cut at 3″ to 3.5 inches with a sharp blade.  During the cool season you can get away with cutting a little shorter than this if you prefer a tighter looking cut lawn.  Always remember the 1/3 rule.  It is best to never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at one mowing.  This will ensure a much healthier lawn that is resistant to weeds.
  • Weed Control –  A post emergent weed control should be applied as needed for any  weed issues but no pre-emergent is necessary on fescue during this time as it most definitely would hinder any seeding efforts.
  • Winter Tip Burn   Its fairly common to see yellow on the tips of fescue during hard freeze or frost. This will grow out when the lawn starts growing again and the lawn is mowed. During frosts be sure to limit foot traffic as walking across a fescue lawn with frost in the early morning can potentially damage the lawn in the places walked on.

If you have any questions or concerns about your lawn and the maintenance practices over the fall and winter months please feel free to give me a call.  If your not already on our 7 step Dallas, Ga Lawn Care Program then feel free to get in touch for a free estimate and lawn evaluation. Its never to late or early to start to think about improving your lawn!

 

Fescue Aeration and Overseeding

If you have Fescue Grass then you may or may not know that Fall is an ideal time of year to Aerate and Overseed your fescue lawn to repair damaged areas from the stress of the summer.  Fescue grass is one of the more easier turf types to establish from seed which does quite well in partially shaded areas where warm season turf may not do so well.  Fescue seed will germinate when the soil temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees, which means the air temperatures should roughly be between 60 and 75 degrees. This is why fall is an ideal time to preform the fescue aeration and overseeding service.

 

Prepping Your Lawn for Aeration and Overseeding

Fescue Seed will tend to germinate within a time frame of 10 to 14 days when properly planted and cared for.  There are a few steps you should take before the aeration process is performed…

1.  Mowing – It is recommended that you mow your lawn a little shorter than normal. This will help ensure that the aeration and seeding is more effective, as well as buy you some time on having to mow the grass before the new seed comes up.

2. Remove Leaves and Any debris

3. Mark Sprinkler Heads – If you have an automatic sprinkler system than it is imperative that you clearly mark any of your sprinkler heads before your lawn is aerated. This will prevent any damage to your sprinkler heads that could be caused by aeration equipment.

3.  Water the Lawn –  It is extremely important to thoroughly water the lawn for a few days before the aeration and overseeding is performed on your lawn.  Softening the ground with a thorough watering will ensure good plugs are pulled and will give optimal chance for good seed to soil contact.aeration1

Core Aeration Vs. Spike Aeration

Aeration is one of the first steps in the process. Using the right equipment to get the job does is important to optimize results from Aeration and overseeding.   Core aeration is the preferred method.  Spike type of aerators are not recommended because they just push the soil down and can cause more compaction.  A good core aeration is the way to go to break up soil compaction and improve water and airflow.   Sharplawns Turf Care, LLC   uses state of the art well maintained core aerators to get the job done properly.

Which Seed should i use

You want to go with a certified and tested seed blend that has good disease and drought resistance.  Sharplawns Turf Care uses a blue tag certified and tested triple blend turf type tall fescue seed that does excellent in partially shaded areas.

Straw or No Straw?

Wheat can be  used sparingly in bare areas that may be prone to dry out quicker. This can help hold in moisture better.  However, keep in mind that wheat straw will tend to germinate later on along with the fescue and become more of a “weed” problem in your new lawn.

Watering to maximize germination

Proper watering is important for best germination results. We recommend watering the lawn twice a day for the first 10 to 14 days for best results.  You want to keep the seed bed damp by lightly watering 2 times per day. Avoid drenching or overwatering. To much water on your new seed can cause the seed to rot and to little water and the seed can dry out.  Once most of the seed has germinated you can then cut back on your watering to a more normal watering schedule, you should expect to get to that point in 3 to 4 weeks.

Mowing your New Lawn

Your new grass is ready to mow when it reaches about 4 inches.  You want to be sure to not mow when the lawn is wet.  Its a good idea to bag the lawn each cut until the grass has matured.  Clippings mulched back on the lawn could potentially damage your new lawn so use caution when mowing.