Source: Kenneth Clayton, extension associate in turfgrass 

Taking care of your lawn during the fall is as important as it is during spring and summer, even more so for lawns with cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue. Nearly all fertilizers and broadleaf herbicides should be applied in the fall, and it is by far the best time for lawn renovations, such as seeding. When it comes to the timing of renovations, spring is better than summer, but fall is best of all. 

Here are some tips for cool-season grasses: 

Fertilize – Fertilizing your lawn in the fall will help it grow stronger, thicker and greener. Cool-season grasses should be fertilized with nitrogen in the fall as temperatures begin to cool and days shorten. Applying later in the fall when cool-season grasses are actively growing can help rejuvenate the lawn after a stressful summer and improve competition over undesirable warm-season weeds such as bermudagrass. Use either farm fertilizers, such as urea or ammonium sulfate, or specialty fertilizers found in garden centers. The normal rate is 1 to 1.5 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Remember to spread it evenly over your lawn. 

Control weeds – If broadleaf weeds such as clover, dandelion, plantain and chickweed are growing in your lawn, fall is the best time of year to get them under control. Almost all broadleaf weeds can be controlled selectively in turfgrass by applying a three-way mix of 2, 4-D, MCPP and Dicamba. This mix is sold in many garden centers under various trade names. Applications in late October through November, after winter annuals have emerged, often result in better control of winter annual broadleaves and perennial broadleaves compared to spring applications. Make the application on a warm day, sometime after the first frost of the season.   

Renovate – Summer’s stresses often take a toll on your lawn. The best time to reseed your lawn is from late August through October. Because the goal is to get the seed in close contact with the soil, it is recommended that you first remove surface debris and mechanically groove the soil. This can be easily done by traversing the lawn with a dethatching machine that can be rented at many rental centers. Seed a turf-type tall fescue at a rate of five to six pounds per 1,000 square feet. To avoid uneven application, spread half the seed horizontally across the lawn and the other half vertically. The best and quickest results are obtained if the seeded areas can be kept moist until the seeds germinate. 

Remember to continue mowing your lawn as long as the grass is growing. You might want to lower the height in the fall to 1.5 to 2 inches. This tends to keep the grass greener longer in the winter and will help the lawn to green up earlier next spring. It might even help increase turf density. 

For more information, contact your (County Name) Cooperative Extension office.  

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