Lawn Care Fall Season

Fescue grass is one of the top three types of grass. It demands a different schedule and care routine than its warm-season relatives because it is the sole cool-season species in that group. In this article, we'll go over the actions that both you and your lawn care provider may do to maintain the health of your cool-season grass during its preferred season.

Aeration and Overseeding - Fescue doesn't self-spread like the warm-season grasses that flourish in our area. However, if it does begin to thin, the accompanying bare spots necessitate outside assistance. It persistently persists in growing in compacted soil, in shady locations, and under dry conditions that would kill other plants. The ideal method for filling in those gaps is overseeding, which involves spreading seeds over already-existing grass. Additionally, overseeding encourages thicker, more lush growth of grass in your lawn's better parts. Your lawn needs to be aerated in order to get the benefits of overseeding. Where the ground is dry and compacted, those bare areas have formed. In order to create tiny vertical "tunnels" that allow air and water to reach grass roots, aeration involves the removal of several little "plugs" of soil. In order to give the new growth from overseeding the best chance of benefiting from aeration during Fescue's period of peak growth, aeration and overseeding are typically done at the same time in early fall.

Other Important Steps:

Fertilizing: The treatment applied by Lawnber in early fall (the fifth in a sequence of seven) includes a starter fertilizer, high in nitrogen, to power up the new seed. The fertilizer administered in the sixth treatment, in late fall, encourages growth in both new and established grass.

Watering: Our advice for newly seeded areas is pretty much the opposite of our regular recommendation. Normally, we advise watering deeply once or twice per week to make sure your lawn gets all of its weekly inch. After overseeding, however, the top quarter-inch of soil becomes the priority. It should be kept consistently moist for a full three weeks or until the new growth reaches mowing height. This may require less water than you’re used to, applied more frequently, possibly once per day and possibly twice.

Mowing: Under ordinary circumstances, Fescue lawns should be mowed every five to six days, removing no more than one-third of grass blades at a time and leaving them between three and three-and-a-half inches tall. However, it’s best to take a break just after aeration, to allow seedlings a little more time to get established. Resume a regular schedule when the new growth reaches mowing height.

Weed Control: After aeration and overseeding, herbicides should not be applied until after the new year, because they can harm young grass blades. Once your new grass gets established, its density will provide a strong first line of defense against weeds. If you have questions about Fescue lawns or any other aspect of fall lawn care, an experienced lawn service company like Lawnber can answer them. In addition to weed control, we provide lawn fertilization, outdoor pest control, and much, much more. Our Certified Landscape Specialists are ready to help with all of your lawn service needs.