Fall – A Time for Lawn Maintenance

Late August through mid-October is our transition zone’s ideal time for fall lawn maintenance. Wait until after a rain to core-aerate or verti-slice the cool season turf grass areas. This way, the soil is soft enough for the machine to penetrate 1/2″ to 1″ deep for the seed prep work. Soil-to-seed contact is the name of the game. Seeds are shaped like footballs, and chances of germination are slim, lying on top of hard ground. Even existing lawns benefit from core aeration as part of their fall maintenance.

Last year, Dr. Turner, the turf specialist, spoke on this topic at the State of Maryland Dept of Agriculture Re-Certification class. He indicated that while in the past, we often regarded core-aeration as a turf grass “upsell” program. The University of MD turf grass test plots showed increased resistance to fungal pathogens where the grass had been core-aerated. So now, in addition to thicker turf, more weed control, less erosion, and less compaction, core-aerating and overseeding increase fungal resistance. In the mid-Atlantic transition zone, overseeding with turf-type tall fescue is recommended, especially for fall lawn maintenance.

Fertilization should be done as part of the fall lawn maintenance program once every 30 days. Apply this at a rate of 1/3 to 1/2lb of N per 1000 square feet, per recent MD State recommendations. Turf benefits from multiple feedings in the fall. This is because you are feeding additional new grass plant tillers that the plant has put out to capture more light. With long days in the spring, the turf produces vertical shoot growth. Feeding at this time creates excessive vertical leaf blade growth. It also necessitates more lawn cutting. No weed control materials should be applied now; wait until November or the spring.

For more information on How to Rejuvenation A Lawn.