Plants & Pests with Nicole

Seeding a lawn should occur from late August through mid-September for cool season grasses, which include Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue. If you seed your lawn much after September 15, it will be more vulnerable to winterkill as it may not be established enough when the winter sets in to make it through the cold temperatures and frost. Use a stiff-tined rake or aerate prior to seeding for better germination. If you are dealing with a lot of weeds in the area to be reseeded, you can use a mesotrione product such as Tenacity at seeding to help with weed control.

Fall is the most important time to fertilize cool-season turfgrass, including Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue. An application of fertilizer is best in the early fall, around Labor Day. Apply 1 pound of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet for this application. A second application of fertilizer can be applied around mid-October if necessary. To know if you need a second fall fertilizer application, look at the color of your lawn. If the lawn maintains a medium green hue, forgo the later fall application. Most established lawns would be fine with only one application in the fall.

Fall is the best time to treat dandelions, creeping Charlie, and other perennial broadleaf weeds. Multiple applications in late September and through October is best. Wait until temperatures are consistently below 85 degrees and nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 30’s before using 2,4-D products for best control. Each application should be completed 2-4 weeks after the previous application. Late October applications will also kill henbit, which germinates in the fall.